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Clan MacDonell of Glengarry
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry (Scottish Gaelic: Clann Dòmhnaill Ghlinne Garaidh) is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William, Highland. The progenitor of the MacDonells of Glengarry is Donald, son of Reginald, 4th great-grandson of the warrior Somerled and ancestor of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald.
The MacDonells of Glengarry have historically possessed land holdings in the districts of Ross-shire and Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. Their territories occasionally resulted in land disputes with other clans, most notably Clan Mackenzie. The clan supported the House of Stuart during the Jacobite rebellions, pledging their allegiance to the Jacobite cause. After the Jacobite Uprisings, the clan suffered during the Highland Clearances.
The clan chief is traditionally designated as the "Son of Alexander's son" (Scottish Gaelic: Mac Mhic Alasdair). Clan MacDonell of Glengarry has a chief that is recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon, and the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland.
The MacDonells of Glengarry are one of the branch clans of Clan Donald—one of the largest Scottish clans. The eponymous ancestor of Clan Donald is Donald, son of Reginald, son of Somerled. Somerled, son of Gillebride was a 12th-century leader, styled as "King of the Isles" and "King of Argyll". Through ambitious military conquest, Somerled rose in prominence to create the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. However, his origins and ancestry are obscure. King Robert the Bruce granted a charter of many lands to Aonghus Óg of Islay, including half the Lordship of Lochaber. Angus Og's son John was the first Lord of the Isles. John's first marriage was to Amie MacRuari, heiress of Clann Ruaidhrí. John later divorced Amie and married Margaret, daughter of King Robert II. The children from John's first marriage became the main succession of the chiefship of Clan Donald and the later Macdonald Lords of the Isles would go on to descend from John's second marriage. The MacDonells of Glengarry and MacDonalds of Clanranald both descend from John and Amie's eldest son, Reginald.
Reginald, 1st of Clanranald and Glengarry succeeded through his mother Amie MacRuari in the majority of the old lands of Clann Ruaidhrí. Reginald married Lady Fiona Stewart, a daughter of Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl. Reginald himself had five sons. One of them was Alan, the progenitor of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald and another was Donald, 2nd of Glengarry. Little or nothing is known of Donald, however, an account was given in which the lands of Glengarry were returned to the control of the Scottish crown. Over time, the clan managed to secure a crown charter, granting them legal ownership of the Glengarry lands that were originally taken away from them by their feudal superior, Godfrey of Garmoran, despite Godfrey never questioning the claims of Donald to the Lordship of the Isles. Donald married twice: firstly Laleve, daughter of the chief of Clan MacIver, by whom he had one son named John. Donald married secondly a daughter of the chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat by whom he had two more sons, Alexander and Angus. Donald died in Lochaber in 1420, was buried at Rollaig Orain, and succeeded by his son.
The first son, John 3rd of Glengarry, died without heirs and was therefore succeeded by his half-brother Alexander "of the Woods", 4th chief of Glengarry, progenitor of Glengarry. Alexander is sometimes considered the first true chief of Glengarry but is usually regarded as the fourth of Glengarry. From Alexander, the clan takes the Gaelic patronymic of Mac Mhic Alasdair, meaning "son of the son of Alexander".
According to Angus and Archibald MacDonald, the family seanachie MacVuirich recorded a death account of Alexander "of the Woods", who is referred to as "a powerful, bold, warlike Lord of the Clanranald", who died on the Isle of Abbas in 1460; However, due to the contemporary records being referenced by the Crown holding unto their lands, there is no mention of his territorial magnate. His successor, John MacAlister Ranaldsoune, 5th of Glengarry, inherited the lands of Glengarry from his father. The clan was part of the MacDonalds of Clanranald around this time, and took part in several battles, including supporting Aonghas Óg and his claim to the Lordship of the Isles from his father at the Battle of Bloody Bay. Sometime after, John MacAlister supported Aonghas Óg at the Battle of Lagabraad against Clan Mackenzie in order to acquire lands in the Earldom of Ross, which resulted in a victory for Clan Donald. John Ranaldsoune was killed by Fraser of Lovat after being invited to a "friendly" interview with him in Achteraw in Abertarff, Inverness-shire in 1501. This resulted in a conflict between the MacDonells of Glengarry and the Frasers of Lovat, in which the Frasers were defeated and surrendered the lands of Abertarff to Glengarry. Proceedings were initiated by Alexander MacIain of Glengarry before the Lords of Council against the murderers of his father.
Alexander Ranaldson, 6th of Glengarry, was considered to be a rebellious chief. The MacDonells of Glengarry did not play an important part in the politics of Clan Donald until the late 15th century. Traditional rights of the chiefs were being replaced with feudal relationships in which the Crown was the ultimate superior, as part of the royal policy to pacify the Scottish Highlands, including taking charters from lands formerly held by the Lords of the Isles. The lands of Glengarry were leased to the Earl of Huntly, and the Camerons of Lochiel. Most of the chiefs submitted to James IV of Scotland, and even the MacDonalds of Clanranald accepted charters in 1494. Alexander Ranaldson did not receive a charter, suggesting that he continued to have a rebellious attitude at this time after the fall of the Lords of the Isles. In response, James IV tasked the Earl of Huntly and the Duke of Argyll in carrying out his policy in dividing the territories that once belonged to the Lordship of the Isles for their own holdings for their own clan lands.
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Clan MacDonell of Glengarry
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry (Scottish Gaelic: Clann Dòmhnaill Ghlinne Garaidh) is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William, Highland. The progenitor of the MacDonells of Glengarry is Donald, son of Reginald, 4th great-grandson of the warrior Somerled and ancestor of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald.
The MacDonells of Glengarry have historically possessed land holdings in the districts of Ross-shire and Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. Their territories occasionally resulted in land disputes with other clans, most notably Clan Mackenzie. The clan supported the House of Stuart during the Jacobite rebellions, pledging their allegiance to the Jacobite cause. After the Jacobite Uprisings, the clan suffered during the Highland Clearances.
The clan chief is traditionally designated as the "Son of Alexander's son" (Scottish Gaelic: Mac Mhic Alasdair). Clan MacDonell of Glengarry has a chief that is recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon, and the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland.
The MacDonells of Glengarry are one of the branch clans of Clan Donald—one of the largest Scottish clans. The eponymous ancestor of Clan Donald is Donald, son of Reginald, son of Somerled. Somerled, son of Gillebride was a 12th-century leader, styled as "King of the Isles" and "King of Argyll". Through ambitious military conquest, Somerled rose in prominence to create the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. However, his origins and ancestry are obscure. King Robert the Bruce granted a charter of many lands to Aonghus Óg of Islay, including half the Lordship of Lochaber. Angus Og's son John was the first Lord of the Isles. John's first marriage was to Amie MacRuari, heiress of Clann Ruaidhrí. John later divorced Amie and married Margaret, daughter of King Robert II. The children from John's first marriage became the main succession of the chiefship of Clan Donald and the later Macdonald Lords of the Isles would go on to descend from John's second marriage. The MacDonells of Glengarry and MacDonalds of Clanranald both descend from John and Amie's eldest son, Reginald.
Reginald, 1st of Clanranald and Glengarry succeeded through his mother Amie MacRuari in the majority of the old lands of Clann Ruaidhrí. Reginald married Lady Fiona Stewart, a daughter of Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl. Reginald himself had five sons. One of them was Alan, the progenitor of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald and another was Donald, 2nd of Glengarry. Little or nothing is known of Donald, however, an account was given in which the lands of Glengarry were returned to the control of the Scottish crown. Over time, the clan managed to secure a crown charter, granting them legal ownership of the Glengarry lands that were originally taken away from them by their feudal superior, Godfrey of Garmoran, despite Godfrey never questioning the claims of Donald to the Lordship of the Isles. Donald married twice: firstly Laleve, daughter of the chief of Clan MacIver, by whom he had one son named John. Donald married secondly a daughter of the chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat by whom he had two more sons, Alexander and Angus. Donald died in Lochaber in 1420, was buried at Rollaig Orain, and succeeded by his son.
The first son, John 3rd of Glengarry, died without heirs and was therefore succeeded by his half-brother Alexander "of the Woods", 4th chief of Glengarry, progenitor of Glengarry. Alexander is sometimes considered the first true chief of Glengarry but is usually regarded as the fourth of Glengarry. From Alexander, the clan takes the Gaelic patronymic of Mac Mhic Alasdair, meaning "son of the son of Alexander".
According to Angus and Archibald MacDonald, the family seanachie MacVuirich recorded a death account of Alexander "of the Woods", who is referred to as "a powerful, bold, warlike Lord of the Clanranald", who died on the Isle of Abbas in 1460; However, due to the contemporary records being referenced by the Crown holding unto their lands, there is no mention of his territorial magnate. His successor, John MacAlister Ranaldsoune, 5th of Glengarry, inherited the lands of Glengarry from his father. The clan was part of the MacDonalds of Clanranald around this time, and took part in several battles, including supporting Aonghas Óg and his claim to the Lordship of the Isles from his father at the Battle of Bloody Bay. Sometime after, John MacAlister supported Aonghas Óg at the Battle of Lagabraad against Clan Mackenzie in order to acquire lands in the Earldom of Ross, which resulted in a victory for Clan Donald. John Ranaldsoune was killed by Fraser of Lovat after being invited to a "friendly" interview with him in Achteraw in Abertarff, Inverness-shire in 1501. This resulted in a conflict between the MacDonells of Glengarry and the Frasers of Lovat, in which the Frasers were defeated and surrendered the lands of Abertarff to Glengarry. Proceedings were initiated by Alexander MacIain of Glengarry before the Lords of Council against the murderers of his father.
Alexander Ranaldson, 6th of Glengarry, was considered to be a rebellious chief. The MacDonells of Glengarry did not play an important part in the politics of Clan Donald until the late 15th century. Traditional rights of the chiefs were being replaced with feudal relationships in which the Crown was the ultimate superior, as part of the royal policy to pacify the Scottish Highlands, including taking charters from lands formerly held by the Lords of the Isles. The lands of Glengarry were leased to the Earl of Huntly, and the Camerons of Lochiel. Most of the chiefs submitted to James IV of Scotland, and even the MacDonalds of Clanranald accepted charters in 1494. Alexander Ranaldson did not receive a charter, suggesting that he continued to have a rebellious attitude at this time after the fall of the Lords of the Isles. In response, James IV tasked the Earl of Huntly and the Duke of Argyll in carrying out his policy in dividing the territories that once belonged to the Lordship of the Isles for their own holdings for their own clan lands.