The Clan MacKenzie are a Scottish
clan, whose traditional lands include Kintail
and Ross-shire.
History
The MacKenzies were of Celtic
stock and were not among the clans that originated from Norman
ancestors. They are believed to be related to Clan
Matheson and Clan Anrias,
all three descending from the 12th
century Gilleoin of the Aird. In the 13th
century the clan was recorded at the stronghold of Eilean
Donan on Loch Duich which was
the seat of Clan MacRae, with whom
MacKenzie was once allied. The clan seat of MacKenzie was at Castle Leod. There
were also strongholds at Kilcoy Castle and Brahan
Castle. The MacKenzie clan supported the Jacobite uprisings 1745-1746.
Castle Leod, Seat of MacKenzie.
There is a tradition, not borne out, however, by any tangible evidence or confirmation
that this very ancient family deduced its descent from a member of the House
of Geraldine, in Ireland (whence sprang the noble families of Leinster, Desmond,
&c.), who, with a considerable number of his followers, is stated to have
settled in Scotland about the year 1261 and to have so powerfully aided King
Alexander III in repelling the invasion of Haco, King of Norway. He was reportedly
rewarded by a grant of the lands of Kintail, in the County of Ross, which were
erected into a free Barony by charter, dated 9th January 1266. Therefore, Colin
Fitzgerald was the first feudal Baron of Kintail.
His grandson, who in the Gaelic was called Coinneach MacCoinneach (Kenneth
son of Kenneth), 3rd Baron of Kintail, became corrupted in English into MacKenzie
(pronounced: MacKenny) and hence arose all the families of MacKenzie in Scotland.
The name "MacKenzie", therefore, coming from the Gaelic: "MacCoinneach" meaning:
"Son of the Fair One".
In 1623, the clan chief became the Earl of Seaforth, taking his title from
a sea loch on the island of Lewis.
Born in 1754, the last Lord Seaforth raised a regiment for the British Army
in 1778, the 72nd, and the clan produced another the 78th in 1793. Both had
distinguished records fighting against Napoleon and were later amalgamated into
the Queen's Own
Highlanders.
The Chief of Clan MacKenzie is the 5th Earl of Cromatie who, along with the
MacKenzies of Gairloch still owns estates in the clan country.
Scottish Wars of Independence
During the Wars
of Scottish Independence the Clan MacKenzie was among the clans who fought
at the Battle
of Bannockburn 1314 agaist the English where clan chief Ian MacKenzie is
said to have led a force of five hundred MacKenzies. The Clan MacKenzie fought
on the side of the Bruce at the Battle
of Inveruie in 1308.
Clan Conflicts
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Clan map showing MacKenzie territory
- Bealach nam Broig 1452, A force of Munros
and Dingwalls met north-west of BenWyvis. Their enemy was a force of MacKenzies
and their followers who had with them an important Ross
hostage, who was in fact the Earl of Ross's son. The Munros and their allies
rescued the Ross hostage and almost completely exterminated their ememies.
However the Munros victory came at a loss as around 140 Dingwalls and their
leader William of Dingwall were killed. Also 11 Munros of Foulis were killed
including their Chief thus the Chieftenship was left to a baby still lying
in his cradle.
- Battle of Blar-na-Pairc, 1477; The Lord of the Isles had resigned the Earldom
of Ross into the Kings hands. After this the province was continually molested
with incursions by the Islanders into the MacKenzie territory. A MacDonald
cousin called Gillespick invaded the MacKenzie country with great hostility.
The MacKenzies assembled their army and met the invading Islanders by the
River of Conon, about two miles from Brayle, where there ensued a sharp and
cruel skirmish. The Clan MacKenzie fought so hardly and pressed the enemy
so, that in the end Gillespick MacDonald
was overthrown and chased, the most part of his men being slain or drowned
in the river of Conon.
- Raid on Ross-shire 1491, Ewen Cameron XIII Chief of Clan
Cameron and a large body of Camerons, joined by Alexander of Lochalsh,
Clan Ranald of Garmoran and Lochaber and the Chattan
Confederation - who they must have made peace with on a raid into the
county of Ross-shire. During the raid they clashed with the Clan MacKenzie
of Kintail. They then advanced from Lochaber to Badennoch where they were
even joined by the Clan
MacKintosh. They then proceeded to Inverness where they stormed the Royal
Castle and MacKintosh placed a garrison in it. The Lords of Lochalsh appear
at this time to have had strong claims upon the Camerons to follow them in
the field. They were superiors under the Lord of the Isles of the lands of
Lochiel in Lochaber, in addition to the claims of a close marriage alliance
(Ewen married a daughter of Celestine of Lochalsh). This would serve to explain
the quite unusual mutual participation under a common banner between the Camerons
and Mackintoshes in this raid.
- Drumchatt 1497, In 1495 King James assembled an army at Glasgow. Then on
May 18th many of the Highland Chiefs made their submissions to him, including
the MacKenzies and Munros.
Soon after this Alexander MacDonald
of Lochalsh and his clan rebelled against the King. He invaded the fertile
lands of Ross-shire where he was defeated in battle by the Munros and MacKenzies
at a place called Drumchatt where he was driven out of Ross-shire. He escaped
southward amongst the Isles but was caught on the island of Oransay, by MacIan
of Ardnamurchan, and put to death.
- Drumchatt 1501, There is no Munro account or any historical record of this
second battle at Drumchatt apart from that of what the MacKenzies claim hundreds
of years later. In Alexander MacKenzie's book 'The History of the MacKenzies',
first published in 1890, he claims that in 1501 a large group of Munros, Dingwells
& MacCullochs attacked the MacKenzies, laying waste to their lands and
taking much spoil. However on their return they were attacked by the MacKenzies
at a place called Drumchatt where many were killed. However there is no evidence
for this and his books are unsourced and his account is believed likely to
be fiction. Munro sources record a series of smaller skirmishes and feuds
between the two clans at this time, rather than an actual battle. There is
a very lengthy document now in the Scottish Records Office detailing all of
the offences claimed by both sides in the troubles between them at this time
when there was damage to property and the murder of individuals. In the next
generation Chief Hector Munro of Foulis married a daughter of the Chief Mackenzie
of Kintail bringing peace between the two clans.
- Battle of Pinkie 1547. The Clan MacKenzie were among the clans who fought
the English at the Battle
of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547. The MacKenzie Chief was captured by the English.
This was the last major battle between the Royal Scottish and Royal English
armies.
- With the Mackenzie clan the Munros were often at feud, and Andrew Munro
of Milntown defended and held, for three years, the Castle
Chanonry of Ross, which he had received from the Regent Moray who died
in 1569, against the Clan MacKenzie, at the expense of many lives on both
sides. Mackenzie failed to take the castle by force. It was, however, afterwards
delivered up to the Mackenzies peacefully under the act
of pacification (a treaty of peace to cease hostilities), as the MacKenzies
had more legal right to own the castle. Again in Alexander MacKenzie's book
'The History of the MacKenzies' published in 1890 he claims that an attempted
sortie by the Munros for fish at a nearby loch was foiled and as a result
the MacKenzies took control of the castle. Again however there is no evidence
for this, his books are unsourced and it is believed likely to be fiction.
During the Civil War in 1646 The
Marquis of Montrose laid siege to the castle which he took from the MacKenzies
after a siege of four days.
- Logiebride 1597 At a time of peace between the Clan MacKenzie and Clan
Munro a fight broke out at a fair in logiebride which almost put the whole
of Ross-shire into combustion. The fight began between John Macgillichallum
(brother to the Laird of Raasay) and Alexander Bane (brother to Duncan Bane
of Tulloch). The Munros took the side of Alexander Bane and the MacKenzies
took the side of John Macgillichallum. John Macgllicham was killed along with
John Mac-Murdo Mac-William and three others from the Clan MacKenzie. Alexander
Bane escaped but three on his side were also killed; John Munro of Culcraggie,
his brother Hutcheon Munro and John Munro Robertson. The Clans MacKenzie and
Munro then began assisting each side in preparing to invade each other. However
nothing ever came of it and peace was resumed. Again in Alexander MacKenzie's
book 'The History of the MacKenzies' published in 1890 he claims that 50 Munros
were killed when this took place. Again there is no evidence for this and
his account is believed to be fiction.
- Variance 1602, A feud between Lord Kintail MacKenzie and the MacDonald's
Laird of Glengarry led to the MacDonalds being attacked by the MacKenzies.
A few MacDonalds were killed at Variance. The MacKenzies wanted the MacDonald
Laird of Glengarry to appear before the Justice court at Edinburgh for previous
crimes against them. Meanwhile two more MacDonalds were killed. Glengarry
MacDonald did not appear in court on the arranged date but went about his
own hand to revenge the slaughter of his clansmen. As he did not appear in
court the MacKenzies wasted the MacDonald country of Morar. The two sides
met and a battle took place with great slaughter on both sides. After this
they came to an agreement to obtain peace where Glengarry MacDonald was glad
to requite and renounce to the Lord MacKenzie of Kintail, and give him the
inheritance of the lands of Strome.
- 1646, During the Civil War the Clan MacKenzie Chief who was still in posession
of the Castle
Canonry was now known as the Earl
of Seaforth. However in 1646 James Graham
the Marquess
of Montrose laid siege to the castle and took it from the MacKenzies after
a siege of four days. However the MacKenzies retook the castle again in 1649.
- Inverness 1649, During the Civil War the Clan Munro and Clan Fraser again
took Inverness
Castle. This time they were also joined by Clan Urquhart and Clan MacKenzie
who they had recently made peace with. They were all opposed to the authority
of the current parliament. They assaulted the town and took the castle. They
then expelled the garrison and raised the fortifications. However on the approach
of the parlimentry forces led by General Leslie all of the clans retreated
back into Ross-shire. During the year several skirmishes took place between
these parties.
- 1649, The MacKenzies retook the Castle
Chanonrie from the current Parlimentry forces. However the Parlimentry
forces soon after took the MacKenzie's 'Red Castle'
and hanged the garrison.
- The Battle of Mulroy 1668, Clan
Cameron and Clan
MacKintosh were at peace and Cameron Chief Sir Ewen was responsable for
keeping the peace between his men and their former enemies. However when the
Chief Sir Ewen Cameron was away in London a feud broker out between Clan
MacDonald and their enemies Clan MacKintosh and Clan MacKenzie. As the
Cameron Chief was away he was not able to hold back his clan and the combined
forces of Cameron and MacDonald defeated the MacKintoshes and MacKenzies.
- The Clan MacKenzie led by their Chief Kenneth who for a time held the title
Earl of Seaforth but later died in exile are believed to have supported King
James at the siege of Londonderry
and at the Battle
of the Boyne in 1690.
Jacobite Uprisings
The MacKenzies supported the Jacobites during the 1745 - 1746 Jacobite Uprising.
Origin of the name
- MacCoinnich, Gaelic "son of Coinneach" which has been transliterated in English as "Kenneth"
"Clan MacKenzie" is a modern anglicised form. The original form, still used in modern Scottish Gaelic, is "Clann Choinnich."
Arms, Crest & Badge
The MacKenzie Chief's Coat of Arms.
- Arms: Azure, a deer's head cabossed Or
- Crest: A mount in flames Proper
- A stag's head cabossed Or
-
Clan MacKenzie Crest: I Shine, Not Burn.
- Luceo non uro, Latin "I shine, not burn"
- Cuidich 'n righ Gaelic "protect the king"
Slogan
- Tulach Ard, Clan MacKenzie's Sluagh-gairm or "war shout" is the name of a mountain in Kintail which simply means "high hill."
Plant badge
Septs of Clan MacKenzie
- There are several variations in the spelling of the name Mackenzie, i.e. MacKenzie, McKenzie, Macenzie, McEnzie, Makenzie, MaKenzie, M'Kenzie, Kenny, Kenney, MacKenny, MacKenney, McKenny, McKenney, Mackinzie, McKinzie, MacKinney, McKinney &c, they are accepted as Septs or variations of the Mackenzie Clan name. Often in centuries past it was the local Monk or Minister who could read and write and who also decided on the spelling of people's names when entering Baptism, Marriage or Burial records. So when writing an unfamiliar name it had to be written as it sounded and misspellings would often occur especially when the informant had a strong accent.
- The Septs were smaller clans or Scottish families who lived within the ruling clan's territory. They would pay Tax to the Chief in order to live within his territory. The Chief's clan in return could give septs protection. Taxes would normally be paid in the form of food such as crops and livestock rather than money. Some septs would sometimes fight alongside the ruling clan. However other septs were sometimes just normal Scottish families who worked on the land.
- Charles
- Charleson
- Clunes
- Clunies
- Cross
- Iverach
- Iverson
- Iver
- Ivory
- Kenneth
- Kennethson
- Kinnach
- Kynoch
- Leawe
- Macaweeney
- MacBeolain
- MacBeath
- MacBeth
- MacConnach
- MacCure
- Maceur
- MacIver
- MacIvor
- MacKenna
- MacKenney
- MacKerlich
- MacKinna
- MacKinney
- MacKinnie
- MacLeay
- MacMurchie
- MacMurchy
- MacQueenie
- MacThearliach
- MacVanish
- MacVennie
- MacVinish
- MacVinnie
- MacWeeny
- MacWhinnie
- Makiver
- Murchie
- Murchison
- Smart
- Tuach
- Wigh
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