Clan MacLean

Clan MacLean is a highland Scottish clan

Clan history

The name MacLean, Scottish Gaelic: MacGille Eoin or "son of the servant of St John". The first of the name on record, Gillean, lived in the reign of Alexander III of Scotland (1249-1286), and fought against the Norsemen at the Battle of Largs.

Gillean of the Battleaxe

"Gillean of the Battleaxe" is said to be the founder of the clan and he fought at the Battle of Largs against the Vikings in 1263. His great-great-grandson settled in Mull and in 1390, Donald, Lord of the Isles gave land to his two brothers-in-law, thus starting the two main branches of the clan - MacLean of Duart and MacLaine of Lochbuie (both on the island of Mull where the name is still frequently found). The clan extended its influence to other Hebridean islands such as Tiree and Islay and onto the mainland. "Red Hector of the Battles" from Duart fought for the MacDonald Lord of the Isles at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 and Lachlan of Duart was killed at the Battle of Flodden.

Clan Wars

Clan MacLean fought at the Battle of Largs in 1263, in support of Alexander III against Viking invaders.

In 1380 the along Clan MacLean with Clan MacKinnon and Clan MacLeod were defeated in battle by Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles who vindicated his right as Lord of the Isles.

1400, The MacLeans had become powerful associates of Macdonald Lord of the Isles. As a result tensions had incresed between the MacLeans and MacKinnons. The climax came on a day in the year 1400, when the Lord of the Isles, who had been hunting in Mull, set out to return to Ardtornish Castle, his stronghold on the opposite shore of the Sound of Mull. As Mackinnon was stepping into his galley to follow, Lachlan and Hector Maclean fell upon him and slew him. They then disarmed his men, and hastening after the Lord of the Isles, seized his galley and forced him to grant them an indemnity for the deed. A long feud continued between the MacLeans and MacKinnons.

Of the feud with the Macleans which followed many incidents are related. On one occasion the young Chief of the Mackinnons was forced to seek refuge in Ireland. There the Earl of Antrim gave him forty men to support him. The party landed at Camus na fola, the Bloody Bay a couple of miles north-west of Tobermory in Mull, and to discover the whereabouts of his enemies Mackinnon paid a visit to an old woman of his clan who lived in a certain lonely glen. He told her he bad forty men to carry out an attack. She replied, " Do as I tell you, and you will have possession of your lands by sunrise." Following her counsel he took to the woods with his party, where each man cut and stripped a caber. Surrounding Ledaig House, where Duart and Lochbuie lay asleep, they planted their cabers in the ground, the Chief placing his before the door with his naked sword hung on it. In the morning the astonished Macleans, realising who had been their visitor, and that he could easily have taken their lives if he had wished, sent for Mackinnon and restored his lands.

Battle of Doire Shuaig, In a desperate battle between the Clan MacLean and Clan MacKinnon at Doire Shaig the battle was going in MacKinnons favour. However a MacKinnon who had married a MacLean deserted with all his followers. The MacKinnons fled to a cavern but the MacLeans found it and smoked the place. Some of the MacKinnons managed to get in a boat and row to the Isle of Staffa where they hid the deserter Mackinnon in a great cave which is still known today as MacKinnons' Cave. He later escaped to Skye. Unfortunatly as a result the MacKinnons lost all of their lands.

Battle of Harlaw, 1411 The Clan MacLean fought as Highlanders at the Battle of Harlaw near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire on 24 July 1411 against an Army of Scottish Lowlanders.

The Battle of Corpach 1439, Clan Cameron defended their lands against the Clan MacLean. Clan Cameron won the battle. Prior to this the Cameron lands had been bestowed upon John Garve Maclean of Coll by Alexander, Lord of the Isles. It is recorded that a young Maclean Chieftain, Ewen/John Abrach (the son of John Garve Maclean, so called from his residence in Lochaber) was killed in this battle. It is not likely that this is one in the same with "Hector Bui M'Lean." Rather, they were possibly the leaders of their respective tribes of the Macleans. With the defeat of the Macleans at Corpach, the Camerons continued to retain their lands, despite Maclean attempts to "dislodge" them throughout the coming years.

1480 - Clan MacLean fought at the "Battle of Bloody Bay" on the side of MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.

1513 - Clan MacLean fought against the English at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513.

1560 - The Gallowglass. A mixture of Scots and Vikings became a ferocious mercenary army. The Mackay Gallowglass fought with the MacLeans and MacLeods for Shane O'Neill

Battle of the Western Isles 1586 was fought between Clan MacDonald and the Clan MacLean. Donald Gorme Macdonald of Sleat was travelling from the Isle of Skye, to visit his cousin, Angus Macdonald of Kintyre. He landed with his company on an island called Jura or Duray, which partly belonged to Maclean and partly to Angus Macdonald, and by chance he landed in that part of the island which belonged to MacLean. Two outlaws, Macdonald Herrach and Hutcheon Madgillespick who were had fallen out with Donald Gorme MacDonald arrived also with a company of men; and understanding that Donald Gorme was there, they secretly took away, by night, a number of cattle out of that part of the island which appertaineth to MacLean; and so they retire again to the sea; thereby thinking to raise a tumult against Donald Gorme, by making the Clan MacLean to believe that this was done by Donald Gorme MacDonald's men, who, lying at a place called Inver-knock-bhric, were suddenly invaded unawares, under silence of the night neither suspecting or expecting any such matter by Sir Lauchlan MacLean and the enitire Clan MacLean. The MacLean's killed more than 60 of the Clan MacDonalds that night Donald Gorme MacDonald himself escaped in a ship that lay in the harbour. Angus Macdonald of Kintyre hearing of accident and falling out between his brother-in-law, MacLean (whose sister he had married) and his cousin, Donald Gorme Macdonald, travelled Skye to visit Donald Gorme MacDonald, and to see by what means he could work a reconciliation between him and MacLean for the slaughter of Donald Gorme MacDonald's men at Inverknock-bhric. After a lot of political arguing the two sides were made to make peace by the King.

1594 - Clan MacLean fought at the "Battle of Glenlivet" against Clan Campbell

The Battle of the Isle of Isla 1598; Sir Lauchlan MacLean laid claim to the whole Isle of Isla. However it had always been the anciant inheritance of the Clan MacDonald at this time under Sir James MacDonald. Sir Lauchlan MacLean assembled his whole force and invaded the Isle of Isla. Lauchlan MacLean was actually James MacDonald's uncle. James being resonable peacfully offerd his uncle half of the Island for the MacLeans to own for Lauchlan's lifetime only. However Lauchlan MacLean refused all offers of peace unless his nephew gave him the entire Island. Therefore a cruel battle took place. James MacDonalds men were far inferior in terms of numbers but had been trained well when involved in wars in Ireland. The MacDonalds retreated so as to fight with the sun on their backs. The MacDonalds were eventuall victorious and the MacLeans were defeated. Sir Lauchlan MacLean along with about 280 of his men were killed the rest were chased to their boats. James MacDonald was seriously wounded after being shot through the body with an arrow, he was found after the battle amongst the dead MacDonalds which numberd about 30. This brought an end to the feud between the MacDonalds and Clan MacLean. However afterwards the King not liking the MacDonalds gave much of the land to Clan Campbell which would later lead to a further feud with them.

Battle of Inverlochy (1645), during the Scottish Civil War. This battle was between the Scottish Argyll government forces of Clan Campbell led by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll and the Royalist forces of the Marquess of Montrose mainly made up from Clan MacDonald, Clan MacLean and other MacDonalds and men from Ireland raised by Alasdair MacColla. Through cunning tactics the Royalist force of 1500 MacDonalds & MacLeans defeated the Argyll Campbell force of 3000.

1647 - Siege of Duart Castle; In 1647 Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean.

1651 - Clan MacLean fought at the battle Battle of Inverkeithing as Royalists in 1651.

1678 - Archibald Campbell the 9th Earl, son of the Marquess of Argyll, invades the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and garrisons Duart Castle.

1689 - Clan MacLean fight at the Battle of Killiecrankie 1689.

Lachlan Mor, chief of Duart

Duart Castle

As mentioned above the MacLeans fought in battle alongside their allies the Clan MacDonald against their enemy the powerful Clan Campbell.

However The MacLeans also had a dislike for the MacDonald clan, one of the most powerful families in the Western Isles. In the sixteenth century, Lachlan Mor, chief of Duart, continually harried the MacDonalds of Islay and after his death in 1598, his sons took revenge on his suspected murderers, the MacDonalds, by carrying out a massacre of the people of Islay which lasted for three days. The quarrel between the Macleans and the Macdonalds of Islay and Kintyre was, at the outset, merely a dispute as to the right of occupancy of the crown lands called the Rhinns of Islay, but it soon involved these tribes in a long and bloody feud, and eventually led to the near destruction of them both. The MacLeans, who were in possession, claimed to hold the lands in dispute as tenants of the crown, but the privy council decided that Macdonald of Islay was really the crown tenant. Lachlan Maclean of Dowart, called Lachlan Mor, was chief of the MacLeans in 1678. Under him the feud with the Macdonalds assumed a most sanguinary and relentless character.

Later decline

The MacLeans rose in support of the Jacobite Uprising in both 1715 and 1745 - the clan chief was killed at the Battle of Culloden The massacre of the MacDonald clansmen marked the point when the fortunes of the MacLean clan began to wane, and by the seventeenth century the Campbells had gained possession of Duart Castle and most of the MacLean estates. However, Duart castle was reclaimed by the family in 1911 and has been restored as the family seat.

Castle Duart

Castle Duart, the traditional home of the MacLeans, fell into ruins but was restored early in the 20th century by Sir Fitzroy Donald MacLean and is once again the seat of the clan chief.

Clan Motto

"Virtue mine honour". Meaning Virtue is my Honour.

Battle Cry

"Another for Hector" (referring to a traditional story of seven brothers who fell in the same battle, giving their lives to save Hector MacLean of Duart)
"Death or Life!!"

Tartans

Image:MacLean Dress Tarten.jpg

The dress tartan of the MacLean Clan

Famous MacLeans

The exploits of soldier and diplomat Fitzroy Hew MacLean, who parachuted into Yugoslavia to assist the resistance in WW2, are said to have been the origins of Ian Fleming's James Bond and 007. Sorley Maclean, born in 1911, is a distinguished poet. Novelist Alistair MacLean is known for books such as HMS Ulysses and The Guns of Navarone. Economist Daniel McFadden developed statistical techniques from economic theory for analysing the choices people make. Actor Sean Connery's mother is a McLean. The Countess of Wessex, formerly Sophie Rhys-Jones, is descended from the Macleans of Duart and Coll.

Alternative Spellings

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