Clan MacLeod

Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan. The original Gaelic form is Clann Mhic Leòid. Clann means children, while mhic is the genitive of mac, the Gaelic for son, and Leòid is the genitive of Leòd. The definite article (an or na) is usually omitted in Gaelic in a chain of genitives. The whole phrase therefore means "The children of the son of Leod".

Origins of the name MacLeod

Clan map showing some of Clan MacLeods territory

Scottish clans are family groups. This Clan claims descent from Leod. Leòd (Gaelic), or Ljótur (meaning ugly, which was his Norse name), is thought to have been a son of King Olav the Black, last King of Man and the Western Isles. Leod was the first chief and gave the clan the patronymic MacLeod, meaning "son of Leod". The name is sometimes spelled McLeod, which is not strictly correct, although other, even more incorrect forms also exist, such as McLoud and McCloud. (One famous example of the latter is "Sam McCloud" (played by Dennis Weaver, who was the lead character in a US TV drama in the 1970's). Dunvegan Castle has been the stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod for nearly 800 years and it remains their home.

Leod held Uist, Harris, Lewis and much of Skye due to his marriage, his father, grandfather and stepfather's connections. He died around 1280 and was buried on the holy island of Iona, where six successive chiefs of the clan found a last resting-place after him.

Leod had two sons, Tormod and Torquil. Tormod founded Sìol Thormoid, which led to the MacLeods of Harris and Skye, while Torquil was the progenitor of the MacLeods of Lewis and Raasay, or Sìol Thorcuill. The MacLeods of Harris and Skye usually spell their name in the English language using a capital "L", while is seems to be traditional for Macleods from Lewis to spell theirs using a lower-case "l".

The clan holds the legendary Fairy Flag at Dunvegan Castle.

The protagonists of the Highlander films and series are both fictional MacLeods.

Wars of Scottish Independence

During the Wars of Scottish Independence Norman, who became the 2nd chief of the MacLeods of Skye, assumed power around the year 1280. He is believed to have fought with King Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Clan Wars

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

• The Battle of Tuiteam-Tarbhach 1406. This battle was fought at Tuiteam-tarbhach in the south west part of Sutherland where it meets Ross-shire. Angus MacKay of Strathnaver married the sister of MacLeod of Lewis by whom he had two sons; Angus Dow MacKay and Rory Gald MacKay. When Angus died, he left the governing of his estate to his brother Uistean Dow MacKay. MacLeod of Lewis decided to visit his sister where he found that she was not well. As he was not happy about this, on his way home he decided to spoil Strathnaver and Brae-Chat in Sutherland. Robert Earl of Sutherland sent Alexander Murray and Uistean Dow MacKay to attack the MacLeods. The fight was long and furious. In the end the booty was recovered and nearly all the MacLeods were killed including the chief of the MacLeods of Lewis.

• Battle of Strathnaver 1407. The Clan Chief of Clan Sutherland and Earl of Sutherland was a leader of the Scots invasion of the west of England in 1388. He married Margaret Stewart, daughter of Alexander, Earl of Buchan, a younger son of King Robert II. During his long chiefship, there was a temporary alliance with the Clan MacKay against the Clan MacLeod who had invaded Strathnaver in 1407 on rumours that MacKay was mistreating his wife, a MacLeod heiress. Since both Sutherland and MacKay country were laid waste, the old rivals joined forces to pursue the MacLeods, catching them somewhere near Loch Shin where the invaders were killed except for the last man who escaped his pursuers by throwing away his sword and targe and out sprinting his pursuers over the hills. This day became known as "The Great Slaughter" and gave the Sutherlands the upper hand in dominating their local clan rivals.

• The Battle of Bloddy Bay 1480, When William Dubh MacLeod was killed (or taken prisoner) supporting John MacDonald against his bastard son Angus Og Macdonald the flag was also said to have been unfurled in the Battle of Badh na Fola - the Battle of Bloody Bay. According to MacDonald cronicles William was taken prisoner by Angus Og and Allan Moidertach but had been so severely wounded that he died on his way back to Dunvegan. It is said by the Seanachie of Sleat that Ronald Bain, son of Allan the laird of Moidart seized MacLeods galley but an Irishman prevented it from being steered away by thrusting the blade of an oar below the stern post of the galley between it and the rudder. As already mentioned the flag was guarded by a dozen warriors and one after another of them was slain. There is a special account of one of them - Murchadh Breac (Murdo the pock-marked) who was struck by a spear and collapsed on deck of the galley but kept holding the flag up by sticking its pole into the gaping hole of his body until he was relieved of his charge by a comrade. On account of the Seanachie of MacDonald William Dubh was taken prisoner by Allan Moidertach and Angus Og. After the Battle of Bloody Bay the MacDonalds raided Skye on behalf of Clan Leod's part supporting John MacDonald against Angus Og. William Dubh must have been prisoner then as his son Alasdair was not yet chief of the clan when he withstood the raging MacDonalds and was severely wounded between the shoulders by a battleaxe from which he never really recovered. Thence he was hunchbacked and so comes his name Alasdair Crotach.

• 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 Spoiling Dyke 1578. The Clan MacDonald of Uist barred the doors of Trumpan Church, or Kilconan Church as it was once known, east of the shores of Ardmore Bay. They then set fire to the church full of worshippers. No one escaped alive except one girl who although mortally wounded managed to give the alarm. On hearing the news, the Chief of Clan MacLeod and his men set off for Ardmore bay where a battle ensued. The MacDonalds were killed almost to a man. The corpses of the MacDonalds were dragged along and then buried in a turf dyke, thus the incident being known as the "Battle of the Spoiling Dyke". The atrocity by the MacDonalds was to exact vegeance on the MacLeods for their atrocity of the massacre of MacDonalds in cave on the island of Eigg a couple of years earlier. This again was a tit-for-tat revenge between the two feuding clans.

• The Battle of Siol Thormoid in 1601. Donald Gorm MacDonald of Sleat had married the sister of Sir Rory Macleod of Harris. For some reason Donald Gorm MacDonald did not like his wife. Sir Rory MacLeod sent a message to Donald Gorm MacDonald, asking him to return his sister. Donald Gorm not only refused to obey this request, but also divorced her. He then married the sister of Kenneth MacKenzie, Laird of Kintail. Sir Rory MacLeod took this disgrace (as he thought it) so highly, that, he assembled his men and invaded part of Donald Gorm MacDonald's lands on the Isle of Skye, which lands Sir Rory MacLeod claimed to be his. Donald Gorm MacDonald then assembled his forces, and invaded MacLeod's lands of Harris, which he wasted and spoiled, carried away their store and bestial property, and killed some of the inhabitants. Rory MacLeod and his men travelled with the Siol Thormoid (the MacLeods of Harris)to the Isle of North Uist (which was Donald Gorm MacDonald's). He sent his cousin, Donald Glas MacLeod, with some forty men, to spoil the island, and they also took valuable property which had been stored in a church. John MacIan-MacJames (a kinsman of Donald Gorm MacDonald), accompanied by twenty others, encountered Donald Glas Macleod. After a sharp skirmish, they killed Donald Glas MacLeod, with the most part of his company, and so rescued the goods. Sir Rory, seeing the bad success of his men, retired home for the time being. Both sides continued to steal and slaughter. In the end, Donald Gorm MacDonald assembled his whole forces in the year 1601 and invaded Sir Rory MacLeod's lands drawing them into a fight. Sir Rory Macleod was then in Argyll looking for advice from the Earl of Argyll against the Clan MacDonald. Alexander MacLeod (Sir Rory's brother) resolved to fight with Donald Gorm MacDonald, even though his brother was absent. The battle lasted for the most part of the day, both contending for the victory with great obstinacy. The Clan MacDonald, in the end, defeated their enemies, taking Alexander MacLeod prisoner. The two sides later made peace and Alexander MacLeod was released.

• During the Civil War as many as 800 MacLeods fought as Royalists at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

Crests & Tartans

MacLeod of Assynt tartan

MacLeod of Raasay tartan

MacLeod tartan (Logan & Smibert)

Clansmen are identified by the MacLeod clansman's badge, worn as badges or brooches, and by which their loyalty is identified. The badge of MacLeod bears the motto 'HOLD FAST', while that of MacLeod of Lewis is 'I BIRN QUIL I SE' or 'LUCEO NON URO', Lewis' motto means "I shine but I do not burn", while the Harris' means "hold on" and is Norwegian. The badges do not show a separation of clanship, but rather a togetherness, and a shared loyalty to one another.

Clansman's badges are often referred to as "crests" or "clan crests", even though this isn't strictly accurate. A crest is the part of the Arms, worn upon a helmet. The actual crest is the centre part of the badge, the part surrounded by the strap-and-buckle. It is the "twist" (called a "torse") under the crest that attaches to the helmet.

Of course, only proper armigers (people authorised Arms by the Lord Lyon, King of Arms) are allowed to wear the crest alone - in this case, the Chiefs of MacLeod.

A bit about Arms - in Scotland, Arms belong to one person, and one person only - there is no such entity as a "Family Coat of Arms." Using someone's Arms without the permission of that person is punishable under the law, and known as "Usurping Arms." Not only is it morally and socially reprehensible, but to display someone else's Arms could result in significant legal issues. MacLeod clansmen are permitted to wear the "Clansman's Badge", consisting of the crest portion of the Chief's Arms, surrounded by a strap and buckle indicating that the wearer is not in fact the Chief, but beholden to him.

MacLeod of Harris	MacLeod of Lewis (Lewes)
"Hold Fast"	"I BIRN QUIL I SE"

MacLeod of Harris Septs

MacLeod of Lewis Septs

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