's
Victorian era romanticised depiction of a
Macdonald, lord of the Isles.
Origins The MacDonalds of Clanranald 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", though his origins and ancestry are obscure. The Macdonalds of Clanranald descend from Donald's son,
Angus Mor and then from his son,
Angus Og. Angus Og's son
John was the first
Lord of the Isles. John's first marriage was to
Amie mac Ruari, heiress of
Clann Ruaidhrí (which was founded by
Ruaidhrí, elder brother to Donald, founder of Clan Donald). John later divorced Amie and married Margaret, daughter of
Robert II. The children from John's first marriage were passed over in the main succession and the chiefship of Clan Donald and the later Macdonald Lords of the Isles would go on to descend from John's second marriage. The Macdonalds of Clanranald and
MacDonells of Glengarry both descend from John and Amie's eldest son,
Reginald.
14th century Reginald, 1st of Clanranald, succeeded through his mother Amie mac Ruari in the majority of the old lands of Clann Ruaidhrí. In 1371, his father John confirmed this succession by a charter of these lands; this charter also granted him others on the mainland. John's charter was confirmed the following year by Robert II; it included the lands of
Eigg,
Rum,
Uist,
Harris, the three pennylands of
Sunart and Letterlochette, the two pennylands of
Ardgour, the pennylands of Hawlaste and sixty merklands in
Lochaber. On their father John's death, Reginald's younger half-brother,
Donald, son of John and Margaret, succeeded to the lordship of the isles and chiefship of Clan Donald. Reginald died in 1386 at
Castle Tioram and was buried at Relig Odhráin on
Iona. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Allan. . It was the burial grounds of the earliest chiefs of Clanranald. This early era from Reginald down to his great-grandson Allan, son of Roderick, is by far the most obscure in the history of the clan. From the years 1372–1495, no charters of the family exist and it is impossible to know for certain exactly what territories it possessed. The earliest document to shed some light on this era is a charter granted by
James V to John Moidartach in 1531. It states that the lands granted had been held by his grandfather, Allan, son of Roderick, and his predecessors. The lands mentioned were the 27 merklands of Moidart, the 30 merklands of Arisaig, 21 merklands in Eigg, and the 30 merklands of Skirhough, in South Uist. According to Angus and Archibald Macdonald, it seems likely that this mere fragment of Ranald's original lands was all that the senior branch of Reginald's descendants had left by the time of Allan, 2nd of Clanranald.
15th century is the traditional seat of the Clan MacDonald of Clanranald. In 1427, James summoned parliament at
Inverness and summoned the area chiefs. Of those, Alexander (son of Godfrey and nephew of Reginald) and John MacArthur (of
Clan Arthur) were immediately seized and executed. Allan, son of Reginald, seems to have survived, as his name is recorded in the Exchequer Rolls for the year 1428. This is the only contemporary record of Allan to exist; although his name appears in the genealogies and manuscript histories of the clan, nothing else is recorded of him, and thus there is nothing to show whether he succeeded to his father's lands after the execution of Alexander. It is however likely that, as he held a crown charter for the lands, the king would have preferred him to other claimants. Allan is also said to have fought at the
Battle of Harlaw in 1411, as did his brothers Donald and Dugald (who was slain). According to Macdonald and Macdonald, Allan likely died sometime between 1428 and 1430 at Castle Tioram and was buried at Relig Odhráin. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Roderick. Roderick, 3rd of Clanranald, supported the
Earl of Ross against the
Scottish crown, joining him in the earl's 1492 expedition against Inverness. The MS History of the Mackintoshes states that Roderick collected a band of men "accustomed to live by rapine, fell upon Inverness, pillaged and burnt the houses". In 1431, Roderick fought under
Donald Balloch against the king's troops at Lochaber. In 1455, he was part of a Macdonald failed raid on Sutherland, in which the
History of Clanranald states that while the Macdonalds were ultimately defeated in the engagement, Roderick succeeded in saving most of his men and returned to Castle Tioram. In 1469, the
John II, Lord of the Isles granted to his half-brother
Hugh of Sleat, much of the lands that were originally held by Ranald. These included the 30 merklands of Skirbough in South Uist, the 12 merklands of Benbecula, and the 60 merklands of North Uist. It also appears the Hugh of Sleat additionally held 24 merklands in Arisaig and 21 merklands in Eigg. In consequence on Roderick's death, his descendants were left with a heritage of disputed territories. Roderick died in 1481, was buried at Relig Odhráin, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Allan. He was one of the main supporters of
Angus, bastard son of John II, Lord of the Isles, during the
Battle of Bloody Bay. During the battle, which was located between
Ardnamurchan and
Tobermory, Angus defeated his father John. Following Angus' death, Allan supported Alexander of Lochaslsh, who would have likely been thought of as the presumptive heir of the lordship of the isles. During the time of the feud, Allan took one vessel only and set out to sail between Moidart and the small Isles. As Whyte tells it: The man on the look-out descried another large
birlinn coming round the point of Ardnamurchan. "Whose is she?" asked Allan. "The Chief of Maclean's." "My dire foe," ejaculated Allan. "Shall we put about?" asked the steersman. "She will overtake us," said the watchman; "she is large and full of men." "Go on," said Allan, spread my
plaid over me, stretched on this beam; if hailed or questioned, say you are conveying Allan MacRuaire's remains to
Iona. Play the family Lament, piper." They were hailed, and answered as directed. "Let them pass with the dead," said the Chief of Maclean; "we are well quit of Allan." As soon as they were out of sight, Allan arose and said, "Row to the nearest point of
Mull." He landed and, taking some of his men, ordered the rest to row to
Aros Bay. On his way across to
Aros, he set fire to the houses. In the meantime, Maclean landed in Moidart and commenced to carry off the cattle. Some who ascended the highest hill saw the island of Mull in smoke and immediately informed their chief. "Ha!" says he. "Allan is come alive; leave the cattle and let us back and intercept our foe on his return. When Allan arrived at Aros, he boarded his galley and said, "Row, men, to Loch Suaineart [Sunart], and avoid a second meeting; quick, ere he doubles the point." They landed at
Salen, Loch Suaineart; withdrawing the wooden pins[,] the birlinn was soon in planks and on the shoulders of the men and soon launched on the waters of
Sheilfoot, and Allan was in his castle as soon as Maclean arrived at his own; and thus saved his cattle by burning a few thatched houses." Nothing else is known of Allan's chiefship. Macdonald and Macdonald state that Allan died in 1505 at
Blair Atholl. He was succeeded by his son, Ranald Bane. He died in 1509 at Perth and was succeeded by his eldest son, Dougall. Due to his cruelty towards his own clansfolk, Dougall was assassinated in 1520 by members of his clan and his sons were excluded from the succession of the chiefship. On his death the leadership of the clan transferred to his uncle, Alexander, son of Allan, 4th of Clanranald. Alexander, 7th of Clanranald lead the clan until his death, sometime before 1530. of John Moidartach (from 1572). John Moidartach, 8th of Clanranald, on the death of his father, possessed Moidart, Arasaig and Castle Tioram. In 1540 he was apprehended by
James V and placed in prison.
Lord Lovat and the
Frasers supported Ranald Gallda and the charters which had previously been held by John were revoked and granted to Ranald Gallda as heir of his father Allan. When John Moidartach was finally released from prison Ranald Gallda was forced to flee from Clanranald lands and took refuge with Lord Lovat. The Macdonalds of Clanranald then took the offensive and supported by the MacDonalds of Keppoch and Camerons raided into Fraser lands. They overran Lovat's lands of
Stratherrick and Abertarf and the
Grant's lands of
Urquhart and
Glenmoriston, taking
Castle Urquhart. The whole district was plundered and the invaders planned to permanently occupy the newly won territories before they were forced to retreat with the arrival of the
Earl of Huntly, Lovat, Grant and Ranald Gallda. As the Clanranald supporters of John Moidartach had fled from the scene, Ranald Gallda again occupied Moidart. On 3 August 1564
Mary, Queen of Scots, who was in
Glen Tilt, wrote to
Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, asking him to demolish a house of strength on an island in
Loch Rannoch. Members of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald were rebuilding the house, which her father
James V had previously ordered to be demolished. John Moidartach died in 1584 and was buried at
Howmore, South Uist. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Allan. Allan died in 1593 and was buried at Islandfinnan. On his death he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Angus. Angus, 10th of Clanranald was killed shortly after his succession to the chiefship, and was succeeded by his brother, Donald. In the summer of 1594, Donald Gorm Mor Macdonald of Sleat and Ruariri Mor Macleod of Harris and Dunvegan each sailed for Ulster at the head of 500 men each. They force was intended to support
Hugh O'Donnell who was
besieging Enniskillen Castle. Later in 1595 another expedition of Hebredians was made to support the Irish rebels against the forces of
Elizabeth I. Donald Gorm Mor of Sleat raised a fighting force of 4,000 men and sailed to Ulster in a fleet of 50 galleys and 70 supply ships. The fleet was however blown off course and was attacked off
Rathlin Island by 3 English
frigates. 13 Macdonald galleys were sunk and another 12 or 13 were destroyed or captured off
Copeland Island, at the entrance to
Belfast Lough. The same year, and likely as part of this operation, Donald and John Og MacIain of Ardnamurchan sailed for Ulster at the head of 2,000 men. The fleet of galleys sheltered for the night off the
Sound of Mull, possibly at
Calve Island near
Tobermory. That night the Lachlan Mor, at the head of 1,200 men surprised the Macdonalds and killed 350 of them in the ensuring battle. Donald, and several other Macdonald chieftains were captured by the Macleans. In 1601, the Macdonalds of Clanranald joined the
MacDonells of Glengarry in their constant warring with the Mackenzies of Kintail, ravaging and laying waste to the Kintail area. While the Macdonald fighting force was in the Kintail area, trouble was brewing in South Uist as Murdoch MacNeil of
Barra had taken possession of the lands of Boisdale under the pretext that they belonged to the
MacNeils of Barra. Donald led his fighting force down South Uist and fought the MacNeils at North Boisdale, killing most of them. The surviving MacNeils fled to the remoter islands of the
Barra Isles, where Murdoch was finally slain by the Macdonalds of Clanranald. John died in 1670 on Eriskay, South Uist and was buried at Howmore on the same island. He was succeeded by his only son, Donald. Ranald, 15th of Clanranald never married and died at Fauborg St Germains, in 1725 and was buried in Paris. He was succeeded by Donald Macdonald of Benbecula, to whom the forfeited Clanranald estates were later restored. Donald, 16th of Clanranald died in 1730 and was buried at Cladh Mhuire, Nunton. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ranald. Ranald, 17th of Clanranald was born in 1692. He died at Nunton in 1766, where he was buried. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ranald. Ranald, 18th of Clanranald was educated in France where he became acquainted with Charles Edward Stuart. During the battle the Macdonald regiments were located on the Jacobite extreme left wing instead of their preferred place on the right wing. Popular legend has it that these regiments refused to charge when ordered to do so, due to the perceived insult of being placed on the left wing. The Clanranald regiment was disbanded at
Fort Augustus, two days after their defeat at Culloden. He died at Nunton in 1776, where he was buried. He was succeeded by his eldest son, John Moidartach. John Moidartach, 19th of Clanranald died in Edinburgh in 1794 and was buried at Holyrood. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Ranald George. He died in London in 1873 and was buried at
Brompton Cemetery. He was succeeded by his son,
Reginald John James George, 21st of Clanranald an
admiral in the
Royal Navy. He died in London, in 1899, and was succeeded by his son Allan Douglas. Allan Douglas, 22nd of Clanranald, was born in 1856 and was a
captain in the
Royal Artillery. The direct line of Clanranald chiefs became extinct in 1944, following the death of Angus Roderick, 23rd of Clanranald. The chiefship then passed into the line of the Macdonalds of Boisdale who are a branch of the clan. Recently, (2013), the line was discovered to not have died out (having been discovered through research) and is currently being reviewed by the court of the Lord Lyon. The current chief is Ranald Alexander Macdonald of Clanranald, 24th Chief and Captain of Clanranald, who was recognised as such by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1956, and also the High Council of Clan Donald.
Effects of the Highland Clearances In the 18th and 19th centuries, the common members of the clan and other families living on the Clanranald estates, suffered grievously from the
Highland Clearances and also religious persecution at the hands of the Clanranald chief. '' carried almost 200 poor Scottish settlers to
Nova Scotia in 1773. The year before, over 200 people from
South Uist sailed for Prince Edward Island to escape
religious persecution at the hands of the chief of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. In 1772, over 200 Roman Catholics mainly from the Clanranald estates of South Uist, Barra, Eigg and mainland western Inverness-shire emigrated to Prince Edward Island. The newly arrived immigrants however did not immediately escape religious persecution, as Catholics were barred from holding land until 1780. The first winter hit the settlement hard and a year later a local minister wrote that they were in "great misery". In 1790–1791, a second wave of about 900 fresh emigrants from South Uist, Barra, Moidart, and Morar, settled in the area. Because of their late arrival, these new settlers also suffered from the first winter. At around the same time in 1791, another 650 emigrants from the Clanranald estates established themselves in
Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. These were soon joined by hundreds more Roman Catholics from the
Western Isles in 1801 and 1802. On Prince Edward Island, MacDonald of Glenaladale attempted to enforce what he thought were his feudal rights, and newly arrived settlers were encouraged only to be tenants on his lands. However, once the more adventurous settlers got their bearings, many moved out of Scotchfort into better areas of the island, squatting upon those lands. In time, Scotchfort became not a place for permanent settlement but a place for the newly arrived to get their bearings and move out to acquire lands of their own. ==Clan profile==