Clan feuds in Scotland Allan Cameron of
Lochiel, chief of the
Clan Cameron came into much trouble due to the claims of superiority made over him by the rival houses of the
Earl of Argyll (chief of
Clan Campbell) and the
Earl of Huntly (chief of
Clan Gordon). and in 1628 was elevated in the peerage as
Lord Reay. In 1630, Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay accompanied his regiment to Germany, and was present at the capture of
Stettin and
Colberg. The following year in 1631, Lord Reay was empowered by
Charles I of England to raise another force of men for service with
Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden. He quarreled with David Ramsay at the English Court and, having challenged him to a duel, both were imprisoned in the
Tower of London to preserve the peace. During 1632, Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden was killed at the
Battle of Lützen and Lord Reay was not repaid large sums of money due to him by the king.
Civil War In 1638,
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and the Lords Home, Boyd and Loudoun invited Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay to meet them and others to consider the religious troubles of the time and to sign the
Covenant, which he did unwillingly, along with his son, John Mackay, Master of Reay, because of his long attachment to Charles I. In 1644, like Montrose, Lord Reay again espouses the cause of
Charles I of England in the
English Civil War, and aided Lord Crawford for several months at the
Siege of Newcastle, in the defence of the city against the Scots army. When the town was captured by General Leslie, Lord Reay and Lord Crawford were sent as prisoners to
Edinburgh Castle. In 1645, following Montrose's victory at the
Battle of Kilsyth, Lord Reay was liberated from imprisonment and returned home. In January 1649, Charles I was executed. Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay having fought for Charles I during the civil war was to be created Earl of Strathnaver but the royal patent was not completed and Reay went into exile in
Denmark where he died in February 1649. ==Family==