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.
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".
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.
Clan Wars
- 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 completly 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.[1]
- 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. [2]
- 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.[3]
- 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. The MacKenzies claim 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. 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 the offences claimed by both sides in the troubles between them at this time when there was damage to property and 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 Munro Clan the MacKenzies were often at feud, and Andrew Munro of Milntown defended, for three years, the Castle Canonry 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).[4][5]
- Logiebride 1597[6]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. [7]
- 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. [8]
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
- Arms: Azure, a deer's head cabossed Or
- Crest: A mount in flames Proper
- A stag's head cabossed Or
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
- Staghorn clubmoss
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