The ScottishClan Donald (motto: 'Per Mare Per Terras' which means 'By sea and by land' ) is split into several branches including MacDonald of the Isles, MacDonald of Clan Ranald, MacDonald of Sleat, MacDonald of Keppoch, MacDonald of Ardnamurchan and McDonell of Glengarry.
Clan Crest
In 1692, a number of MacDonalds were killed in the Massacre of Glencoe when an initiative to suppress Jacobitism was entangled in the long running feud between the MacDonalds and Clan Campbell.
In Scottish Gaelic, they are often known collectively as Na Domhnallaich.
In 1476 John MacDonald, the last MacDonald Earl of Ross, was created a Lord of Parliament as Lord of the Isles, but this title was forfeited to the Crown in 1493 and has since been reserved for the eldest son of the reigning monarch.
John MacDonald in 1469 gave a charter of the lands of Sleat on the Isle of Skye to his illegitimate half-brother Hugh, and Hugh’s direct descendant, the 8th Laird of Sleat, was in 1625 created a baronet as Sir Donald MacDonald of Sleat.
Until 1972 Lord Macdonald held the territorial barony of MacDonald in Skye, and was seated at Armadale Castle, but he then sold a substantial portion of the lands together with the barony to Sir Iain Noble of Ardinglas, Bt.
On the death of Ranald Bane, the fifth chief, the clan, who had resolved to defeat his son's right to succeed, in consequence of his relations, the Frasers, having joined the Earl of Huntly, lieutenant of the north, against the Macdonalds, chose the next heir to the estate as their chief.
The Macdonalds being the victors, the result was that John Moydartach was maintained in possession of the chiefship and estates, and transmitted the same to his descendants.
Macdonald of Boisdale, the brother of the chief, then from age and infirmities unfit to be of any service, had an interview with Prince Charles, on his arrival off the island of Eriska, and positively refused to aid his enterprise.
Feeds |
Contact