Ancient Roots:

Where Did the Mackays Come From?

The Creation of ‘Scotland’

In the drive to forge something which came to be known as 'Scotland' from disparate Lordships and Kingdoms, the Scottish Crown sought to integrate and control the Northern and Western Islands and mainland Highlands. The Scottish state and Scottish monarchy emerged or were forged from a system of local Kingdoms vying to be Kings and Over Kings to whom lesser kings paid tribute. Norway, later in the control of the Danish Crown, was a significant player for centuries.

The Lowlands-based medieval Scottish state expanded into the Highlands and Islands in order to eradicate the region's autonomy, power bases, social, cultural, legal and linguistic traditions. By the far the majority of accounts have been written from a triumphalist 'Scottish' perspective. In a standard, popular 'Short History of Scotland' such as Mackie's, we see repeatedly phrases such as "In 1453, for no reason at all, it seemed, a horde of Isles men sailed into the Firth of Clyde and plundered the villages that lay along the coast."[1] Gaidhealtach peoples were frequently characterised as illogical and uncivilised – doing things with ‘no reason’. These lands belonged to descendants of Walter the Steward. Hence they were in the possession of the powerful Royal Stuart family. James II was on the throne and intent on subduing the Lordship of the Isles to his will. During a millennium of autonomy the Highlands and Islands did well by the standards of the day and was involved in the European scene through a variety of means or vehicles such as trade or power bases like the 7th century Iona Monastery or Orkney's 11th century earldom. Between the 16th and 18th century the last scraps of autonomy were destroyed with desperate results for both people and region.

The forcible assimilation was for centuries piecemeal and was never entirely successful until “London [..] replaced Edinburgh” following the Union of the Crowns in 1707. [2] With the enhanced resources, both financial and military, of what was then one of the world's most powerful trading states, the British state could finish what the Edinburgh monarchy and parliament had pursued over several centuries.

Normanisation

The success in 1066 of 'William the Conqueror' in taking the English throne had strong impacts in Scotland: "There was a Norman conquest of Scotland, carried out by kings of Scottish descent."[3] It was then that 'English' or what we later came to know as 'Scots' became the language of the Lowlands and Gaelic was gradually ousted. Likewise, ecclesiastical reorganisation in line with European structures occurred as a result. Among the English refugees who flooded across the border was a princess of the house of Alfred - Margaret. She became the wife of Malcolm Canmore - the man who slew both MacBeth and then Luach, the son of MacBeth whom the Moray people had taken for their king.

It is interesting to note that the real MacBeth not only had a very legitimate claim to the Scottish throne but also enjoyed a very successful seventeen-year reign. Shakespeare's MacBeth was crafted in the early 17th century to please the Stuart monarch, who in 1603 had become the king of both Scotland and England. Shakespeare therefore used as his model the portrayal of MacBeth favoured by both Canmore and the Stuarts who followed him and held the throne for some two hundred years.[4]

Early Colonisation

By the 11th century, the Kingdom of Moray stretched from its heartland in the coastal lowlands south of the Beauly and Moray firths to encompass Strathspey, Badenoch, Lochaber and west from the Great Glen into Lochalsh and Knoydart. Following the deposing of MacBeth in 1054, successive Scottish monarchs, descended from Malcolm Canmore, tried to defuse this power base. In the 12th century, David I sought to use feudalism as a mechanism for bringing Moray and its people to heel. Using a technique becoming common in European state building, David I granted significant lands to foreign-born magnates who established themselves in Moray and created a royal burgh - Elgin.

This was in retaliation at the MacHeth challenge to the succession of David I as King of Scotland in 1124. In that year “Angus son of Aodh, King of Moray, tried to assert his rights”.[5] Malcolm MacHeth tried the same, as did Donald in 1153 against King Malcolm IV. Malcolm MacHeth was Malcolm Canmore’s grandson while David I was Malcolm Canmore’s son. Malcolm MacHeth was supported by Somerled and other Gaidhealtach leaders; David I was pro-Norman and intent on feudalising Scotland.

The most significant European nobleman to take up this opportunity was Freskin, who was granted substantial estates in the Elgin area. He was known as his Latinised territorial designation, de Moravia and hence in later years as Murray. Other Normans who at this time gained land and rank as Scottish noblemen under David I were Walter, son of the Breton Alan Fitz-Fladd, who David I made Steward of Scotland and Robert de Brus, an English baron whose father had come over with William the Conqueror. Walter the Steward gained lands in west central Scotland and later sons of this family became the Stuart monarchs. Robert de Brus gained substantial lands in Annandale and from him the king, Robert the Bruce, was descended. In this way feudalisation advanced since these new noble families, whether lands were granted to them or acquired through marriage, had a totally different relationship to the land and the people. In the old system the 'moramaer' was seen as judge, ruler and leader to those inhabiting the area and these people in turn paid tribute in various forms. [6] The new feudal barons were landowners.

“with her hand came a charter in 1415 which stated in Latin: ‘We, Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles, have given, conceded and confirmed by this our charter to the noble Angus Aodh of Strathnaver..’ “[7]

When searching any historical text for information and insights it is as well to always bear in mind who wrote it and with what purpose in mind. It is often the case that the ‘victors’ write history and in so doing augment their own glory while erasing the achievements and charms of the vanquished. As years and centuries slip by some voices leave no trace at all while others seem to position themselves eternally in the foreground. The experiences of the illiterate majority are a good example. If not for the strong oral traditions of this country not a thought, nor an achievement, from their everyday lives would remain to us now. Although these descriptions, quoted here, were written using Timothy Pont’s notes and other key sources in order to create a scholarly account suitable for inclusion in this most important of atlases they were also written by a Gordon.

Why should that matter? Mackay Country was part of the diocese of Caithness which comprised the earldoms of Caithness and Sutherland. This diocese was created as part of Queen Margaret’s Normanising policies in the 12th century. The region had previously been part of the Earldom of Orkney. The early Bishops of Caithness had a very difficult time of it. The first Bishop was appointed during the reign of Queen Margaret’s son David I. It is not known if he ever managed to live in his diocese but in view of how his successors faired that seems unlikely. The second Bishop – John – did live in the diocese. He was blinded and had his tongue torn out. It is said that the third Bishop was roasted on his own fire. It is likely that the Celtic church was still active in Mackay Country at this time.[8] The Celtic church operated in a very different way. At its heart were contemplative monks, living simply and often alone, much in the mould of Colum Cille’s days back in the 6th century.

When it came to appointing a fourth bishop – Gilbert - he was provided with the new protection of a new earldom – that of Sutherland. A new cathedral was built at Dornoch,[9] By 1515 the Gordon’s had acquired this earldom. Adam Gordon became the first Earl of Sutherland. At this time Sutherland itself was small but strategically important. For two centuries the history of this region would be dominated by a struggle between the Mackays and the Gordons – or Sutherlands - to assert rights to land. The Gordon’s lands gradually increased at the expense of the Mackays. The Gordons wrote history while the Mackays attempted to either defy or endure it.

[1]p94 emphasis added. The divide which emerged based on linguistic difference, as Scotland itself was created, is seen in such phrases to be written into the stories as history is recounted, almost always from a triumphalist Scottish perspective. Gaelic histories again and again take a different view. It should be noted in particular that this type of historical treatment repeatedly characterises the 'Islemen' of Highlanders as illogical. Mackie R. L. - Donaldson G (ed) 1978 Mackie's Short History of Scotland Mercat Press.

[2]p13 Hunter J. 1999 The Last of the Free: A Millennial History of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland Mainstream Edinburgh.

[3]p24 Mackie R. L. - Donaldson G (ed) 1978 Mackie's Short History of Scotland Mercat Press.

[4]See for instance p98 in Hunter J. 1999 The Last of the Free: A Millennial History of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland Mainstream Edinburgh.

[5] I. Grimble 1993 Chief of Mackay Saltire Society, Edinburgh

[6]p31 Mackie R. L. - Donaldson G (ed) 1978 Mackie's Short History of Scotland Mercat Press.

[7] P11 I. Grimble 1993 Chief of Mackay Saltire Society, Edinburgh

[8] p13 Grimble, I 1993 Chief of Mackay Saltire, Edinburgh

[9] Ibid.

Mhic Aoidh is literally ‘Son of Aoidh’. It is said that Aoidh’s forebears can be traced back to 8th century Ireland when three tribes left there for Dalriada. One of those tribes – C’nel Lorne – were descended from Aedh, grandson of the Irish king N’iall. In the late 11th century some of these descendants moved northwards into Moray. In those days Moray was a substantial kingdom. It’s rulers were the Mormaers (Great Rulers). These rulers were MacHeths, descended from C’nel Lorne originally.

One of Malcolm Canmore’s sons by his second wife, Queen Margaret, married the grand-daughter of Queen Guroch, also known as Lady MacBeth.[1] This son may have been Aethelred, Gaelicised as Aedh. [2] He was made Abbot of Dunkeld which debarred him from the Scottish throne. This couple had a son, Malcolm MacHeth, who was hence Malcolm Canmore’s grandson.

Contrary to the English speaking misunderstandings created by Shakespeare’s play ‘MacBeth’, the Moray royalty had a very legitimate and respectable claim to the Scottish throne. From a Gaidhealtachd perspective it was Queen Margaret’s Saxon offspring who were usurpers.

From the middle of the 10th century, Malcolm II had been trying to move towards dynastic or hereditary succession rather than the practise of ‘tanistry’ which was used to select a monarch. Tanistry required the incumbent King to nominate a suitable successor from amongst a circle of relatives. The choice was based on ability, age and health and often resulted in the present king’s cousin or nephew being named. In effect the position of Scotland’s High King had therefore generally oscillated between two main families, one of which was the MacHeths or MacBeths of Moray.[3]

Extra Montanes Scociae

The people who were to create what we think of as Clan Mackay arrived in Strathnaver in 1163 having been expelled from Moray. According to Fordun they were sent beyond the mountains of Scotland – “extra montanes scociae’.[4] Iye or Aoidh McEth was born in 1230. He married the daughter of Walter de Baltrode, Bishop of Caithness and they settled in Strathnaver. Tradition has it that through this marriage Iye acquired possession of 12 davachs of Church land in Durness. In 1263 their son – Iye/ Aoidh Mor or Aoidh McAoidh was born. At that time at least some of Strathnaver itself was held by the Cheynes.[5]

By 1415 Strathnaver was definitely the land of Mackay. Angus had succeeded his father as Clan Chief in 1403. In 1415 Angus married Elizabeth of the Isles, sister of Donald, Lord of the Isles. Grimble notes that she was ‘bestowed’ on Angus in order to build mainland alliances after the Battle of Harlaw (1411) and that:

[1] Malcolm Canmore is Malcolm III.

[2] P10 I. Grimble 1993 Chief of Mackay Saltire Society, Edinburgh.

[3] p43 H. G. Allison 2004 Roots of Stone: The Story of Who Came Before Mainstream Edinburgh.

[4] P10 I. Grimble 1993 Chief of Mackay Saltire Society, Edinburgh

[5] There is great mystery surrounding both the origins of Clan Mackay and the manner in which their lands were acquired. Some very useful information is found in B. E. Crawford 2000 Medieval Strathnaver in J. R. Baldwin (ed) 2000 The Province of Strathnaver Northern Times Ltd, Golspie. However she refers to Iye Mor in roles ascribed by others (e.g. Grimble, Allison, Clan Mackay sources) to his father Iye McEth.