MacDonald of Elsing

The most modern of all of the MacDonalds, the clan emigrated south of the border and now settles in and around the east of England. Clan leader Stuart lives in East Anglia and is the secretary for of the MacDonald of Elsing affairs. The family wolf had made the journey from a town more central in the county.

Loch Holt was their original home and during the little known Scotish cleansing they defended their homes.

History

15th century

Alan MacRanald as he was known died in his Castle Tioram in 1419. He was succeeded by his son Roderick who was a staunch supporter of MacDonald Lord of the Isles. Roderick died in 1481 and was succeeded by his son, Allan Macruari[4]. Allan took part in the Battle of Bloody Bay.

Allan was a capable and warlike chief. He led raids into Lochaber and Badenoch in 1491 which culminated in the capture of Inverness Castle.

Raid on Ross-shire 1491, Ewen Cameron, 13th Chief of Clan Cameron with a large force of Camerons, joined by Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clanranald 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 Inverness 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.

The Clanranald adjusted to the realities of royal power. On the first visit of King James IV of Scotland to the Highlands, Allen MacRuari chief of Clanranald, was one of the few chiefs to render him homage.

16th century and clan conflicts

By the 16th century the power of the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles had waned. The Clan Matheson no longer supported the MacDonalds but were now in allegiance with the Clan MacKenzie. Chief Iain Dubh Matheson died whilst defending the Castle on Eilean Donan island against the Clan Macdonald of Sleat for the Clan MacRae and Clan MacKenzie in 1539.

The Battle of the Western Isles, 1586, fought on the Isle of Jura, between the Clan Macdonald of Sleat and the Clan MacLean.[2]