Heiress Jane MACSORLEY, of Bute: Our Family History

Preserved Edinburgh Society
CLAN DONALD GENEALOGY

Bef 1210 - Yes, date unknown

Generation: 1

Heiress Jane MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1210 (daughter of Lord James MACSORLEY, of Bute); and died.

Family/Spouse: Alexander STEWART, of Dundonald. Alexander (son of Walter FitzAlan STEWART and Beatrix of ANGUS) died in 1283. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

Sir John STEWART, of Bonkyl died in 1298 in Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, Scotland.
Elizabeth STEWART and died.
Sir James STEWART was born in 1243; died on 16 Jul 1309.

Generation: 2

2.
Lord James MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1210 (son of Lord Angus MACSORLEY, of Bute); died in 1210.
Children:

1. Heiress Jane MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1210; and died.

Generation: 3

Lord Angus MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1164 (son of King Somhairle Mor MACGILLEBRIDE, of Argyll and Princess Ragnhilda OLAFSDOTTIR, of Man); died in 1210.

Notes:

Lord of Bute

Children:

2. Lord James MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1210; died in 1210.

Generation: 4

King Somhairle Mor MACGILLEBRIDE, of Argyll was born in 1100 (son of Thane GilleBride MACGILLEADAMNAN, of Argyll); died in 1164 in Renfrew, Strathclyde, Scotland.

Notes:

1 - Mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga, held possessions in Dalir, on Scotlands Firth. Styled by the Chronicle of Man "Regulus Herergaidel" - ruler of Argyle - Thane of Argyll.
He was born ca.1100 and in 1140 married to Ragnhilda [the daughter of Olaf Bitling, King of the Sudreyar (Hebrides and Man) and of Ingibiorg, daughter of Hakon Earl of Orkney (ca.1122)]. Other sources call her Aufrica or Elfrica daughter of Olaf the Swarthy (probably the name was mixed up with Olaf's mother). Their sons were King Dufgall (Dugald), Rögnvald (Reginald) and Engull (Angus). From Reginald sprang the MacRories (from his son Ruari ,+1268, from whom sprang Amie MacRuari, wife of Good John, 7th chief) and MacDonalds of the Isles. From Dugald whom Somerled tried to establish as King of Man and the Isles sprang the Clan Dugall of Lorne and from Angus the Clan Angus and so the Stewart kings. The name "Sumarlidhi" means "mariner". They were called "the Dalverja family". The Chronicle of Man states that the marriage with Ragnhild was the cause of the ruin of the monarchy of the Isles.
He was killed at Renfrew on 01.01.1164, (having landed there with a fleet of 160 galleys) by Swein Asleif's son in the attempt to make a conquest of Scotland. The royal troops were led by Walter Fitzalan, progenitor of the Stewarts and an associate already of King David I. The battle is commemorated by Barochan Cross, an ancient stone cross which stands near the site of the battle.
He gave one of his daughters in marriage to Wimund, the pretended Earl of Moray, (who invaded Scotland in 1114.) On the death of King David I. , Somerled, accompanied by the children of Wimund, landed with a great force in Scotland, 5th November 1153, in order to revenge the wrongs done to his son-in-law. From other sources we learn that Ex-Bishop Wimund, alias Malcolm MacHeth, was brother in law of Somerled, called Earl of Moray by the Orkneyinga Saga. He attempted to gain possession of the Crown of Scotland, pretending to be a son of Angus MacHeth, son of a daughter of Lulach, who was a son of Queen Gruoch and Macbeth MacFinlay
Somerled continued hostilities against King David I. and joined the party against Malcolm IV. (the maiden) , when the attempt was made to place William Odling, the Boy of Egremont on the throne. Malcolm MacHeth, anyhow, was released by Malcolm the Maiden and received from the generous young king the sovereignty of a portion of the ancient kingdom of Cumbria. But his tyranny was such that his subjects revolted, took him prisoner, put out his eyes, and confined him in the monastery of Bellaland (Byland/Yorkshire).
Before Somerled became Rí Innse Gall - the Ruler of the Isles of the Norsemen - he was Rí Airir Goidel - the Ruler of the Coastland of the Gael - Lorn in Argyll, Mull, Tiree and Coll. Neither his marriage to Ragnhild, nor his own Norse blood prevented him from resisting Norse encroachment. Having successfully driven the Norsemen out of Lochaber, Morvern and Northern Argyll in 1156. He decisively defeated his wife's brother Godfred , by this time King of Man in a great sea battle off the island of Islay in 1158 and tried to establish his son Dugall as King of the Isles. In 1164, he again invaded Scotland with a mighty force, landing at Renfrew. He was withstood with great slaughter. Somerled, and his son, Gillecolane were slain
2 - Somerled where the three tribes of the Clan Donald, Clan Dubgall, and MacRory converge.
3 - http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/republic/PatAdams/research/argyllshire/ch1.html
It was during the 12th century that the Norsemen were driven out of Kintyre and Knapdale by Somhairle Mor mac Ghille-Bhrighde (Great Somerled, son of Gillbride). We have every reason to believe that he received considerable support from his kinsman Sween, son of Dunslebhe, who held extensive lands in Glassary, Knapdale, Cowal and Kintyre. [5, 12]

Somhairle married Princess Ragnhilda OLAFSDOTTIR, of Man in 1140. Ragnhilda (daughter of King Olaf The Red GODREDSON, of Man and Ingibjorg HAAKONSDOTTIR, of Orkney) was born before 1125; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Princess Ragnhilda OLAFSDOTTIR, of Man was born before 1125 (daughter of King Olaf The Red GODREDSON, of Man and Ingibjorg HAAKONSDOTTIR, of Orkney); and died.

Children:

King Dugall MACSORLEY, of Lorne was born before 1164; died about 1207.
King Ranald MACSORLEY, of the Isles was born before 1164; died in 1207.
4. Lord Angus MACSORLEY, of Bute was born before 1164; died in 1210.
Olaf MACSORLEY, of the Isles was born before 1164; and died.
Bethag NICSORLEY, of Iona was born before 1164; and died.