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Preserved Edinburgh Society
CLAN DONALD GENEALOGY
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 - Abt 1478
Generation: 1
| 1. | Angus of Fersit 2 MACDONELL, of Keppoch died about 1478. Notes:
ANGUS OF FERSIT MACDONALD OF KEPPOCH, 2nd CHIEF
Aonghais Na Fearsaid (ca1478 - 1497)
The Clan continued to hold their lands by the might of the sword and although the 2nd Chief, Angus of Fersit (Aonghas na Fearsaid) as he was known, from the fact that his principal residence was at Fersit near the north end of Loch Treig, is little heard of in history, he is said to have been as great a man as his father and to have encouraged industry among his clansmen. Domhnall Mac Fhionnlaigh Nan Dan, the old hunter bard of Loch Treig and composer of An Comhachag (The Owl) a long Gaelic poem in the early 17th century refers to a mill founded by Angus at Fersit. A mill stone belonging to this mill, now suitably inscribed, can be seen at Fersit.
Angus of Fersit and his followers flocked to the Banner of John, 4th Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross in 1451 when the High Chief of Clan Donald led his vassals along the shores of Loch Ness and through Badenoch as his contribution to the rebellion he had planned with the House of Douglas. During the insurrection, which lasted until the following year, the Castles of Urquhart and Inverness were seized and held by the Islesmen and the Castle of Ruthven entirely demolished.
Angus and his Clan took part in the naval expedition which Donald Balloch of Isla led to the Firth of Clyde in 1455, in pursuance of the same cause as that of 1451-52.
Angus is witness to a charter of John, Earl of Ross, at Dingwall in 1463 when he is styled "Angus Alexandri de Insulis'. He is said to have died at Fersit but the exact date of his death is unknown. He married a daughter of MacPhee of Glenspean, head of a prominent sept in the Braes at that time, by whom he had:
1. Donald, his successor.
2. Alexander, afterwards Chief.
3. Mariot, who married Allan Cameron of Lochiel (Ailein nan Creach).
Norman H Macdonald: The Clan Ranald of Lochaber - A History of the MacDonalds or MacDonells of Keppoch.
Family/Spouse: NicAngus MACPHEE, of Glenpean. NicAngus (daughter of Angus MACPHEE, of Glenpean) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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Generation: 2
| 2. | Donald 3 MacAngus MACDONELL, of Keppoch  (1.Angus1) died in 1497. Notes:
DONALD MAC ANGUS MACDONALD OF KEPPOCH, 3rd CHIEF
Domhnall Mac Aonghais (c1478-1497)
DONALD, 3rd Chief - Domhnall Mac Aonghais - was of a restless disposition. In 1478, John, 4th Lord of the Isles was summoned before Parliament to answer charges which included resetting Donald Mac Angus and his accomplices who had invaded the King's lieges.
Donald gave his full support to Angus Og of the Isles when he resolved to recover the Earldom of Ross for the MacDonalds, and a contingent of Brae Lochaber men under Alexander, the Chief's brother took part in the Battle of Lagabraad (Lagebrad), near Conon Bridge, in 1483, when the redoubtable Angus defeated the combined forces of the MacKenzies, MacKays, Rosses, Frasers and Brodies commanded by the Earl of Athole.
In the following year a body of the Clan fought for Angus Og against his father John at the Battle of Bloody Bay off Mull when Angus was victorious.
In 1491, when Sir Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh - Alasdair Mac Gilleasbuig - son of Celestine, second surviving son of Alexander, 3rd Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross made a final attempt to regain Ross, Donald Mac Angus joined him with his Clan. According to tradition, Donald, with a small following was present at the Battle of Park (Blar na Pairc) fought near Jamestown in Ross-shire, where Alexander's raiding force was defeated by a numerically superior force of MacKenzies. Donald's brother, Alexander is said to have been on his way with 240 men but arrived too late to be of any assistance, the issue having already been decided in favour of the MacKenzies.
The Lordship of the Isles was finally forfeited in 1493 and King James IV, with the intention of restoring law and order among the clans, visited the West Highlands three times during that year. Among those who paid homage to the King at Mingary Castle in Ardnamurchan, was Donald Mac Angus. The Lochaber Chief and others were obliged, as further security for their good behaviour, to appear in the year 1496, before the Lords of Council and bind themselves "by the extension of their lands" to the Earl of Argyle, on behalf of the King, to refrain from mutual injuries each under a penalty of
Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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Generation: 3
| 5. | Iain Aluinn 4 MACDONELL, of Keppoch (2.Donald2, 1.Angus1) and died. Notes:
'HANDSOME' JOHN MACDONALD OF KEPPOCH, 4th CHIEF
lain Aluinn (1497-1498)
JOHN, 4th Chief was known as lain Aluinn (Handsome John) and he only remained as Chief for about a year.
Donald MacGillivantic, the celebrated Domhnaill Ruadh Beag Mac Gille Mhantaich (little Red Donald Son of the Stammerer) who figured at the Battle of Leachdar, was a noted cattle lifter, and so often did he prey on the livestock of the Clan Chattan that MacIntosh resolved to bring his career to a close once and for all. The Captain of Clan Chattan, in order to get Donald Ruadh Beag into his hands demanded, in his capacity as Steward of Lochaber, that lain Aluinn, as his Chief should hand him over to answer for his crimes. lain Aluinn agreed to MacIntosh's request on condition that "his blood should not be spilled" so-worded in Gaelic, a condition which the Captain of Clan Chattan fulfilled to the letter, for as soon as he got hold of Donald, he had him hanged from a tree near Clach na Diolta, Torgulbin, at the end of Loch Laggan, in the march between Lochaber and Badenoch.
It had been evident since his accession as Chief that lain Aluinn was unfit to lead the Clan and this final act of weakness resulted in his being deposed by the head men. This the were entitled to do under Celtic tribal law.
Iain AIuinn, who appears to have accepted the decision calmly, retired to an isolated place called Urchair where he spent the remainder of his life. There is no tecord of whom he married. His descendants became known as "Sliochd Dhomhnaill" from his father, Donald, 3rd Chief, and also as "Sliochd a' brathair 'bu shine" i.e. the race of the elder brother. They continued to occupy the lands of Urchair until the late eighteenth century when they settled in various parts of the Braes of Lochaber. From one of lain's sons, Donald, was descended the Gaelic Poet Laureate of Scotland, the famous bard and politician, lain Lom, whose father was Domhnaill Mac lain Mhic Dhomhnaill Mhic lain Aluinn. Another family descended from lain Aluinn, which resided at Murlagan, became hereditary banner bearers to MacIntosh of MacIntosh.
The appointment of a successor to lain Aluinn set a difficult problem before the leading clansmen and it was some time before agreement was reached. The most powerful sept of the Clan at that time was the "Clann Mhic Gille Mhantaich" (The Children of the Stammerer), to which Domhnaill Ruadh Beag belonged. They claimed to have come originally from Barra and proposed to send to that island for one of their own kinsmen. Another sept proposed to send to Uist for Goraidh or Godfrey, a descendant of Goraidh 0f Garmoran, Lord of Uist, second son ofJohn, 1st Lord of the Isles by his first wife, Amy MacRuari. They claimed descent from that family and the said Goraidh came to Lochaber at their invitation and settled at Tirnadris. His descendants became known as "Sliochd Ghoraidh". The family of Alasdair Carrach naturally wished to keep the chiefship in their own family and eventually Alasdair, uncle of the deposed Chief was chosen.
Norman H Macdonald: The Clan Ranald of Lochaber - A History of the MacDonalds or MacDonells of Keppoch.
Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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| 7. | Donald Glas 6 MACDONELL, of Keppoch (3.Alasdair2, 1.Angus1) died about 1513. Notes:
Donald Glas Macdonald, 6th of Keppoch. Known as Domhnaill Glas (Grey Donald). He built the castle of Ceapach, anglicised as Keppoch on Tom Beag near the confluence of the Roy and Spean Rivers. The castle was moated with a drawbridge. Before beuilding the castle, Donald Glas lived at Coille Dia Bhan on Torran nan Ceap which had been the residence of his father. In 1498, Donald Glas with Lochiel, entered into a bond with Munro of Foulis, Grant of Freuchie and others through the mediation of the Privy Council in which they bound themselves to safeguard each others' properties. During the Rebellion of Sir Alexander Macdonald of Lochhalsh, Donald Glas had assisted in the capture of the Castle of Novar, belonging to Munro of Foulis, which Sir Alexander had garrisoned and held. For his part in that episode Donald Glas now agreed to make amends, by becoming a loyal subject of the King. In 1500 the Clan Chattan made a raid into Lochaber and committed great devastation. Gillies MacPhail and Patrick MacBain, the leaders of the raid were granted a remission for their crimes, dated 9th June, 1500. In the same year James IV granted the Lordship of Lochaber to the Earl of Huntly, and in the following year Huntly was instructed to collect the King's rents in Lochaber, but he got nothing from Donald Glas of Keppoch. In 1501, the Privy Council passed an act which declared that Donald Glas and others illegally held lands in Lochaber pertaining the Crown and demanded that they be given up without delay. Keppoch ignored the order and a commission of fire and sword was given to Huntly, Lovat and Munro of Foulis to proceed to Lochaber and let the King's lands to "true men" and at the same time to expel all "broken men". Donald Glas then appears to have submitted to Huntly and to have been granted by him a lease of the Lochaber lands occupied by him and his Clan. In l503 Stewart of Appin received a grant of Mamore during the King's pleasure. In the same year, Lochaber was again the storm centre when the Rebellion of Donald Dubh broke out. Although he gave his support to the Islesmen and took part in the invasion of Badenoch, Donald Glas does not appear to have been prominently concerned. In 1505, Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly was given full powers on the district of Lochaber, and made responsible for keeping law and order. Nothing more is heard of Donald Glas of Keppoch, 6th Chief. He married a daughter of Cameron of Lochiel by whom he had Ranald Mor, his successor. [From Ceapach: The Keppoch Newsletter by Joyce Haskell ([email protected]) in turn edited from Clan Ranald of Lochaber by Norman H Macdonald FSA Scot].
Family/Spouse: Daughter CAMERON, of Lochiel. Daughter and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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Generation: 4
| 10. | Ranald Mor 7 MACDONELL, of Keppoch (7.Donald3, 3.Alasdair2, 1.Angus1) died in 1547. Notes:
Ranald Mor Macdonald, 7th of Keppoch. Killed 1547. Known as Raonaill Mor it is from him that the Keppoch chiefs' patronymic is derived: Mac Mhic Raonaill (the son of Ranald's son). Later chiefs were often styled MacRanald and the clan soon became known as the Clanranald of Lochaber. When Iain Muideartach [John Macdonald of Moidart, 8th Captain Clanranald Ref No 517] raised the Clan Ranald of Garmoran in rebellion against his kinsman Ranald Gallda Macdonald of Clanranald [Ref No 987] in the struggle for the chiefship of Clan Ranald, Ranald Mor of Keppoch lost no time in joining in. Along with Ewen Allansone of Lochiel he gave his utmost support to Iain Moideartach all through the campaign which followed and played a leading part in the Battle of the Shirts (Blar na Leine): Fought on a hot July day in 1544, the combatants discarded their outer garments and fought in their shirts. The macdonalds almost annihilated the Clan Fraser, leaving 300 dead on the field including Lord Lovat, his eldest son the Master of Lovat and their kinsman Ranald Gallda. Enraged at the death of Lovat, the Earl of Huntly invaded Lochaber and pillaged the lands of Keppoch and Lochiel but failed to capture Ranald or Lochiel. In 1547 William MacIntosh of Macntosh, Captain of Clan Chattan had Keppoch, Lochiel and a number of their followers apprehended and he handed them over to Huntly who imprisoned them in Ruthven Castle in Badenoch. They were taken to Elgin, tried and found guilty of high Treason by a jury of lowland gentry. The 2 chiefs were beheaded and their followers hanged. The heads were set over the gates of the town. [From Ceapach: The Keppoch Newsletter by Joyce Haskell ([email protected]) in turn edited from Clan Ranald of Lochaber by Norman H Macdonald FSA Scot].
Family/Spouse: NicLachan CAMERON. NicLachan (daughter of Lachlan CAMERON) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Family/Spouse: Agnes MacIntosh of MACINTOSH. Agnes and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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