118-593: Clan Maclean ( / m æ k ˈ l eɪ n / ; Scottish Gaelic: Clann 'IllEathain [kʰl̪ˠãn̪ˠ iˈʎɛhɛɲ] ) is a Highlands Scottish clan . They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides . Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in clan skirmishes with
236-449: A crest badge which bears the heraldic crest and heraldic motto of the clan chief . The blazon of the heraldic crest within a clan members crest badge is A tower embattled Argent . The heraldic motto upon the crest badge is VIRTUE MINE HONOUR. Long before crest badges were used by members of clans, it is said that plants were used as badges. These clan badges consisted of plants and were worn in bonnets in addition to being used as
354-687: A Papal Bull of Charter and Protection for the Iona Abbey , issued by Pope Leo IV . Marriages with Clan MacDonald in the late 1200s, Clan Bruce in the 1300s, and Clan MacKenzie in the 1400s brought Clan MacLean into the Scottish royal sphere. The founder of the clan was a Scottish warlord descended from the Cenél Loairn kindred of Dál Riata , named Gillean of the Battle Axe (1210–1263). There are stories of Gillean being descended from
472-619: A Universal Service Obligation to charge a uniform tariff across the UK. This, however, applies only to mail items and not larger packages which are dealt with by its Parcelforce division. The Highlands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which runs from Arran to Stonehaven . This part of Scotland is largely composed of ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian periods which were uplifted during
590-516: A banner and attached to a pole or spear. The clan badge attributed to Clan Maclean is Crowberry . There are two slogans attributed to Clan Maclean. Slogans, are sometimes said to be war cries , other times they are said to be rallying points for the clan. Slogans used by clans generally appear as a second motto within the chiefs arms . Slogans of Clan Maclean include: Bàs no Beatha (from Scottish Gaelic: "Death or life") and Fear eile airson Eachann (from Scottish Gaelic: "Another for Hector"). In
708-571: A charter by Donald de Ile , dominus Insularum , to Hector Macgilleone, dominus de Doward , on 1 November 1409. Later in 1467, Lachlann M'Fynwyn de Myschenys , witnessed a charter by the Lord of the Isles . According to the 17th century MacDonald manuscript, in a description of the Lord of the Isles' Council of the Isles , "MacFinnon was obliged to see weights and measures adjusted". The chief's crest
826-620: A consequence of all this, eviction, as part of the Highland clearances , of many tenants and cottars. Some of those cleared found employment on the new, larger farms, others moved to the accessible towns of the Lowlands. In the West and North, evicted tenants were usually given tenancies in newly created crofting communities, while their former holdings were converted into large sheep farms. Sheep farmers could pay substantially higher rents than
944-730: A daughter of the Chief of the Mackintoshes. Despite the active support of Clan Chattan, these Macleans lost ownership of Urquhart Castle by 1509, and settled nearby at Dochgarroch , though they still managed to lease much of Urquhart. In 1609 Alexander Maclean of Dochgarroch signed the Clan Chattan Bond. The Battle of Corpach took place in 1439. It was fought between the Clan Maclean and the Clan Cameron . In 1484
1062-470: A main shelter for thieves and cut-throats. It perteins to M’Kynnoun". Of the island of Mull, Monro stated that, "this iyle pertains pairtly to M’Gillayne of Doward , pairtly to M’Gillayne of Lochbowy , pairtly to M’Kynnoun, and pairtly to the Clandonald of awld". In 1579, Fynnoun MacKynnoun of Strathardill, and his son Lachlane Oig , were reported to James VI , along with Maclaine of Lochbuie and
1180-559: A particular clan. Other family names associated with the clan include Auchaneson, Beath, Beaton, Black, Clanachan, Dowart, Dowie, Duart, Duie, Garvie, Gillan, Gillon, Gilzean, Hoey, Huie, Lane, Lean, Leitch, MacBeath, MacBeth, MacBheath, MacCormick, MacEachan, Macfadin, MacFadyen, Macfadzean, Macfergan, Macgeachan, MacGilvra, Macildowie, Macilduy, Macilvera, MacKlin, MacLergain, Maclergan, MacPhaiden, MacRankin, MacVeagh, MacVey, Paden, Patten, Rankin, and Rankine. Members of Clan Maclean show their allegiance to their clan and their chief by wearing
1298-707: A proverb or watch-word when a man encounters any sudden danger that requires instant succour. Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( Scots : the Hielands ; Scottish Gaelic : a' Ghàidhealtachd [ə ˈɣɛːəl̪ˠt̪ʰəxk] , lit. ' the place of the Gaels ' ) is a historical region of Scotland . Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into
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#17327754726701416-674: A remission which was obtained for their part in the rebellion of Sir Donald Macdonald of Lochalsh. In 1545, Ewen, the chief of the clan, was one of the barons and council of the Isles who swore allegiance to the King of England, at Knockfergus in Ireland. Donald Munro , High Dean of the Isles, in his A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides , in 1549, described the Mackinnon controlled lands at that time. On Skye were
1534-560: A separate whisky producing region.) This massive area has over 30 distilleries, or 47 when the Islands sub-region is included in the count. According to one source, the top five are Macallan , Glenfiddich , Aberlour , Glenfarclas , and Balvenie . While Speyside is geographically within the Highlands, that region is specified as distinct in terms of whisky productions. Speyside single malt whiskies are produced by about 50 distilleries. According to Visit Scotland , Highlands whisky
1652-690: A time when 12 Scottish pounds were approximately equivalent to one English pound sterling). During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms the Mackinnons followed the Marquess of Montrose , and took part in the Battle of Inverlochy on 2 February 1645. The chief of Clan Mackinnon, Lauchlan Mackinnon, raised a regiment in aid of Charles II , and was present at the Battle of Worcester . It is said that he
1770-535: A trade of black cattle into Lowland markets, and this was balanced by imports of meal into the area. There was a critical reliance on this trade to provide sufficient food, and it is seen as an essential prerequisite for the population growth that started in the 18th century. Most of the Highlands, particularly in the North and West, was short of the arable land that was essential for the mixed, run rig based, communal farming that existed before agricultural improvement
1888-469: A whole. The Highland Council is the administrative body for much of the Highlands, with its administrative centre at Inverness . However, the Highlands also includes parts of the council areas of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Argyll and Bute , Moray , North Ayrshire , Perth and Kinross , Stirling and West Dunbartonshire . The Scottish Highlands is the only area in the British Isles to have
2006-598: Is "fruity, sweet, spicy, malty". Another review states that Northern Highlands single malt is "sweet and full-bodied", the Eastern Highlands and Southern Highlands whiskies tend to be "lighter in texture" while the distilleries in the Western Highlands produce single malts with a "much peatier influence". The Scottish Reformation achieved partial success in the Highlands. Roman Catholicism remained strong in some areas, owing to remote locations and
2124-436: Is a Highland Scottish clan from the islands of Mull and Skye , in the Inner Hebrides . Popular tradition gives the clan a Dalriadic Gaelic origin. The 19th-century historian W. F. Skene named the clan as one of the seven clans of Siol Alpin , who according to Skene could all trace their ancestry back to Alpin , father of Cináed mac Ailpín . Popular tradition has been until recently to consider Cináed mac Ailpín
2242-455: Is a boar 's head erased, argent, holding in its mouth a deer's shankbone, proper . A Mackinnon legend that is supposed to explain the chief's crest is of a Mackinnon who was hunting on the shores of Loch Scavaig in Skye. After becoming separated from his hunting party the Mackinnon spent the night in a cave for shelter. While preparing some venison which he was about to cook over an open fire he
2360-725: Is a patronymic form of the Gaelic personal name meaning "fair born" or "fair son". This personal name appears in the Book of Deer , in the genitive form as Finguni . In the Annals of the Four Masters , a Fínghin , described as " anchorite and Bishop of Iona", is recorded as dying in 966. Middle Irish forms of the name are Finghin and Finnguine , while the Modern Irish is Findgaine . These names are thought to derive from
2478-409: Is confusion and consternation over the scale of the fees charged and the effectiveness of their communication, and the use of the word Mainland in their justification. Since the charges are often based on postcode areas, many far less remote areas, including some which are traditionally considered part of the lowlands, are also subject to these charges. Royal Mail is the only delivery network bound by
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#17327754726702596-689: Is formed along a transform fault which divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The entire region was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages, save perhaps for a few nunataks . The complex geomorphology includes incised valleys and lochs carved by the action of mountain streams and ice, and a topography of irregularly distributed mountains whose summits have similar heights above sea-level, but whose bases depend upon
2714-627: Is found in an indenture between John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and the Lord of Lorn , in 1354. In the indenture, Lorn agreed to hand over the Isle of Mull and other lands, if the castle of Cairn na Burgh, located on Cairn na Burgh Mòr in the Treshnish Isles , was not delivered into the keeping of any of Clan Finnon . Sometime after the death of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, in 1386, John Mór (younger son of John of Islay) rebelled against his elder brother Domhnall , in an attempt to take
2832-842: Is used in elections to the Scottish Parliament : this area includes Orkney and Shetland , as well as the Highland Council local government area, the Western Isles and most of the Argyll and Bute and Moray local government areas. Highlands and Islands has, however, different meanings in different contexts. It means Highland (the local government area), Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles in Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern , as in Northern Constabulary , refers to
2950-661: The Cairngorms and the Cuillin of Skye . A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstone found principally along the Moray Firth coast and partially down the Highland Boundary Fault. The Jurassic beds found in isolated locations on Skye and Applecross reflect the complex underlying geology. They are the original source of much North Sea oil . The Great Glen
3068-811: The Church of Scotland . In contrast to the Catholic southern islands, the northern Outer Hebrides islands (Lewis, Harris and North Uist) have an exceptionally high proportion of their population belonging to the Protestant Free Church of Scotland or the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland . The Outer Hebrides have been described as the last bastion of Calvinism in Britain and the Sabbath remains widely observed. Inverness and
3186-807: The Clan MacDonald of Sleat and the Clan MacLean. In 1588 the Clan MacLean attempted to capture Mingarry Castle seat of the chief of the Clan MacDonald of Ardnamurchan , using Spanish mercenaries from the San Juan de Sicilia . One thing that did unite the Macleans and the Campbells was their Protestant faith as well as their dislike for the MacDonalds. Sir Lachland Maclean harried the MacDonalds of Islay causing so much carnage that both he and
3304-581: The Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia the Mackinnons gave shelter to Robert the Bruce when he was a fugitive escaping to Carrick . After Bruce's victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 the Mackinnons were rewarded with land on the Isle of Skye . The Mackinnon chiefs then lived at Dunringall Castle and were styled "of Strathardale". Little is known of the early history of
3422-515: The Earl of Argyll , chief of Clan Campbell. The match was not a happy one and Maclean took drastic action by marooning his wife on a rock in the sea, leaving her to drown. However she was rescued by some passing fishermen who took her back to her kin and Maclean was later killed by her brother in Edinburgh in 1523. The Battle of the Western Isles was fought in 1586, on the island of Jura , between
3540-599: The FitzGerald dynasty . He was a judex (judge) and councillor to King David I of Scots. Gillean fought at the Battle of Largs in 1263 during the Scottish–Norwegian War, in which the Scottish were victorious. Gillean's son Malise mac Gilleain (from the Gaelic Maoliosa 'Servant of Jesus') was thought by some to have taken the name Gillemor in 1263 and is also said to have led his followers at
3658-541: The Irish Land War underway at the same time, where the Irish were intensely politicised through roots in Irish nationalism, while political dimensions were limited. In 1885 three Independent Crofter candidates were elected to Parliament, which listened to their pleas. The results included explicit security for the Scottish smallholders in the "crofting counties"; the legal right to bequeath tenancies to descendants; and
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3776-511: The Isle of Islay . Chief Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean was killed. After Sir Lachlan MacLean's death in 1598, his sons took revenge on his suspected murderers, the MacDonalds, by carrying out a massacre of the people of Islay which lasted for three days. After obtaining " Letters of Fire and Sword " he was assisted in this by the MacLeods, MacNeils,and Camerons. The quarrel between the MacLeans and
3894-571: The Jacobite rising of 1715 and their chief, Sir Hector Maclean, was created Lord Maclean in the Jacobite peerage in 1716. However, the chief was exiled to France, where he founded, and was the first Grand Master of, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Paris. General Wade 's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the clan strength at 150 men. Hector returned for the Jacobite rising of 1745 but
4012-645: The Mackinnons , Camerons , MacDonalds and Campbells , as well as all of the Jacobite risings . There are several different origins for the surname MacLean , however, the clan surname is an anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic MacGilleEathain . This was the patronymic form of the personal name meaning 'Servant of [Saint] John ', thus 'Son of the Servant of [St] John'. The clan's rise to power began in 852 with
4130-535: The Statutes of Iona which started the process of integrating clan leaders into Scottish society. The gradual changes continued into the 19th century, as clan chiefs thought of themselves less as patriarchal leaders of their people and more as commercial landlords. The first effect on the clansmen who were their tenants was the change to rents being payable in money rather than in kind. Later, rents were increased as Highland landowners sought to increase their income. This
4248-559: The Stuarts , in the 18th century. In 1715, 150 Mackinnons fought with the Macdonalds of Sleat , at the Battle of Sherrifmuir . Because of this the chief of the clan was forfeited, though he eventually received a pardon on 4 January 1727. In the rebellion of 1745, the chief, then old and infirm, joined the forces of Charles Edward Stuart ( Bonnie Prince Charlie ) with a battalion of men. Lord President Duncan Forbes estimated that
4366-644: The battle of Inverkeithing , between the Royalists and Oliver Cromwell's troops, five hundred of the followers of the Laird of M'Lean were left dead on the field. In the heat of the conflict, seven brothers of the clan sacrificed their lives in defence of their leader, Sir Hector Maclean . Being hard pressed by the enemy, he was supported and covered from their attacks by these intrepid men; and as one brother fell, another came up in succession to cover him, crying "Another for Hector." This phrase has continued ever since as
4484-620: The clan system , including bans on the bearing of arms and the wearing of tartan , and limitations on the activities of the Scottish Episcopal Church . Most of this legislation was repealed by the end of the 18th century as the Jacobite threat subsided. There was soon a rehabilitation of Highland culture. Tartan was adopted for Highland regiments in the British Army, which poor Highlanders joined in large numbers in
4602-511: The courtroom the Attorney General , Sir Dudley Ryder , asked Mackinnon, "If King George were in your power, as you have been in his, what would you do?" Mackinnon replied, "I would do to him, as he has this day done to me; I would send him back to his own country". Because of the chief's support of the Jacobite rebellion they lost Strathardle in 1765, and have since been held landless in their ancient clan lands. The last chief of
4720-461: The modern period , when Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghàidhealtachd literally means "the place of
4838-405: The prehistoric Gaelic Vindo-gonio-s (translation: "fair-born"). The Anglicised MacKinnon can also derive from the Gaelic Mac Ionmhuinn , a similar patronymic name meaning "son of the beloved one". In consequence some "Mackinvens" have Anglicised their name to Love or Low (however most Love or Low surnames are not derived this way, having no connection with the MacKinnons). According to
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4956-433: The taiga biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest: see Caledonian Forest . It is the most mountainous part of the United Kingdom . Between the 15th century and the mid-20th century, the area differed from most of the Lowlands in terms of language. In Scottish Gaelic, the region is known as the Gàidhealtachd , because it was traditionally the Gaelic-speaking part of Scotland, although
5074-407: The Battle of Largs in 1263. He wrote his name as "Gillemor Mcilyn, County of Perth" (indicating 'Gillemor Son of [Gil]lean') on the third Ragman Rolls of 1296, swearing fealty to Edward I of England . Gillean's great-great-grandson was Iain Dhu Maclean who settled on the Isle of Mull . One of his sons was Lachainn Lubanach (Lachlan) who was the progenitor of the Macleans of Duart and the other son
5192-501: The Clan MacLean fought at the Battle of Bloody Bay on the side of the Lord of the Isles , chief of Clan Donald . In 1493 the Lordship of the Isles was abolished and Duart and Lochbuie MacLeans held their lands by charter directly from the king, thus Lochbuie became a clan independent of Duart. In 1513 during the Anglo-Scottish Wars , Lachlan Maclean of Duart was killed at the Battle of Flodden . The clan extended its influence to other Hebridean islands such as Tiree and Islay and onto
5310-402: The Gaels" and traditionally, from a Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands. The area is very sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region, and includes the highest mountain in the British Isles , Ben Nevis . During the 18th and early 19th centuries the population of the Highlands rose to around 300,000, but from c. 1841 and for
5428-403: The Hebrides. In traditional Scottish geography , the Highlands refers to that part of Scotland north-west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which crosses mainland Scotland in a near-straight line from Helensburgh to Stonehaven . However the flat coastal lands that occupy parts of the counties of Nairnshire , Morayshire, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire are often excluded as they do not share
5546-399: The Highland line broadly followed the geography of the Grampians in the south, it continued in the north, cutting off the north-eastern areas, that is Eastern Caithness , Orkney and Shetland , from the more Gaelic Highlands and Hebrides. Historically, the major social unit of the Highlands was the clan . Scottish kings, particularly James VI , saw clans as a challenge to their authority;
5664-445: The Highlands is geographically on the British mainland, it is somewhat less accessible than the rest of Britain; thus most UK couriers categorise it separately, alongside Northern Ireland , the Isle of Man , and other offshore islands. They thus charge additional fees for delivery to the Highlands, or exclude the area entirely. While the physical remoteness from the largest population centres inevitably leads to higher transit cost, there
5782-454: The Highlands was seen by many as a lawless region. The Scots of the Lowlands viewed the Highlanders as backward and more "Irish". The Highlands were seen as the overspill of Gaelic Ireland. They made this distinction by separating Germanic "Scots" English and the Gaelic by renaming it "Erse" a play on Eire. Following the Union of the Crowns , James VI had the military strength to back up any attempts to impose some control. The result was, in 1609,
5900-408: The Highlands, wiping out the essential subsistence crop for the overcrowded crofting communities. As the famine struck, the government made clear to landlords that it was their responsibility to provide famine relief for their tenants. The result of the economic downturn had been that a large proportion of Highland estates were sold in the first half of the 19th century. T M Devine points out that in
6018-449: The Lord of the Isles. During the 14th and 15th century many battles were fought between the Clan Maclean and Clan Mackinnon . In 1411, Clan MacLean fought with Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, to claim the earldom of Ross, which was his by right of his wife, Mariota Leslie, countess of Ross. Robert Stewart, the ambitious the Duke of Albany, had denied Donald's claim because he wanted Ross for himself. (The young King of Scots, James I,
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#17327754726706136-477: The Lordship of the Isles for himself. According to a manuscript relating the history of the MacDonalds, written in the 17th century, it was Finnon, known as the Green Abbot , and "a subtle and wicked councillor", who persuaded John Mór to revolt against his brother. It further states that the eloquent Green Abbot then persuaded the MacLeans and MacLeods of Harris to aid in John Mór's revolt, and acquire islands for themselves. Though assisted by his allies, John Mor
6254-419: The Lowlands. This gave impetus to the learning of English, which was seen by many rural Gaelic speakers to be the essential "language of work". Older historiography attributes the collapse of the clan system to the aftermath of the Jacobite risings. This is now thought less influential by historians. Following the Jacobite rising of 1745 the British government enacted a series of laws to try to suppress
6372-433: The Lowlands. When the potato famine ceased in 1856, this established a pattern of more extensive working away from the Highlands. The unequal concentration of land ownership remained an emotional and controversial subject, of enormous importance to the Highland economy, and eventually became a cornerstone of liberal radicalism. The poor crofters were politically powerless, and many of them turned to religion. They embraced
6490-404: The MacDonald chief were declared outlaws in 1594 by the Privy Council. However Lachlan redeemed himself when in the same year he fought for the king at the Battle of Glenlivet , on the side of the Earl of Argyll and Clan Campbell, against the Earl of Huntly and Clan Gordon . The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart took place on 5 August 1598. It was fought between the Clan Donald and Clan Maclean on
6608-515: The MacDonalds "at a place called Bern Bige, attacked and defeated them, and afterwards ravaged the whole island in revenge for the slaughter of the Macleans at Lochgruinart". On 12 July 1606 Lauchlan Mackinnon of Strathairdle and Finlay Macnab of Bowaine, entered into a Bond of Friendship and Manrent . In the bond the two chiefs claimed to "come from ane house and one lineage", and promised to lend aid to each other. The chief of Clan Mackinnon signed his name, Lauchland, mise Mac Fingon . This bond
6726-491: The MacLeans, by John, Bishop of the Isles . The Bishop of the Isles complained to the Scots king that these men were preventing him from receiving the rents of his See . According to MacLean family tradition, sometime after the battle of Lochgruinard in 1598, the MacLeans led by Hector MacLean invaded the MacDonald island of Islay , accompanied with MacLeod of Dunvegan , the Cameron of Lochiel, Mackinnon, and MacNiel of Barra , with their followers. MacLean and his men engaged
6844-421: The Macdonalds of Islay and Kintyre was, at the outset, merely a dispute as to the right of occupancy of the crown lands called the Rinns of Islay , but it soon involved these tribes in a long and bloody feud, and eventually led to the near destruction of them both. The Macleans, who were in possession, claimed to hold the lands in dispute as tenants of the crown, but the privy council decided that Macdonald of Islay
6962-416: The Mackinnon force of that time was about 200 men. "Mackinnons – The Laird of Mackinnon is their Chief, who in Irish is called Mackenoin holds his Lands of the Crown both in the Isles of Skye and Mull and Can raise 200 Men." Following the defeat of the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden , Charles Edward Stuart fled to the west coast of Scotland in order to flee to France. Tradition has the Mackinnons aiding
7080-480: The Mackinnons of Corriechatachan (a cadet branch) to claim the chiefship generated a great deal of controversy and a certain amount of local support in Skye, but proved ultimately fruitless. The thirty-fifth chief of the clan was Francis Alexander Mackinnon . Today the current chief is Madam Anne Gunhild Mackinnon of Mackinnon, 38th Chief of the Name and Arms of Mackinnon, recognized by the Lord Lyon. She has two sons who are eligible upon her death to become chief under
7198-547: The Name and Arms of Mackinnon. The Antigua Chief of Mackinnon Madame Anne Gunheild Mackinnon of Mackinnon, 38th Chief is recognized by the Lord Lyon. While her outside contacts with Clan MacKinnon have been limited, the Clan MacKinnon Society made contact with her and she appointed in 2015 a Representative of the Chief, Stephen MacKinnon of Massachusetts, U.S.A. Stephen was also appointed at this time, Chieftain of Mishnish. Anne MacKinnon has never given up her position and in fact, has two sons who are eligible to inherit her title under
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#17327754726707316-628: The amount of denudation to which the plateau has been subjected in various places. The region is much warmer than other areas at similar latitudes (such as Kamchatka in Russia , or Labrador in Canada ) because of the Gulf Stream making it cool, damp and temperate. The Köppen climate classification is " Cfb " at low elevations, then becoming " Cfc ", " Dfc " and " ET " at higher elevations. 57°07′N 4°43′W / 57.12°N 4.71°W / 57.12; -4.71 Clan Mackinnon Clan MacKinnon ( Scottish Gaelic : Clann MhicFhionghain [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ vĩçˈkʲiŋɣɛn] )
7434-400: The blood line and providing they retain the MacKinnon name. In 2015 Madame Anne MacKinnon appointed Stephen MacKinnon of Massachusetts, U.S.A. as her representative of the Chief and is recognized as such by the Clan MacKinnon Society. She also appointed Stephen MacKinnon Chieftain of Mishnish. The current chieftess of Clan Mackinnon is Madame Anne Gunhild Mackinnon of Mackinnon, 38th Chief of
7552-405: The chief of Clan Irvine , Sir Alexander Irvine. After a legendary struggle both died of the wounds inflicted upon each other. Tearlach [Charles] Maclean, eldest son of Hector Maclean, 1st of Lochbuie, brother of Lachlan Maclean, 1st of Duart. Tearlach was part of the vanguard but following this battle, he sought protection within the Clan Chattan Confederation. His son Hector subsequently married
7670-497: The chief of the clan, Lauchlane McKynnoun of that Ilk , was one of the highland chiefs and leading men who witnessed the statutes known as the Statutes of Iona , which were enacted to bring the Western Isles under the control of the Scottish Government . An indication of the relative extent of the estates of the three great chiefs of Skye at the end of the 17th century is afforded by the amount of rental for each: £7,000 for Macleod, £6,200 for Macdonald and £2,400 for Mackinnon (at
7788-433: The clan aiding in the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie in his flight to France. Because of their support for the last Jacobite rising the MacKinnon chiefs lost the last of their ancient clan lands. According to legend, the castle of Dunakin (today known as Caisteal Maol ), near Kyleakin , was built by a Norwegian princess known as Saucy Mary, who married Findanus the claimed ancestor of Clan Mackinnon. The princess
7906-422: The clan. The 19th-century historian William Forbes Skene gave the clan a descent linked to the clans of Siol Alpin. He claimed that the Finguine who appears in the MS 1450 was the brother of the Anrias of whom the Clan Gregor claim descent from in about 1130. Because of the clan's early association with the Lords of the Isles there is no trace of early history of the Mackinnons as an independent clan. On
8024-494: The creation of a Crofting Commission. The Crofters as a political movement faded away by 1892, and the Liberal Party gained their votes. Today, the Highlands are the largest of Scotland's whisky producing regions; the relevant area runs from Orkney to the Isle of Arran in the south and includes the northern isles and much of Inner and Outer Hebrides, Argyll, Stirlingshire, Arran, as well as sections of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. (Other sources treat The Islands, except Islay , as
8142-411: The distinctive geographical and cultural features of the rest of the Highlands. The north-east of Caithness , as well as Orkney and Shetland , are also often excluded from the Highlands, although the Hebrides are usually included. The Highland area, as so defined, differed from the Lowlands in language and tradition, having preserved Gaelic speech and customs centuries after the anglicisation of
8260-404: The early history of the clan, it is likely to have served under the Lords of the Isles. After the forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles in 1493 the clan would have gained some independence, and was at various times allied or at war with neighbouring clans such as the MacLeans and the MacDonalds . The clan supported the Jacobites in the 17th and 18th centuries, and tradition has the chief of
8378-578: The east of this point. A much wider definition of the Highlands is that used by the Scotch whisky industry. Highland single malts are produced at distilleries north of an imaginary line between Dundee and Greenock , thus including all of Aberdeenshire and Angus . Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands, although less so in the Highland parts of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Perthshire and Stirlingshire which look more to Aberdeen , Dundee, Perth , and Stirling as their commercial centres. The Highland Council area, created as one of
8496-473: The efforts of Franciscan missionaries from Ireland, who regularly came to celebrate Mass . There remain significant Catholic strongholds within the Highlands and Islands such as Moidart and Morar on the mainland and South Uist and Barra in the southern Outer Hebrides. The remoteness of the region and the lack of a Gaelic-speaking clergy undermined the missionary efforts of the established church. The later 18th century saw somewhat greater success, owing to
8614-460: The efforts of the SSPCK missionaries and to the disruption of traditional society after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. In the 19th century, the evangelical Free Churches, which were more accepting of Gaelic language and culture, grew rapidly, appealing much more strongly than did the established church. For the most part, however, the Highlands are considered predominantly Protestant, belonging to
8732-579: The era of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1790–1815). Tartan had largely been abandoned by the ordinary people of the region, but in the 1820s, tartan and the kilt were adopted by members of the social elite, not just in Scotland, but across Europe. The international craze for tartan, and for idealising a romanticised Highlands, was set off by the Ossian cycle, and further popularised by
8850-566: The first King of Scots and a Gael , however recent research speculates Cináed was a Pictish king and possibly even a Pict himself. Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk speculated that Clan MacKinnon belonged to the kindred of Saint Columba , noting the MacKinnon arms bore the hand of the saint holding the Cross , and the several Mackinnon abbots of Iona . Though little is known of
8968-697: The forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles the Mackinnons tended to follow the MacLeans of Duart, though occasionally the clan sided with the MacDonalds of Skye , in the MacDonald's battles with the MacLeods . The name of the chief of the clan in 1493 is unknown, though in 1515 the chief was Neil Mackinnon of Mishnish. Two years later, in 1517, Neil and several others, described as "kin, men, servants and partakers" of Lauchlan Maclean of Duart, were included in
9086-627: The forfeiture of the last Lord of the Isles in the 1490s the clan at last gained some independence, though the Clan Mackinnon was always a minor clan and never gained any great power. According to Skene, the MS 1450 proved that Clan Mackinnon was a branch of Clan Gregor. Skene maintained that the Finguine listed, was the brother of Anrias in the Clan Gregor genealogy. The genealogy within
9204-528: The former Northern Constabulary . These former bodies both covered the Highland council area and the island council areas of Orkney , Shetland and the Western Isles. Highland Council signs in the Pass of Drumochter , between Glen Garry and Dalwhinnie , say "Welcome to the Highlands". Much of the Highlands area overlaps the Highlands and Islands area. An electoral region called Highlands and Islands
9322-542: The landlords in the 1880s through the Highland Land League . Violence erupted, starting on the Isle of Skye , when Highland landlords cleared their lands for sheep and deer parks. It was quietened when the government stepped in, passing the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act, 1886 to reduce rents, guarantee fixity of tenure, and break up large estates to provide crofts for the homeless. This contrasted with
9440-408: The lands of "Straytsnardill" ( Strathairdle , of which later Mackinnon chiefs were designated), and "the castill of Dunnakyne perteining to Mackynnoun; the castill Dunringill , perteining to the said Mackynnoun". Munro also described the neighbouring island of Pabay as follows, "At the shore of Sky foresaid, lyes ane iyle callit Pabay, neyre ane myle in lenthe, full of woodes, guid for fishing, and
9558-418: The language is now largely confined to The Hebrides . The terms are sometimes used interchangeably but have different meanings in their respective languages. Scottish English (in its Highland form ) is the predominant language of the area today, though Highland English has been influenced by Gaelic speech to a significant extent. Historically, the "Highland line" distinguished the two Scottish cultures. While
9676-607: The later Caledonian Orogeny . Smaller formations of Lewisian gneiss in the northwest are up to 3 billion years old. The overlying rocks of the Torridon Sandstone form mountains in the Torridon Hills such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross . These foundations are interspersed with many igneous intrusions of a more recent age, the remnants of which have formed mountain massifs such as
9794-492: The latter; this led to a growing perception of a divide, with the cultural distinction between Highlander and Lowlander first noted towards the end of the 14th century. In Aberdeenshire , the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands is not well defined. There is a stone beside the A93 road near the village of Dinnet on Royal Deeside which states 'You are now in the Highlands', although there are areas of Highland character to
9912-412: The local government regions of Scotland , has been a unitary council area since 1996. The council area excludes a large area of the southern and eastern Highlands, and the Western Isles , but includes Caithness . Highlands is sometimes used, however, as a name for the council area, as in the former Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern is also used to refer to the area, as in
10030-730: The mainland. In 1560 the Clan MacLean, joined by their allies the Clan Mackay and Clan MacLeod became part of the Gallowglass , who were ferocious mercenaries of Norse-Gaelic descent who served in Ireland for King Shane O'Neill . The rising power of the Clan Campbell during the sixteenth century brought them into opposition with the Macleans. Several marriages were arranged between Macleans and Campbells to avoid feuding, however one of these went badly wrong when chief Lachlan Maclean married Lady Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of
10148-405: The manuscript is as follows (original spelling in italics ): Niall , son of Colum , son of Gillabrigde , son of Eogan , son of Gillabrigde , son of Saineagain , son of Finlaeie , son of Finguine , from whom sprung clanfinguin, son of Cormac , son of Airbertaig , son of Muircheach , son of Fearchair oig . According to the historian Donald Gregory the first authentic record of the clan
10266-406: The marriage retroactively as insurance that it could not be annulled for political purposes. Mary's marriage dowry included Duart Castle and much of Mull. Lachlan Lùbanach also was granted the hereditary position of Lieutenant-General of the Isles. He was recognized as the superior MacLean on Mull by the Lord of the Isles. Hector (1328-1407), his younger brother, was in the late 1300s given Lochbuie by
10384-514: The new ideas taught in Scottish universities. Highland landowners, many of whom were burdened with chronic debts, were generally receptive to the advice they offered and keen to increase the income from their land. In the East and South the resulting change was similar to that in the Lowlands, with the creation of larger farms with single tenants, enclosure of the old run rig fields, introduction of new crops (such as turnips ), land drainage and, as
10502-522: The next 160 years, the natural increase in population was exceeded by emigration (mostly to Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and migration to the industrial cities of Scotland and England.) The area is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe. At 9.1/km (24/sq mi) in 2012, the population density in the Highlands and Islands is less than one seventh of Scotland's as
10620-449: The popularly oriented, fervently evangelical Presbyterian revival after 1800. Most joined the breakaway "Free Church" after 1843. This evangelical movement was led by lay preachers who themselves came from the lower strata, and whose preaching was implicitly critical of the established order. The religious change energised the crofters and separated them from the landlords; it helped prepare them for their successful and violent challenge to
10738-476: The prince, with the chief concealing him in a cave, and the chief's wife bringing the prince refreshments of cold meat and wine. The Mackinnon chief was later captured by Government troops and spent a year in confinement before being put on trial, with his life at stake, in Tilbury Fort . Mackinnon was eventually spared his life and pardoned because of his advanced age. It is said, though, that upon leaving
10856-549: The processed product during the Napoleonic wars. When the Napoleonic wars finished in 1815, the Highland industries were affected by the return to a peacetime economy. The price of black cattle fell, nearly halving between 1810 and the 1830s. Kelp prices had peaked in 1810, but reduced from £9 a ton in 1823 to £3 13s 4d a ton in 1828. Wool prices were also badly affected. This worsened the financial problems of debt-encumbered landlords. Then, in 1846, potato blight arrived in
10974-493: The region most affected by the potato famine, by 1846, 70 per cent of the landowners were new purchasers who had not owned Highland property before 1800. More landlords were obliged to sell due to the cost of famine relief. Those who were protected from the worst of the crisis were those with extensive rental income from sheep farms. Government loans were made available for drainage works, road building and other improvements and many crofters became temporary migrants – taking work in
11092-400: The run rig farmers and were much less prone to falling into arrears. Each croft was limited in size so that the tenants would have to find work elsewhere. The major alternatives were fishing and the kelp industry. Landlords took control of the kelp shores, deducting the wages earned by their tenants from the rent due and retaining the large profits that could be earned at the high prices paid for
11210-632: The same area as that covered by the fire and rescue service. There have been trackways from the Lowlands to the Highlands since prehistoric times. Many traverse the Mounth , a spur of mountainous land that extends from the higher inland range to the North Sea slightly north of Stonehaven . The most well-known and historically important trackways are the Causey Mounth , Elsick Mounth , Cryne Corse Mounth and Cairnamounth . Although most of
11328-612: The senior line died unmarried in 1808; he was the great-grandson of John, elder son of Lachlan Mor who fought at the Battle of Worcester. The chiefship then passed to a representative of Lachlan Mor's second son, Donald. This Donald had apparently been taken prisoner at the Battle of Worcester and later traveled to the West Indies. It was his great-great-grandson, William Alexander Mackinnon (1784–1870)|William Alexander Mackinnon , who became thirty-third chief in 1808. A later attempt by
11446-460: The surrounding area has a majority Protestant population, with most locals belonging to either The Kirk or the Free Church of Scotland . The church maintains a noticeable presence within the area, with church attendance notably higher than in other parts of Scotland. Religion continues to play an important role in Highland culture, with Sabbath observance still widely practised, particularly in
11564-470: The tenth Baronet, fought at the Battle of Sevastopol . Allan Maclean of Torloisk fought at the Battle of Culloden . He later commanded the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) in the Battle of Quebec . Allan McLane served in the American Revolution. Castles that have been held by the Clan Maclean have included amongst others: Septs are family names associated with
11682-408: The works of Walter Scott . His "staging" of the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 and the king's wearing of tartan resulted in a massive upsurge in demand for kilts and tartans that could not be met by the Scottish woollen industry. Individual clan tartans were largely designated in this period and they became a major symbol of Scottish identity. This "Highlandism", by which all of Scotland
11800-707: Was Columba's great-grandfather and the founder of Tír Conaill ). Moncreiffe speculated that the MacKinnons were also of this kindred, and noted their coat of arms bore the hand of the saint holding the Cross. Several MacKinnons were Benedictine Abbots of Iona , who were leaders of the Benedictine monastic community on the island of Iona. Finghuine MacFhionghain ( fl. 1357–1405), and Eoin MacFhionghain (John MacKinnon, son of Lachlan MacKinnon) (1467–1498) who
11918-462: Was Eachainn Reafanach (Hector) who was the progenitor of the Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie . The Macleans of Duart married into the family of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles (chief of Clan Donald ). By the end of the 15th century, the Macleans owned the isles of Mull , Tiree , Islay , and Jura , as well as the mainland provinces of Knapdale and Morvern in Argyll , and Lochaber in what
12036-472: Was attacked by a wild boar which charged into the cave. Mackinnon then drove the butchered deer's leg into the mouth of the boar, jamming it open, before killing the wild animal. The early clan seems to have had a close connection with the abbacy on the small Inner Hebridean island of Iona . The abbacy of Iona was first founded in 563 by Saint Columba, and many following abbots were selected from his kindred ( Cenel Conaill : descendants of Conall Gulban , who
12154-648: Was being held prisoner of the English king, Henry IV, and Albany did nothing to seek his release.) The Battle of Harlaw took place near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire on 24 July 1411 against a mounted army of knights led by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar . The MacLeans were led by Hector Roy Maclean, "Red Hector of the Battles", the 6th Chief, and nephew of Donald Macdonald. Hector commanded the right flank of Donald Macdonald's army. Hector engaged in single combat with
12272-573: Was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London until 1747. He died in 1750 in Rome. During the rising of 1745 the clan had been led by Maclean of Drimmin who was killed at the Battle of Culloden . Duart Castle then fell into ruin. After the defeat of the Jacobites, the Macleans then served Great Britain with distinction. From that time onwards, all of the chiefs have been soldiers. Sir Fitzroy Maclean,
12390-550: Was defeated, and by 1395 had fled to Ireland. John Mór was later pardoned by his brother, though the MacDonald history states that the Green Abbot' s kinsman, the Mackinnon chief, was hanged for his part. The Green Abbot himself, was spared only because he was a churchman, and spent the rest of his life imprisoned on Iona by the Macdonalds. The earliest record of the Mackinnons is of Lachlan Makfingane , who witnessed
12508-574: Was followed, mostly in the period 1760–1850, by agricultural improvement that often (particularly in the Western Highlands) involved clearance of the population to make way for large scale sheep farms. Displaced tenants were set up in crofting communities in the process. The crofts were intended not to provide all the needs of their occupiers; they were expected to work in other industries such as kelping and fishing. Crofters came to rely substantially on seasonal migrant work, particularly in
12626-411: Was identified with the culture of the Highlands, was cemented by Queen Victoria's interest in the country, her adoption of Balmoral as a major royal retreat, and her interest in "tartenry". Recurrent famine affected the Highlands for much of its history, with significant instances as late as 1817 in the Eastern Highlands and the early 1850s in the West. Over the 18th century, the region had developed
12744-401: Was introduced into the region. Between the 1760s and the 1830s there was a substantial trade in unlicensed whisky that had been distilled in the Highlands. Lowland distillers (who were not able to avoid the heavy taxation of this product) complained that Highland whisky made up more than half the market. The development of the cattle trade is taken as evidence that the pre-improvement Highlands
12862-658: Was killed. Archibald Campbell the 9th Earl, son of the Marquess of Argyll, invaded the Clan Maclean lands on the Isle of Mull and garrisoned Duart Castle in 1678. The Campbells had control of Duart and most of the Maclean estates by 1679. When the Stuarts again called for support the Macleans hurried to their standard and Sir John Maclean, fifth Baronet fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, in support of John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee . The Clan Maclean supported
12980-456: Was later Inverness-shire . The Clan MacLean are said to have fought in support of Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. By the 14th century, the Clan MacLean had become a dominant force in the Western Isles. In about 1364 Lachlan Lùbanach MacLean (1325-1405) of Duart, 5th Chief, solidified the MacLean alliance with the Macdonalds through marriage. His bride, Mary Macdonald,
13098-409: Was made a Knight Banneret at this battle, though this is thought improbable as such a custom was by then very much obsolete. (A knight banneret was created by a sovereign on the field of battle and could lead vassals under his own banner). Although considered a relatively minor clan, it seems to have been of considerable strength. Clan Mackinnon took part in the Jacobite risings , supporting
13216-402: Was not an immutable system, but did exploit the economic opportunities that came its way. The illicit whisky trade demonstrates the entrepreneurial ability of the peasant classes. Agricultural improvement reached the Highlands mostly over the period 1760 to 1850. Agricultural advisors, factors , land surveyors and others educated in the thinking of Adam Smith were keen to put into practice
13334-406: Was not only the daughter of John Macdonald, first Lord of the Isles, but also the granddaughter of Robert II, King of Scots. The families were close enough related that the approval of the church was sought. The papal dispensation issued by Pope Urban V on 3 May of 1367 approving the already consummated marriage is the first mention of a MacLean in any official records.. The papal dispensation blessed
13452-599: Was really the crown tenant. On 3 September 1631 Sir Lachlan Maclean created a Baronet of Nova Scotia . Later during the Scottish Civil War he was devoted to Charles I of England and called out his clan to fight for James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose who was the king's captain general. The Clan Maclean fought as royalists at the Battle of Inverlochy (1645) , Battle of Auldearn and Battle of Kilsyth , alongside men from Clan MacDonald , and other allies from Ireland raised by Alasdair MacColla . Their enemy
13570-473: Was seen as further proof, by Skene, that the Mackinnons were descended from Siol Alpin. Another bond of manrent , this time between the Mackinnons and MacGregors, has also been seen as proof of a Siol Alpin descent. On 1671, in Kilmorie, Lauchlan Mackinnon of Strahairdle and James Macgregor of Macgregor, entered into the bond, stating that the two chiefs descended "fra twa breethren of auld descent". In 1609,
13688-756: Was the Scottish Argyll government forces of Clan Campbell , led by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll . Through cunning tactics the Royalist force of 1500 MacDonalds and MacLeans defeated the Argyll Campbell force of 3000. In 1647 the MacLean's Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell , but they were defeated and driven off by the royalist troops of Clan Maclean. The Battle of Inverkeithing took place in 1651 where Sir Hector Maclean, 18th chief
13806-515: Was the last Benedictine Abbot of Iona. His tomb lies in Iona to this day, along with the shaft of a Celtic cross , known today as 'MacKinnon's Cross', dedicated in 1489 to himself and his father (Lauchlan), which is inscribed: "Hec Fingone: et: eivs: filii: Johannis: X: abbatis de Hy: facta: anno: Domini: måccccålxxxåixå". The Mackinnons regularly feuded with the Clan Maclean . However, after
13924-496: Was to have collected the tolls of ships sailing through the narrows between the castle and the mainland, though Norse ships were exempt from her toll. To ensure that her taxes were paid a chain was stretched across the kyle . On her death she was buried beneath a cairn on Beinn na Caillich ( the mountain of the old woman ). The surname MacKinnon is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic Mac Fhionghuin , which
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