MacDonald

MacDonald

Clan Mac Donald of Macdonald of the Isles, Scotland. Descended from Donald, Lord of the Isles, son of Reginar, son of Somerled, King of the Isles, and Ragnhild, daughter of Olaf Morsel, King of Man, son of Godred Crovan. Somerled, the Norse leader, invaded the Isles and the Highlands of Scotland, proclaiming himself King of the Isles in 1140. Of his sons, Dugall was the progenitor of Clan Macdougall, Angus, through his daughter Jane, was the father of the Stewarts, and Reginar, who inherited Islay and Kintyre began through his son Donald, the Macdonalds. Donald, succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles circa 1207, and proved to be the most violent of warriors, to a point that he had to make a pilgrimage to Rome for absolution. Donald's son Angus Mor was forced to change his allegiance from Haakon, King of Norway to Alexander III, King of the Scots after the defeat of the Norwegian fleet at the Battle of Largs in 1263. Angus Mor's son, Angus Og fought against Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Angus Og's grandson, Donald married Margaret, heiress of the Earl of Ross but was deprived of the earldom. Donald's son, Alexander who succeeded as Lord of the Isles in 1423 did inherit the earldom of Ross. Alexander's son, John, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles signed the Treaty of Ardtormish with Henry VII of England in 1462 in an alliance against James IV of Scotland. James invaded the isles and stripped the clan of its titles in May 1493.

Arms:Quarterly, 1st, argent, a lion rampant gules, armed and langued azure; 2nd, or, a hand in armour fessways holding a cross crosslet fitchee gules; 3rd; or, a lymphad sails furled and oars in action sable, flagged gules; 4th, vert, a salmon naiant in fess proper; overall on an inescutcheon en surtout or, an eagle displayed gules, surmounted of a lymphad, sails furled, oars in action sable.

Crest: On a crest coronet or, a hand in armour fessways couped at the elbow proper holding a cross crosslet fitchee gules.

Motto: Per mare, per terras (By sea and by land).

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