Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver (died 1486), was the ninth chief of the ancient

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; gd, Clann Mhic Aoidh ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I ...

, a

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Goidelic languages, Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official ...

of the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...

Early life

Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver, was the eldest son of Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver, and his wife who was a daughter of

George Munro, 10th Baron of Foulis George Munro of Foulis (died 1452) is traditionally the 10th Baron and 13th successive chief of the Clan Munro. However, he is only the third successive chief of the clan who can be proved by contemporary evidence. He was the eldest son of Hugh Mu ...

, chief of

Clan Munro Clan Munro (; gd, Clann an Rothaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and ...

. His maternal grandmother, through Munro of Foulis, was a daughter of Ross of Balnagown, chief of

Clan Ross Clan Ross ( gd, Clann Anndrais ) is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earl of Ross, Earls of Ross. History Origins The first recorded chief of the Clan Ross was Fearchar, Earl of Ross, "Fearcher Mac ...

. The blood feud that had raged since 1370 between the Clan Mackay and the

Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed ...

had become assuaged, so much so that one of Angus Roy Mackay's daughters married Sutherland of Dirlot.

Feud with the Clan Gunn

The Keiths who lived in

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...

were akin to the Sutherlands of Dirlot, both families having obtained their lands in Caithness through marriage with daughters of

Reginald Cheyne Reginald le Chen or Cheyne (died 1293) was the Chamberlain of Scotland from 1267 to 1269. He was the Baron of Inverugie. Reginald was the son of Bernard le Chen of Inverugie and succeeded his father upon his father's death. His brother was Henr ...

(of Clan Cheyne). According to historian Angus Mackay, it is probable that the chief of

Clan Gunn Clan Gunn ( gd, Na Guinnich) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably, the Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the No ...

, who was a man of great power and the Crowner of Caithness, resented the intrusion of the Keiths who were newcomers to the area. The

Clan Keith Clan Keith is a Scottish Highlands, Highland and Scottish Lowlands, Lowland Scottish clan, whose Chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland.Way, George an ...

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...

had great influence at court through their chief, the

Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...

. In Caithness relations became so hostile that the Keiths were determined to crush the Gunns if possible. According to

Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...

, the Keiths "mistrusting" their own forces "sent to Angus Mackay entreating him to come to their aid", which he did.Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. p. 67. Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert, ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland.'' According to historian Angus Mackay it is not known exactly why Mackay chose to support the Keiths, but it could have been partly because of the prospect of plunder, but also because at the time Sir Gilbert Keith of Inverguie was collector of customs for Caithness, Strathnaver and Sutherland, and in this function might have crossed the Gunns and befriended the Mackays, securing Mackay's help. As such in 1464 Angus Roy Mackay advanced on Caithness where the

Battle of Tannach The Battle of Tannach (Blare Tannie or Blar-Tannie, gd, Tannach Moor) was a Scottish clan battle fought about southwest of Wick, in the far north of Scotland. It was fought between men of the Clan Keith and Clan Mackay from Strathnaver again ...

took place. The Mackays were joined by the Keiths and the MacLeods of Assynt. The Gunns were defeated being overwhelmed by numbers, but not without great slaughter on both sides. Soon after this the Keiths massacred the Gunn chief and some his sons in what is now known as the Battle of Champions. The Parliament of 1478 took measures to end the blood-shed in Ross, Sutherland and Caithness.

Feud with the Clan Ross

A feud later broke out with the

whose chiefs were the Rosses of Balnagown Castle. According to the ''Blackcastle MS'' (which was written by Alexander Mackay of Blackcastle who had access to the Mackay chief's family charters and papers) the Rosses had made "a predatory incursion" into the territory of the Mackays. Sir Robert Gordon however says that the Mackays "often molested with incursions and invasions" the lands of the Rosses.Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. p. 68. Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert, ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland.'' According to historian Angus Mackay the evidence is ample that the Mackays managed to recover some of the lands in Ross-shire that had belonged to their relatives and enemies, Neil Neilson Mackay, his brother Morgan Neilson Mackay and Neil and Morgan's father-in-law Murray of Cubin, all three of whom had been defeated and killed by the Mackays of Strathnaver at the

Battle of Drumnacoub The Battle of Drumnacoub (Battle of Druim na coub, Drum-ne-coub) was a Scottish clan battle involving factions of the Clan Mackay fought in the far northwest of Scotland, some time between 1427 and 1433. It took place on a hill called Carn Fada ...

in 1433. The evidence is also ample that the Rosses managed to secure some of these lands lying in the parishes of Edderton and Kincardine in Ross-shire. So it appears that the feud between the Mackays and the Rosses arose out of a scramble for disputed lands. Angus Roy Mackay having made various expeditions into Ross was at last overpowered in what is now known as the

Battle of Tarbat The Battle of Tarbat was a Scottish clan battle fought in the 1480s on the Tarbat peninsula, in Easter Ross. The Clan Ross cornered a raiding party of Clan Mackay near the village of Portmahomack and put many of them to the sword. The survivor ...

, and taking refuge in the church of Tarbat which was set on fire, he was burnt to death in 1486.

Family

Angus Roy Mackay married a daughter of Mackenzie of

Kintail Kintail ( gd, Cinn Tàile) is an area of mountains in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, located in the Highland Council area. It consists of the mountains to the north of Glen Shiel and the A87 road between the heads of Loch Duich and Loch Clu ...

, chief of

Clan Mackenzie Clan Mackenzie ( gd, Clann Choinnich ) is a Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional genealogies trace the ancestors of the Mackenzie chiefs to the 12th century. However ...

and had the following children: #

Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver (died 1517), was the tenth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver, was the eldest son of Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver, ...

, successor as chief of the Clan Mackay. #John Rivach Mackay, who led the Mackays to avenge his father's death and defeated the Rosses at the Battle of Aldy Charrish in 1487 where the Ross chief was killed. However, John Rivach Mackay himself was killed in 1513 fighting the English at the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

. #A daughter who married Hector Mackenzie of Auchterned, son of

Hector Roy Mackenzie Hector Roy Mackenzie of Gairloch (died 1528) was a Scottish clan chieftain of the Clan Mackenzie, who acquired vast estates in and around Gairloch, Wester Ross as a result of his services to the Scottish crown and challenged his nephew for the ch ...

Gairloch Gairloch ( ; gd, Geàrrloch , meaning "Short Loch") is a village, civil parish and community on the shores of Loch Gairloch in Wester Ross, in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. A tourist destination in the summer months, Gairloch has a go ...

. #A daughter who married Sutherland of Dirlot.

Early life

Feud with the Clan Gunn

Feud with the Clan Ross

Family

References

See also