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The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of
Mull Mull may refer to: Places *Isle of Mull, a Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides **Sound of Mull, between the Isle of Mull and the rest of Scotland * Mount Mull, Antarctica *Mull Hill, Isle of Man * Mull, Arkansas, a place along Arkansas Highway ...
north of Tobermory, between John MacDonald of Islay, the
Lord of the Isles The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title w ...
and chief of
Clan Donald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald ( gd, Clann Dòmhnaill; Mac Dòmhnaill ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...
; and his son, Angus Og Macdonald. The precise date of the battle varies in sources, from 1480 to 1483. After the battle, in which Angus Og Macdonald emerged victorious, the latter seized power from his father, and held it for the rest of the decade. However, Angus's victory would prove pyrrhic. Many clansmen had died in the battle and nearly half the clan's fleet had been sunk, as a result of which the power of the Lords of the Isles was henceforth greatly diminished. Angus, last of the independent Lords of the Isles, would himself be murdered in 1490.


Background

In 1476,
James III of Scotland James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh Ca ...
was informed of a secret treaty made by John of Islay with
Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 â€“ 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
. James stripped John of his earldom, as well as the sheriffdoms of
Nairn Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...
and
Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
, and the lordships of
Kintyre Kintyre ( gd, Cinn Tìre, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East and West Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately north ...
and
Knapdale Knapdale ( gd, Cnapadal, IPA: ˆkraÊ°pÉ™t̪əɫ̪ forms a rural district of Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands, adjoining Kintyre to the south, and divided from the rest of Argyll to the north by the Crinan Canal. It includes two parishes, ...
, but confirmed him with the remainder of his lands and the title Lord of the Isles. The designation of Lord of the Isles, however, was from this point forward to be granted by the crown, rather than self-assumed. And John had lost much more than land and titles; he had lost prestige and standing among his own kin. The Lordship had always depended on territorial expansion to give life to its warrior values; but now that it was contracting, all of the latent tensions came forth, finding expression in the person of Angus Óg. Angus, according to Hugh Macdonald, ejected John both from the leadership of the clan and from his own home, forcing him to seek shelter under an old boat. John gathered his remaining supporters in an attempt to quash his son's rebellion. John's fleet of galleys met those of Angus sometime in the early 1480s off the coast of
Mull Mull may refer to: Places *Isle of Mull, a Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides **Sound of Mull, between the Isle of Mull and the rest of Scotland * Mount Mull, Antarctica *Mull Hill, Isle of Man * Mull, Arkansas, a place along Arkansas Highway ...
to the north-west of the present town of Tobermory, an area ever afterwards to be known as Bloody Bay.


The battle

John MacDonald of Islay was supported by men from the Clan MacLean,
Clan MacLeod Clan MacLeod (; gd, Clann Mac Leòid ) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is MacLeod of MacLeod, are known in Gaelic as ' ("see ...
, and
Clan MacNeil Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan of Irish origin. According to their early genealogies and some sources they're descended from Eógan mac Néill and Niall of the Nine Hostages. The clan is particul ...
. He was opposed by his son, Angus Og Macdonald, who was supported by Allan Macruari, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, Donald Gallach, chief of the
Clan MacDonald of Sleat A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
, and Domhnall Mac Aonghais (''Donald Mac Angus''), chief of the
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch Clan MacDonald of Keppoch ( gd, Clann Dòmhnaill na Ceapaich ), also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber or Clan MacDonell of Keppoch'','' is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The progenitor of the clan is Alistair Carrach Mac ...
as well as the MacLeods of Lewis. In bitter fighting, Aonghas defeated the galleys of his father's west highland allies. The ''Bannatyne manuscript'' states that William Dubh, chief of the MacLeods, was killed early on, and at the fall of their chief, the MacLeods began to give way. However, a priest named Callum Clerich made the keeper of the
Fairy Flag The Fairy Flag (Scottish Gaelic: ''Am Bratach Sìth'') is an heirloom of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. It is held in Dunvegan Castle along with other notable heirlooms, such as the Dunvegan Cup and Sir Rory Mor's Horn. The Fairy Flag is known f ...
unfurl his banner. The manuscript states that when the MacLeod's kinsmen, the MacLeods of Lewis, switched sides upon seeing the sacred flag unfurled and joined the forces supporting John. However, the fate of the battle was already decided and the forces of Angus won the day. A large number of the clan was killed during the conflict, including the bearer of the flag, Murcha Beach, as well as the twelve men who were tasked with the flag's protection.
Hector Odhar Maclean Hector Odhar Maclean (?–1496), or Eachann Odhar Maclean in Scottish Gaelic, or Hector Maclean the Swarthy, was the 9th Chief of Maclean. He succeeded his father Lachlan Og Maclean upon his death c. 1472. He died in 1496. Biography He was the ...
, the chief of Clan MacLean and John of Islays's naval commander, was taken prisoner.Maclean
William Dubh MacLeod William Dubh MacLeod (Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Dubh MacLeòid) (–1480) is considered to be the 7th Chief of Clan MacLeod. He is thought to have been a younger son, yet because of the death of his elder brother, William Dubh succeeded his fa ...
, chief of Clan MacLeod, was killed along with many of his clan.


Aftermath

After the battle, Angus Og Macdonald took over power from his father, and held it for a decade until he was murdered. However, many clansmen died, and nearly half the clan's fleet had been sunk. Angus himself would be murdered ten years later. As a result of Bloody Bay and other reverses, the power of the Lords of the Isles would henceforth be greatly diminished.


See also

*
Fairy Flag The Fairy Flag (Scottish Gaelic: ''Am Bratach Sìth'') is an heirloom of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. It is held in Dunvegan Castle along with other notable heirlooms, such as the Dunvegan Cup and Sir Rory Mor's Horn. The Fairy Flag is known f ...
, a MacLeod banner with supposed magical properties, is traditionally said to have been used at the battle.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bloody Bay, Battle of 1480 in Scotland 15th-century Scottish clan battles Naval battles involving Scotland Naval battles of the Middle Ages Clan Donald Clan Macleod battles History of the Scottish Highlands Conflicts in 1480 Military action involving Scottish islands