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{{Infobox noble, type , name = Kenneth Mackenzie , title = The Earl of Seaforth , image = Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth.jpg , caption = Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession = , reign = 1651–1678 , reign-type = Chief of Clan Mackenzie , predecessor = George Mackenzie , successor = Kenneth Mackenzie , suc-type = , spouse = Isobel Mackenzie , spouse-type = , issue = , issue-link = , issue-pipe = , full name = , styles = , titles = , noble family =
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. Howev ...
, house-type = , father = George Mackenzie , mother = Barbara Forbes , birth_date = 1635 , birth_place =
Brahan Castle Brahan Castle was situated south-west of Dingwall, in Easter Ross, Highland Scotland. The castle belonged to the Earls of Seaforth, chiefs of the Clan Mackenzie, who dominated the area. History Brahan Castle was built by Colin Mackenzie, 1st Ear ...
,
Ross-shire Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire – a county consisting ...
,
Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a l ...
, christening_date = , christening_place = , death_date = 1678 (aged 43) , death_place = , burial_date = , burial_place = , religion =
Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, occupation = , memorials = , url = , module = Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth (1635–1678) was a
Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
clan 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, mea ...
chief and Scottish nobleman, who adhered faithfully to Charles II through his tribulations. From his great stature he was known among the Highlanders as "Coinneach Mor" (Great Kenneth).


Origins and education

Mackenzie was the eldest son of
George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth (died 1651) was a Highland clan chief and Scottish nobleman, who played an equivocating role in Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Origins Mackenzie was the son of Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Lord Macke ...
(died 1651) and Barbara, daughter of
Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...
,
Lord Forbes Lord Forbes is the senior Lordship of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. The title was created sometime after 1436 for Alexander de Forbes, feudal baron of Forbes. The precise date of the creation is not known, but in a Precept dated July 1 ...
. The Mackenzies were a clan from
Ross-shire Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire – a county consisting ...
that had risen to prominence in the 15th century during the disintegration of the
Lordship 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 ...
. He was born at Brahan Castle in 1635, and when he was five or six years old his father placed him under the care of the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, minister 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 ...
, and constable of
Eilean Donan Eilean Donan ( gd, Eilean Donnain) is a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three sea lochs ( Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh) in the western Highlands of Scotland, about from the village of Dornie. It is connected to the ma ...
, who had a seminary in his house which was attended by the sons of the neighbouring gentry. From there, he went to public school and was sent in 1651 to
King's College, Aberdeen King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Univer ...
, under the discipline of Mr Patrick Sandylands.


Attempt to raise the clan

However, he had not been there long when the
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
arrived in
Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
and began to recruit an army for his proposed invasion of England. Kenneth's father remained in
Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former Provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
, so he went home himself to raise his men for the King's service. He went straight to Kintail with leading members of his clan (his uncles, the Lairds of
Pluscarden Pluscarden Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery in the glen of the Black Burn, southwest of Elgin, Moray, Scotland. It was founded in 1230 by Alexander II for the Valliscaulian Order. In 1454, following a merger with the priory of Urquh ...
and Lochslinn; young Tarbat, Rory of Davochmaluag, Kenneth of Coul, Hector of Fairburn, and several others), but the Kintail men declined to rise with him, because he was but a child, asserting that they would not move without his father, their master, since the King, if he had use for him and for his followers, might easily bring him home.


Adherent to Charles II

Immediately after the
Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell d ...
, at which Charles was defeated by
Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
in 1651 - where we find among those present Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscarden as one of the Colonels of foot for Inverness and Ross, and Alexander Cam Mackenzie, fourth son of Alexander, fifth of
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 ...
- Charles fled to
the Continent Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...
, and, after many severe hardships and narrow escapes, he found refuge in
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
, where he continued to reside, often in great want and distress, until the Restoration in May, 1660. The
Earl of Cromartie Earl of Cromartie () is a title that has been created twice, both for members of the Mackenzie family. It was first created as Earl of Cromarty in the Peerage of Scotland in 1703 for Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet, but his titles were forfe ...
says that subsequent to the treaty agreed upon between Middleton and Leslie at Strathbogie, "Seaforth joined the King at Stirling. After the fatal battle of Worcester he continued a close prisoner until the Restoration of Charles." He was excepted from Oliver Cromwell's Ordnance of Pardon and Grace to Scotland in 1654, and his estates were forfeited, without any provision being allowed out of it for his wife and family. He supported the King's cause as long as there was an opportunity of fighting for it in the field, and when forced to submit to the opposing forces of Cromwell and the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
he was committed to prison, where, with "much firmness of mind and nobility of soul," he endured a tedious captivity for many years. Referring to the position of affairs at this period, the Laird of
Applecross Applecross ( gd, A' Chomraich) is a peninsula north-west of Kyle of Lochalsh in the council area of Highland, Scotland. The name Applecross is at least 1,300 years old and is ''not'' used locally to refer to the 19th century village (which is ...
said that the "rebels, possessing the authority, oppressed all the loyal subjects, and him with the first; his estate was over-burthened to its destruction, but nothing could deter him so as to bring him to forsake his King or his duty". When Charles II was recalled in 1660, he ordered his old and faithful friend Seaforth to be released, after which he became a great favourite at the licentious and profligate Court. On 23 April 1662 he received a Commission of the Sheriffship of
Ross-shire Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire – a county consisting ...
, which was afterwards renewed to him and to his eldest son, jointly, on 31 July 1675; and when he had set his affairs in order at Brahan, he re-visited Paris, leaving his wife in charge of his interests in the North.


Family and posterity

Kenneth married in about 1660 Isobel, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, father of
George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie FRS (1630–1714), known as Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet from 1654 to 1685 and as The Viscount of Tarbat from 1685 to 1703, was a Scottish statesman. Life He was born at Innerteil, near Kinghorn, Fi ...
.''The Complete Peerage'', volume XI, London 1949 They had four sons and four daughters, including his heir,
Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth, KT, PC (S) ( bapt. 8 December 1661 – January 1701) was a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter, known as Lord Mackenzie of Kintail from birth until 1678. Life Mackenzie was the eldest son of Kenne ...
, who succeeded him on his death in December 1678.


References

This article includes text from Alexander Mackenzie's ''History of the Mackenzies'' (Inverness, 1894), which is no longer in copyright. {{Reflist


Line of Chiefs

{{s-start {{succession box , before=
Colin Mackenzie Colonel Colin Mackenzie CB (1754–8 May 1821) was Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist. He surveyed southern India, ...
, title= Chief of Clan Mackenzie , years=1651–1678 , after= Kenneth Mackenzie {{s-end {{s-start {{s-reg, sct {{s-bef, before= George Mackenzie {{s-ttl, title=
Earl of Seaforth Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781. History The Mackenzies trace their descent to Colin of Kintail (died 1278) ...
, years=1651–1678 {{s-aft, after= Kenneth Mackenzie {{s-end {{DEFAULTSORT:Seaforth, Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl Of 1635 births 1678 deaths Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
Kenneth Kenneth is an English given name and surname. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: ''Cainnech'' and '' Cináed''. The modern Gaelic form of ''Cainnech'' is ''Coinneach''; the name was derived from a byn ...
History of the Scottish Highlands Earls of Seaforth