Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver (died 1370), was the fifth chief of the ancient

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) 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 of Scotland, Rober ...

, a

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

of the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...

Early life

Donald Mackay was the eldest son of Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver. In 1370, he and his father were together murdered at

Dingwall Castle Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort and royal castle in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland. The castle is believed to have been established by Norse settlers in the area in the 11th century. Wars of Scottish Independence During ...

Ross-shire Ross-shire (; ), or the County of Ross, was a county in the Scottish Highlands. It bordered Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire, a county consisting of numerous enc ...

, by

Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus was a Scottish noble who was seated at Duffus Castle, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland in the 14th and 15th centuries. History Nicholas Sutherland was the second son of Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland, ...

, brother of William, 5th Earl of Sutherland during a feud with the

Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland also known as House of 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 ear ...

. (See page: Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver for a full account of the details).

Family

Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver, left the following children: #

Angus Mackay, 6th of Strathnaver Angus Mackay, 6th of Strathnaver (died 1403) was the sixth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. Early life Angus Mackay, 6th of Strathnaver, was the eldest son of Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver. However, ...

, who succeeded his grandfather, Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver. #Huistean Du Mackay, who became the tutor to his nephew, Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver, son of his elder brother Angus, during his nephew's minority. #Martin Mackay, who settled in

Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...

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 fourt ...

, but of whom nothing else is known.Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. p. 50. Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert, ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland''. #Neil Mackay, who settled in Creich. His three sons were Thomas Neilson Mackay, Neil Neilson Mackay and Morgan Neilson Mackay. Thomas was executed in

Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...

in 1426, probably for the murder of Mowat of Bucholly. Neil and Morgan both married daughters of

Murray of Aberscross The Murrays (or Morays) of Aberscross (or Aberscors) were a minor noble Scottish family who were seated at Aberscross Castle, in the county of Sutherland, Scotland. The Murrays in Sutherland are recorded specifically as a clan in two acts of th ...

and in the service of Murray and the Earl of Sutherland, they attacked their cousin, chief Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver in an attempt to take over his lands of Strathnaver, but were defeated and killed at the Battle of Drumnacoub by the Clan Mackay who were led by Angus Du Mackay's second son John Mackay, I of Aberach. The sons of Neil Neilson Mackay were: John Bain who settled in Caithness and was the ancestor of numerous Bain families, Angus who was ancestor of the Siol-Angus and Paul who was ancestor of the Polsons and some MacPhails. As such the names Bain, Neilson, Paul and Polson are all

sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...

s of the Clan Mackay.

Early life

Family

References

See also