Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald
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Clan Ranald is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the great Clan Donald or MacDonald.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins of the Clan
The MacDonalds of Clan Ranald are descended from Ranald (d.1207), son of King Somerled (d.1164). Ranald's eldest son Donald became chief of the head Clan Donald while his second son Ruairi became chief of Clan Ranald. However by the early 14th century the direct male line of the chieftenship of Clan Ranald had died out.
John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald inherited lands between the Great Glen and the Outer Hebrides through his marriage to Amie MacRuari, the female heiress to the great Lordship of Garmoran and chieftenship of Clan Ranald.
The two distant relatives John of Islay and Amie MacRuari both descended from the first Ranald who died in 1207, son of Somerled. Together they had a son called Ranald (d.1386) who took over as chief of Clan Ranald and was also expected to succeed his father John of Islay as chief of Clan Donald. However John of Islay later married Margaret Stewart, the daughter of King Robert II of Scotland and they had a son called Donald who succeeded John of Islay as chief of the head Clan Donald. [1]
In 1373 Ranald (d.1386) received a charter confirmed to him by his father John of Islay, Lord of the Isles. The charter was for the greater part of the MacRuari inheritance including the districts of Moidart, Arisaig and Lochaber.
Ranald had five sons. The eldest was called Alan (d.1430) who succeeded as Chief of the Clan Ranald. Alan's youger brother Donald became Chief of the Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry.
[edit] 15th Century
Alan MacRanald as he was known died in his Castle Tioram in 1419. He was succeeded by his son Roderick who was a staunch supporter of MacDonald Lord of the Isles. Roderick died in 1481 and was succeeded by his son who like his grandfather was also called Allen.
Alan was a capable and warlike chief. He led raids into Lochabar and Badenoch in 1491 which culminated in the capture of Inverness Castle.
Raid on Ross-shire 1491, Ewen Cameron XIII Chief of Clan Cameron and a large body of Camerons, joined by Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan Ranald of Garmoran and Lochaber and the Chattan Confederation - who they must have made peace with on a raid into the county of Ross-shire. During the raid they clashed with the Clan MacKenzie of Kintail. They then advanced from Lochaber to Badennoch where they were even joined by the Clan MacKintosh. They then proceeded to Inverness where they stormed Inverness Castle and MacKintosh placed a garrison in it. The Lords of Lochalsh appear at this time to have had strong claims upon the Camerons to follow them in the field. They were superiors under the Lord of the Isles of the lands of Lochiel in Lochaber, in addition to the claims of a close marriage alliance (Ewen married a daughter of Celestine of Lochalsh). This would serve to explain the quite unusual mutual participation under a common banner between the Camerons and Mackintoshes in this raid.
The Clan Ranald adjusted to the realities of Royal power. On thefirst visit of King James IV of Scotland to the Highlands Allen MacRuari chief of Clan Ranald was one of the few chiefs to render him homage.
[edit] 16th Century
In 1509 Alan MacRuari was tried convicted and executed in the presence of the King at Blair Atholl but for what crime is not known.
Alan's eldest son Ranald Bane married a daughter of the Lord Fraser of Lovat. He obtained a charter for the lands of Moidart Arisaig in December 14th 1540. He died soon afterwards in 1451. He had had one son called Ranald Galda who was fosterd by his mother's relations in the Clan Fraser of Lovat.
On the death of ranald Bane the fith chief of Clan Ranald the clan resolved to defeat his son's right to succeed as chief. This was because his mothers relations in the Clan Fraser of Lovat and the Clan Fraser itself had joind the Earl of Huntly who was chief of Clan Gordon in fighting against the Clan Donald or MacDonald.
The Clan Ranald people themselves had chose the next heir called John Moydartach or John Moydart. He was Ranald's cousin. However before this plan could be executed Ranald assisted by the Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser of Lovat marched into Catletirrim and placed Ranald in possession of the lands.
The Clan Ranald assisted by the MacDonalds of Keppoch and the Clan Cameron then laid waste and plunderd the districts of Abertarf and Stratherrick belonging to Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser of Lovat. They then laid waste the lands of Urquhart and Glenmoriston which was property of the Clan Grant and the Earl of Huntly of Clan Gordon.
The MacDonalds of Clan Ranald and MacDonalds of Keppoch and the Clan Cameron then raised a substantial force in what became known as the Battle of the Shirts against the Clan Fraser and Clan Fraser of Lovat. 300 Frasers were ambushed on their march home by 500 MacDonalds. Only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds are said to have survived the bloody engagement. Both the Lovat Chief, Lord Lovat and his son and heir were amongst the dead and were buried at Beauly Priory. Despite this, the Frasers were stronger than ever before within a hundred years.
[edit] 17th Century & The Civil War
During the Civil War the MacDonalds of Clan Ranald supported the Royalist cause and distinguished themselves when they served under James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose.
The MacDonalds of Clan Ranald were led by their chief who was just 14 years of age led 500 men of the clan at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689.
[edit] 18th Century & Jacobite Uprisings
The MacDonalds always supported the House of Stewart and the Jacobite cause. The MacDonalds of Clan Ranald fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in during the initial early risings of 1715.
In the later Jacobite uprisings of 1745 to 1746 the MacDonalds of Clan Ranald were amongst the Macdonalds who fought on the honoured right wing at the Battle of Prestonpans and the Battle of Falkirk (1746). However at the Battle of Culloden the three Macdonald regiments of Clan Ranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, and the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch formed the left wing. It was probably their feeling of dissatisfaction at being placed on the left of the line that caused the Macdonald regiments to leave the field in disgust at lack of acknowledgement of their honourable position among the highland clans.
[edit] Castle
The seat of the Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald chief was at Castle Tioram. Castle Tioram was seized by Government forces around 1692 when Clan Chief Allan of Clanranald joined the Jacobite Court in France, despite having sworn allegiance to the British Crown. A small garrison was stationed in the Castle until the Jacobite Uprising of 1715 when Allan Macdonald recaptured and torched the castle, purportedly to keep it out of the hands of the government forces. It has been unoccupied since that time, although there are some accounts suggesting it was partially inhabitated thereafter including storage of firearms from the De Tuillay in the 1745 Jacobite Uprising and Lady Grange's account of her kidnapping.
[edit] Clan Chief
The current chief of the Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald Ranald Alexander Macdonald of Clanranald, 24th Captain and Chief of Clanranald.
[edit] Septs of Clan Ranald
- Septs of Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald include the following. Other branches of Clan Macdonald have different septs.
Allan, Allanson, Currie, MacAllan, McBride, MacBurie, MacEachin, MacGeachie, MacGeachin, MacIsaac, MacKeachan, Mackechnie, MacKeochan, MacKessack, MacKessock, MacKichan, MacKissock, MacMurrich, MacVarish, MacVurrich, MacVurie.
[edit] See also
- Clan Donald the main MacDonald Clan.
- Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry.
- Scottish clan
