Clan MacLeod of Lewis
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The Clan MacLeod of Lewis is a Highland Scottish clan which is a branch of the main Clan MacLeod of Skye.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins of the Clan
The Clan MacLeod claims its descent from Leod, a younger son of Olaf the Black, one of the last Norse kings of Man. Leod married a daughter of the Norse steward of Skye, which brought the family to Dunvegan. From there, the clan divided into two main branches, the Clan MacLeod of Skye, and the Clan MacLeod of Lewis, the "Siol Torquil". The progenitor of the MacLeods of Lewis branch was Torquil, a son of Leod.
[edit] 14th Century
In the fourteenth century King David II of Scotland granted a charter to Torquil MacLeod for the barony of Assynt in Sutherland. This estate and other acquisitions of land gave the Siol Torquil the power to rival their cousins the Siol Tormod Clan MacLeod]] in importance. On these grounds the chieftenship of the whole Clan MacLeod was always disputed. The Lewis Macleods held that island as vassals of the Macdoanlds of Isla from 1344, and soon came to rival the MacLeods of Skye also known as of Harris branch of the Macleods in power and extent of territory, and even to dispute the chiefship with them. Their armorial bearings, however, were different, the family of Harris having a castle, while that of Lewis had a burning mount. The possessions of the Siol Torquil were very extensive, comprehending the isles of Lewis and Rasay, the district of Waterness in Skye, and those of Assynt, Cogeach, and Gairloch, on the mainland.
[edit] 15th Century & Clan Conflicts
The MacLeods of Lewis were an ambitious branch of the Clan MacLeod. They assisted Donald Dubh MacDonald in his rebellion to obtain the Lordship of the Isles. When his attempts failed , the MacLeod's estates were forfeited and were not restored for five years.
The Battle of Tuiteam-Tarbhach 1406. This battle was fought at Tuiteam-tarbhach in the south west part of Sutherland where it meets Ross-shire. Angus MacKay of Strathnaver married the sister of MacLeod of Lewis by whom he had two sons; Angus Dow MacKay and Rory Gald MacKay. When Angus died, he left the governing of his estate to his brother Uistean Dow MacKay. MacLeod of Lewis decided to visit his sister where he found that she was not well. As he was not happy about this, on his way home he decided to spoil Strathnaver and Brae-Chat in Sutherland. Robert Earl of Sutherland sent Alexander Murray and Uistean Dow MacKay to attack the MacLeods. The fight was long and furious. In the end the booty was recovered and nearly all the MacLeods were killed including the chief of the Clan MacLeod of Lewis.
Alastair Matheson, Chief of the Clan Matheson died in 1427. He left a widow with two sons, and his widow presently married again, her second husband being a son of the chief of the Clan MacLeod of Lewis. This individual took advantage of the youth of his stepsons to endeavour to establish himself in possession of their property, and at last, finding themselves probably in actual danger, the young Mathesons fled from Lochalsh. While the younger went to Caithness, John, the elder of the two, went to his mother’s father, the chief of the Clan MacKintosh. He did not, however, give up the hope of recovering his property, and by having arrived at years of manhood, he obtained from his grandfather a force of men from the Clan MacKintosh for his purpose, and set out to surprise the MacLeods. It was night when the party arrived at Lochalsh, and having observed the utmost precautions of secrecy, young Matheson succeeded in his purpose. Making a sudden assault, he set the castle on fire, and as the garrison was forced to come out they were slain or captured by the Mackintoshes. Anxious to save his mother’s life, Matheson took up a position at the gate, and when she appeared, she was, by his orders, safely passed through the lines of the Mackintoshes. In the midst of the tumult, however, and flashings of the torches, it was not perceived that she was walking in an unusual way. She was wearing an arisaid, or wide plaited garment with heavy folds doubled around the hips. Under this she had managed to conceal her husband, and in a few moments the latter was beyond the light of the torches and able to escape in the darkness.
The Matheson chief then took possession of his property, but he was not allowed to enjoy it long in peace. MacLeod, hastening to the Lewis, raised a considerable force, with which he returned and deliberately invaded the Matheson country. In the encounter which took place he was finally forced to retreat, and as he fell back upon his birlinns or galleys, his force suffered severely from the flights of arrows poured into it by a company of Matheson bowmen under a certain Ian Ciar MacMurghai Mhic-Thomais. From this incident the battle is remembered as Blar-na-saigheadear. However MacLeod was not yet completely discouraged. Once more he gathered his men on the Lews, and once more came back. But in this second attempt MacLeod was defeated and slain, and the MacLeods troubled the Mathesons no more.
[edit] 16th Century & Clan Conflicts
During the sixteenth century the Siol Torquil, MacLeods of Lewis were involved in a succesion of feuds with neighbouring clans and with members of their own clan.
The Clan Morrison tried to live at peace with their more aggressive neighbours. The Clan MacAulay of Uig killed Donald Ban Morrison, the brother of John Morrison the Brehon, at Habost. When the Morrisons retaliated by raiding Uig, the MacAulays appealed to their allies, the Clan MacLeod of Lewis. The MacLeods were victorious and the Morrisons were soundly defeated at the Caws of Tarbert, whereupon a strong force of MacAulays and MacLeods invaded the Morrison lands. The Morrison chief was captured and imprisoned at Rodil. He managed to escape, but the MacLeods used their influence with the king to have him declared an outlaw. As every man’s hand was now turned against him, Morrison resorted to desperate measures and kidnapped one of the Macleod heiresses. He agreed to surrender her in exchange for a royal pardon.
The girl was apparently released, none the worse for her ordeal. The feud was carried on by the next chief Uisdean, or Hucheon Morrison, who invaded north Harris. Once again, the Clan MacLeod of Lewis intervened, and Iain Mor MacLeod engaged the Morrisons at Clachan on Taransay. It is said that Hucheon was the only Morrison to survive the battle, swimming over two miles to the mainland despite serious wounds.
[edit] 17th Century
In the early seventeenth century the main line of the Lewis MacLeods became extinct and the chieftenship passed to the MacLeods of Rassay branch. Later the Lewis MacLeod clansmen were forced to accept the ascendancy of their cousins at Dunvegan and the two MacLeod clans became one.
As a result the Barony of Lewis fell into the hands of the chief of the Clan MacKenzie. The last chief of the MacLeods of Lewis had married a daughter of the MacKenzie chief. The MacKenzie chief thereby claimed the barony of Lewis as his own and to this day the MacKenzie chief's seat is at Castle Leod which was once the MacLeod of Lewis's seat.
However the MacLeods of Lewis clansmen prosperd under the chieftenship of the Clan MacLeod of Skye chief who led them and the other MacLeods at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
[edit] Clan Chief
The current Chief of the Clan MacLeod of Lewis is Torquil MacLeod of the Lewes
[edit] Clan Profile
- Gaelic Name: MacLeòid
- Motto: Luceo non uro (I shine not burn)
- Badge: Red whortleberry
- Lands: Lewis
- Origin of Name: Gaelic MacLeòid (Son of Leod, from Norse ljot, ugly)
[edit] See Also
- Clan MacLeod of Skye and Harris.
- Scottish clan
- Armigerous clan
