| Aonghas Mór a Íle ("Angus Mór of Islay") |
|
|---|---|
| Died | 1294 x1295 |
| Other names | "Angus de Hyle" "Angus Mor MacDonald" |
| Title | Lord of Islay |
| Successor | Alexander Óg |
| Children | Several, including Alexander Óg & Aonghas Óg |
Aonghas Mór (Anglicized: "Angus the Elder" or "Great"), also known as Aonghas a Íle ("Angus of Islay") and Aonghas mac Domhnaill (Modern: Aonghas MacDhòmhnaill; Anglicized: "Angus MacDonald" or "Angus, Donald's son"), was the son of Domhnall mac Raghnaill, eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald.
Aonghas Mór has been called "the first MacDonald" by one historian,[1] namely because he was the first of the dynasty created by his father to rule Islay. Islay was the centre of the lordship of both Aonghas and his father; and according to a contemporary praise-poem, the realm Aonghas inherited from Domhnall included "every house from Mull to Kintyre" (gach teach ò Mhuile go Maoil).[2]
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According to later Gaelic tradition, he was fostered by Dubh-Sidhe, alleged progenitor of the "MacDuffie" (now MacDhubhaich) kindred of Colonsay, undoubtedly a tradition that served to connect the two kindreds at the time it was developed.[1] He appears granting a charter to Paisley Abbey which can be dated between 1241 and 1249.[3] The first extant reference to Aonghas as "Lord of Islay" dates to 1256.[4] In 1263, during the war between Haakon IV of Norway and Alexander III of Scotland, the Norwegians invaded Aonghas' territory and forced him to join them.[5] Aonghas switched back to the Scottish side in the following year, sending his son Alexander Óg as a hostage to the king.[3] Much of the remainer of his life is mysterious. He was one of the magnates who in 1284 recognised the right of Alexander III's granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway, to succeed to the throne;[6] he appears in documents as late as July 1292.[3] He died on Islay in either 1294 or 1295, and was buried in Iona.[7]
His (last) wife is said to have been a daughter of Cailean Mór, the chief of Clan Campbell at the time and they had the following:
He also allegedly fathered Iain Sprangach mac Dhòmhnaill, who the MacIains of Ardnamurchan claim descent from.
Aonghas was the subject of notable praise-poem called Ceannaigh duain t'athar, a Aonghas ("Pay For Your Father's Poem, Aonghas"), written for him by an Irish poet soon after acceding to his father Domhnall's lordship.[9] The poem is at face value a request that Aonghas fulfill his father's debt to the poet; it styles him, among other things, Aonghas Íle (Angus of Islay) and rí Leodhais ("King of Lewis").[10]
As well as knowing his style of Dominus de Hyle, we have his name written styled in several documents. For example, here are two ways he wrote his name in the two important languages other than his own one:[3]
| Preceded by Domhnall mac Raghnaill |
Lord of Islay 1241 x 1255-1293 x 1294 |
Succeeded by Alexander Óg |