Hector Mor Maclean, 12th Chief

Eachuinn Mór Maclean (?-1568) or Hector Mor Maclean, was the 12th Chief of Maclean. Mór or Mor translates as great when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic.[1]

Biography

Lachlan Cattanach Maclean was succeeded as chieftain and Lord of Duart by his son Eachann, better known as Hector Mor Maclean, or Hector the Great, in 1527. He is described by the seanachaidhs as being good, kind, affectionate, and brave, an accomplished politician and an approved warrior; and that in him the clan realized all it desired in a noble chieftain. To most of his vassals he granted extended leases, by way of encouragement in the improvement of lands and the building of more comfortable dwellings. He lived altogether, while permitted to do so by his troublesome neighbors with which he was surrounded, more like a noble of modern times than a feudal baron. He made many improvements on the demesne of Duard; and was the founder of that noble addition to Duard Castle called the Great Tower. His alliance was courted by many of the powerful lords; and the king thought it of importance to secure his loyalty by calling him into his council. Hence, we find him taking his seat in parliament as one of the lords of the kingdom. In private life his character was above reproach, and in his warlike pursuits he acted upon that system which had legal sanction.[2]

Eachuinn Mor Maclean married Mary MacDonald of Islay and the Glens, daughter of Alexander MacDonald, 5th of Dunnyveg, by whom he had two sons and seven daughters:[2]

Hector Mor died about the year 1568.[2]

References

 This article incorporates text from A history of the clan Mac Lean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period: including a genealogical account of some of the principal families together with their heraldry, legends, superstitions, etc, by John Patterson MacLean, a publication from 1889 now in the public domain in the United States.

  1. ^ "Mór". MacBain's Dictionary. http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/mb27.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17. "great, Irish mór, Old Irish mór, már, Welsh mawr, Old Welsh, Cornish maur, Breton meur, Gaulish -mârós; Greek @G-mwros, great, famed ( @Ge@'ghesí-mwros) in spear-throw; Gothic -mêrs, famed, mêrian, proclaim, Old High German mâri, famed, -mar in Germanic names German märchen, a tale, Norse m@oerr, famous; Slavonic -meru (Vladimir, etc.); Latin merus, English mere. A shorter form of the stem (*mâro-) appears in mò, greater (mâ), q.v." 
  2. ^ a b c MacLean, John Patterson (1889). A History of the Clan MacLean from Its First Settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the Present Period: Including a Genealogical Account of Some of the Principal Families Together with Their Heraldry, Legends, Superstitions, Etc.. R. Clarke & Company. http://books.google.com/books?id=tQs2AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA224&dq=%22Laird+of+Brolas%22&ei=b4ikSaD5JJHIM5uWrb8B. "Hector Mor married Mary, daughter of Alexander MacDonald of Islay and the Glens, by whom he had two sons and seven daughters : Eachann Og, his heir and successor, and John Dubh, predecessor of the family of Kinlochaline ; Marian, married to Norman MacLeod of Harris; Mary, to Donald MacDonald of Sleat; Catherine, died unmarried; the second Catherine, first to Archibald Campbell, fourth Earl of Argyle, and secondly to John Stewart of Appin — Catherine was a high-spirited woman, and was distinguished for her beauty and culture; Julian, married first to Calvagh O'Donnell of Tirconnell, and secondly to the great O'Neill, in Ireland; Una, to Cameron of Lochiel; and Janet, to MacDonald of Keppoch. Hector M6r died about the year 1568." 
Titles
Chiefs
Gillean of the Battle Axe (fl. 1250's) 1st Chief circa 1250's  · Malise mac Gilleain (?–1300) 2nd Chief circa 1260 to 1300  · Malcolm Maclean, 3rd Clan Chief (fl. 1310's) 3rd Chief 1300 to circa 1350's  · John Dubh Maclean, 4th Clan Chief (fl. 1350's) 4th Chief flourished in the1350's  · Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart (c.1350–c.1405) 5th Chief flourished 1390's  · Red Hector of the Battles Maclean (c.1368–1411) 6th Chief from circa 1405 to 1411 · Lachlan Bronneach Maclean (fl. 1470's) 7th Chief flourished 1470's  · Lachlan Og Maclean (c.1432–1484) 8th Chief flourished 1480's  · Hector Odhar Maclean (?–1513) 9th Chief flourished in the 1490's  · Lachlan Maclean, 10th Clan Chief (fl. 1510's) 10th Chief flourished 1510's  · Lachlan Cattanach Maclean (c.1465–1523) 11th Chief (1515–1523)  · Hector Mor Maclean, 12th Clan Chief (c1500–1568) 12th Chief flourished 1530's  · Hector Og Maclean, 13th Clan Chief (fl. 1540's) · Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean (1558–1598) 14th Chief unknown to 1598  · Hector Og Maclean, 15th Clan Chief (c.1575–1623) 15th Chief from 1598 to 1623 · Hector Mor Maclean, 16th Clan Chief (c.1600–1626) 16th Chief from 1623 to 1626 *  · Sir Lachlan Maclean, 1st Baronet (c.1620–1649) 17th Chief from 1626 to 1649  · Sir Hector Maclean, 2nd Baronet (?–1651) 18th Chief from 1649 to 1651 *  · Sir Allan Maclean, 3rd Baronet (1645–1674) 19th Chief from 1651 to 1674  · Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet (1670–1716) 20th Chief from 1674 to 1716  · Sir Hector Maclean, 5th Baronet (c.1700–1750) 21st Chief from 1716 to 1750 * · Sir Allan Maclean, 6th Baronet (1710–1783) 22nd Chief from 1750 to 1783 *  · Sir Hector Maclean, 7th Baronet (c.1750–1818) 23rd Chief 1783 to 1818 *  · Sir Fitzroy Jeffreys Grafton Maclean, 8th Baronet (c.1770–1847) 24th Chief from 1818 to 1847  · Sir Charles Fitzroy Maclean, 9th Baronet (1798–1883) 25th Chief from 1847 to 1883  · Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, 10th Baronet (1835–1936) 26th Chief from 1883 to 1936 * · Sir Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean, 11th Baronet (1916–1990) 27th Chief from 1936 to 1990  · Sir Lachlan Hector Charles Maclean, 12th Baronet (1942– ) 28th Chief from 1990 to the present
*denotes where someone died without a son and the chiefship went to his closest living male relative