Aonghas Mór

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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]

Life

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]

Family

MacDonald, MacDougall, and MacRuari territory, c.1266.

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:

  • Alexander Óg
  • Aonghas Óg
  • unknown daughter who married Brian Ó Néill, King of Tír Eógain.[8]

He also allegedly fathered Iain Sprangach mac Dhòmhnaill, who the MacIains of Ardnamurchan claim descent from.

Praise poem

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]

Styles

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]

  • Latin: Engus de Yle filius Domnaldi (on his seal)
    • "Aonghas of Islay, son of Domhnall"
  • French: Angus fitz Dovenald des Isles' (royal document)
    • "Aonghas son of Domhnall of the Isles

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 207.
  2. ↑ Text and translation, Wilson & Bateman, Duanaire Na Sracaire, p. 83.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Munro & Munro, Acts, p. 280.
  4. ↑ Woolf, "Age of the Sea-Kings'", p. 108.
  5. ↑ Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 205; Woolf, "Age of the Sea-Kings'", p. 108
  6. ↑ Foedera, p 228
  7. ↑ Munro & Munro, Acts, pp. 280–1.
  8. ↑ Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 194.
  9. ↑ See McLeod & Bateman, Duanaire na Sracaire, pp. 81–91; it is suggested that the author may have been Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe.
  10. ↑ McLeod & Bateman, Duanaire na Sracaire, p. 85.

References

  • McLeod, Wilson, & Bateman, Meg (eds.), Duanaire na Sracaire: The Songbook of the Pillagers: Anthology of Scotland's Gaelic Poetry to 1600, (Edinburgh, 2007)
  • Munro, Jean, & Munro, R. W. (eds.), Acts of the Lords of the Isles, 1336–1493, (Scottish History Society, Edinburgh, 1986)
  • Rymer, Thomas,Foedera Conventiones, Literae et cuiuscunque generis Acta Publica inter Reges Angliae. London. 1745. (Latin)
  • Sellar, W. D. H., "Hebridean Sea-Kings: The Successors of Somerled, 1164–1316", in Edward J. Cowan & R. Andrew McDonald (eds.), Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era, (Edinburgh, 2000), pp. 187–218
  • Woolf, Alex, "Age of Sea-Kings: 900–1300", in Donald Omand (ed.), The Argyll Book, (Edinburgh, 2004), pp. 94–109
Preceded by
Domhnall mac Raghnaill		 Lord of Islay
1241 x 1255–1293 x 1294 		Succeeded by
Alexander Óg
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