CLAN MACLEOD OF LEWIS

'Clan MacLeod of Lewis', sometimes referred to as 'Siol Torquil', is a Highland Scottish clan long associated with the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Clan MacLeod of Lewis is a branch of Clan MacLeod.

Contents

History

Origins of the clan

14th century

15th century and clan conflicts

16th century and clan conflicts

17th century

Clan profile

Septs of MacLeod of Lewis

Notes

References

See also

External links

History

Origins of the clan

The surname MacLeod (Scottish Gaelic: MacLeòid) means ''son of Leod''. The name Leod is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic name Leòd, which is thought to have been derived from the Old Norse name Ljótr, meaning ''ugly''.^[1] The Clan MacLeod of Lewis claims its descent from Leod, whom according to MacLeod tradition was a younger son of Olaf the Black, King of Mann (r.1229–1237).
MacLeod tradition is that Leod who had possession of Harris and part of Skye, married a daughter of the Norse seneschal of Skye, MacArailt or Harold's son. who held Dunvegan and much of Skye. Leod's two sons, Tormod and Torquil, founded the two main branches of the Clan MacLeod, ''Siol Tormod'' and ''Siol Torquil''. Torquil's descendants held the lands of the Isle of Lewis until the early seventeenth century when the MacKenzies successfully overthrew the Lewismen, in part with the aid of the Morrisons, and MacLeods of Harris. Younger branches of Siol Torquil held the mainland lands of Assynt and Cadboll longer, and the Isle of Raasay until 1846.^[2]
A DNA project studying the Y-DNA of males bearing surnames associated with Clan MacLeod found that the vast majority of the men tested had a Haplogroup of R1b, which is the most common Haplogroup in the British Isles and considered to be "Celtic". A total of 32 percent of all men tested, who were also in this R1b Haplogroup, also shared the same Haplotype and showed this group shared a common ancestor. According to the study, this 32 percent of MacLeods tested had a common ancestor about 1000 years ago, thus this Haplotype is considered to show the founding lineage of the Clan MacLeod. While the study could not prove a "Viking" origin of the clan, the study claimed the DNA of this group showed that the clan was founded by a man who could have originated in Scotland or the Isle of Man.^[3]

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 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 Macdonalds 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.

15th century and 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.
1406, The Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach was fought between the Clan MacKay and the Clan MacLeod of Lewis. 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. MacLeod of Lewis found that his sister had been mis-treated and on his way home he decides to spoil Strathnaver and Brae-Chat in Sutherland. As a result the battle was fought in which MacLeod was killed.^[4]
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.

16th century and clan conflicts

During the sixteenth century the Siol Torquil, MacLeods of Lewis were involved in a succession 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.

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 prospered under the chieftenship of the Clan MacLeod of Skye chief who led them and the other MacLeods at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

Clan profile

MacLeod tartan, as first published in 1842, in the ''Vestiarium Scoticum''.^[5]

★ Gaelic Name: MacLeòid

★ Motto: I birn quil I se. (Latin: Luceo non uro).^[6] (''I burn while I see'').^[7]

★ Badge: Red whortleberry

★ Lands: Lewis

★ Origin of Name: Gaelic MacLeòid (Son of Leod, from Norse ljot, ugly)

★ Chief: Torquil MacLeod of the Lewes.

Septs of MacLeod of Lewis

Septs are clans or families who were under the protection of a more powerful clan or family. Scottish clans were largely collections of different families who held allegiance to a common chief.

★ Allum {Callam, Callum, Challum, Gillecallum, MacAllum, MacAlman, MacCallum, MacCalman, MacGillechallum, Malcolm, Malcolmson}.^[8]

★ Lewis (MacLewis).

★ MacAskill (Askey, Caskey, Caskie, Kasky, MacAsgill, MacCaskie, MacCaskill, MacKaskill, Mackaskill, MaKasky, Taskill).

★ MacAulay (Aulay, Calley, Caulay, Coll, MacAllay, MacAlley, MacAuley, MacCaulay, MacCauley, MacCorley).

★ MacCabe.

★ MacCorkill (Corquodale, MacCorcadail, Maccorke, MacCorkill, MacCorkindale, MacCorkle, MacCorkle, MacCorquodale, MacKerkyll, MacKorkyll, MacOrkill, MacThorcadail, McCorkie, McKurkull).

★ Nicol (deNicole, MacNichol, MacNickle, McNychol, Necolson, Nichol(s), Nicholl, Nicholson, Nickle, Nicoll, Nicollsoun, Nicolson, Nuccol, Nuckall, Nucolsone).

★ Norie (Noray, Nore, Norn, Norrey, Norreys, Norrie, Norris, Norye).

★ Tolmie.

Notes

1. ''A Dictionary of English Surnames'', p.292.
2. ''The Highland Clans'', p.171-174.
3. http://www.macleodgenealogy.org/Research/Genetics%20Clan%20MacLeod.html Retrieved on August 13 2007
4. History of the House and Clan of MacKay by Robert Makay (1829). p.49 - 50
5. ''Scotland's Forged Tartans'', p.33-34.
6. http://www.clan-macleod-scotland.org.uk/crests.php Retrieved on August 06 2007
7. http://www.clanmacleod.org/about-macleods/arms-and-tartans.php Retrieved on August 06 2007
8. http://www.clanmacleod.org/about-macleods/macleod-septs.php Retrieved on May 2, 2007

References

★ Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Sir Ian. ''The Highland Clans''. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-517-546580.

★ Reaney, Percy H. ''A Dictionary of English Surnames''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 0192806637.

★ Stewart, Donald C. & Thompson, J Charles. & Scarlett James (editor). ''Scotland's Forged Tartans, An analytical study of the Vestiarium Scoticum''. Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1980. ISBN 0-894595-67-7.

See also

★ Clan MacLeod

★ Scottish clan

External links

★ Official Clan MacLeod website

★ http://www.scotclans.com/clans/MacLeod%20of%20Lewis/history.html

★ http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/m/macleod2.html

★ http://www.myclan.com/clans/MacLeod_89/