Loading
Loading

Clan MacKenzie

I SHINE, NOT BURN


Clan MacKenzie are a Highland clan, traditionally associated with Ross-shire and the surrounding areas. The clan dates back to the mid-15th century, and became known as a considerable force in the Highlands after refusing to raise an army on the command of the Earl of Huntly - and defeating the Earl's armies when they subsequently attacked.

One of the most famous castles in Scotland, Eilean Donan in the western Highlands, is a former MacKenzie seat.

The MacKenzie clan motto is "Luceo non uro" (I shine not burn) and the clan crest is a mountain in flames.

Scottish History

of Clan MacKenzie


Sons of Kenneth

The true origins of the Clan Mackenzie are not easy to find. It seems probable, however, that they sprang from an ancient Celtic family native to Scotland which had, well before the 12th century, controlled Wester Ross.

The Mackenzies of Kintail had possession of the great castle of Eilean Donan at the entrance to Loch Duich which for centuries was to be their chief stronghold. They held the land from the more senior branch of their family, the Earls of Ross, and when the Earldom passed into the hands of the Lord of the Isles the Mackenzies held Kintail for them.

Not until 1463 is there firm evidence of a direct grant of Kintail to the Mackenzies from the Crown.

The name Mackenzie means son of Kenneth, the Kenneth from whom they took their names having lived in the second half of the 13th century. He was the governor of Eilean Donan and lord of the other families who lived in Kintail under his sway. He was a powerful Lord and this fact appears to have strained his relationship with his relative William, Earl of Ross. This William was attempting to increase his influence over the Western Isles and so he wished to have greater personal control over such an important stronghold as Eilean Donan and Kenneth’s presence there allowed William to try to take possession of the castle but Kenneth, supported by those people on the lands who looked to him as their lord, defended himself and refused to give up his home. Earl William, having been refused custody of the castle, sent a force of men to capture both it and Kenneth. There was a battle when Willaim’s men assaulted the castle. Kenneth and his men defeated the attack and slaughtered the enemy. Another assault was planned but the Earl died before it could be carried out and his son who succeeded him became more involved with national affairs following the death of King Alexander III to bother about Eilean Donan.

This defeat of the Earl of Ross was important to Kenneth. It emphasised his personal standing as an independent chief with a notable following and it increased his power in the lands of Kintail. Kenneth died in 1304 and his son who succeeded him styled himself John McInnes and he was followed in this by succeeding generations who eventually adopted the style as a surname. As time went on, others in the land adopted the name too. Under the chief’s protection and rule, they called themselves the children of Kenneth.

Wars of Independence

Kenneth’s son John lived in the troubled times of the Wars of Independence after Alexander the Third died in 1286. There was a crisis in the succession to the throne of Scotland and the outcome was a war with England. In 1296 Edward the First, the Hammer of the Scots, invaded Scotland and opposed the King John Balliol, then established a government of occupation but many of the Scots were not prepared to submit to this form of regime and war raged on for many years.

Not until 1306 did Scotland find another King. In that year Robert the Bruce had himself crowned King at Scone and rebelled against the English administration. But by no means all of the Scots supported him in the course of the complicated political struggle which preceded his coronation. Bruce had killed his great rival, John the Red Comyn, and so started a blood feud between their two families. The Comyns, an immensely powerful family, would not support Bruce’s bid for the throne and so he had to fight them as well as the English before he came to power. At first he fared badly. He was defeated almost immediately after his coronation at the battle of Methven and had to flee for safety to the Western Isles where he lay in hiding for some months. The two major powers in that part of Scotland were the Earl of Ross and Alexander of Argyll and both of them supported the Comyn side. The Earl of Ross was John Mackenzie’s superior and Alexander of Argyll was his father-in-law but despite the pressure of these two influential men Mackenzie took the other side and, when Bruce sought shelter in early 1307, he was given it at Eilean Donan Castle. In later battles the Mackenzies fiercely took the part of Bruce in spite of the dangerous opposition of their powerful neighbours. Mackenzie, of course, was rewarded for his support and when Bruce won his cause the clan began to enjoy more favour and prosperity.

First they were able to assert even more strongly their independence from the greater families such as the Earls of Ross to whom they had been subject. This caused much jealousy and rivalry which took the form of long, lasting and bitter feuds, particularly with the MacDonald Lord of the Isles. Later in the wars, Bruce found more support in the West Highlands and the Isles and at the Battle of Bannockburn, that great clash which finally secured Scotland’s freedom, several thousand of Bruce’s men from the West were led by Mackenzie from Kintail. His support for Bruce was the first example of service to the Scottish Crown over many generations and was to make his family influential in the north, although at times unpopular.

The struggle for power and status was not over, though. In the time of John’s successor, Kenneth of the Noose, the Earls of Ross took advantage of some weaknesses of the Mackenzies and try to reassert their old authority. The Highlands at this time were particularly lawless and raiding and feuding proved stronger than the law. On one occasion the Earl’s men raided Mackenzie land at Kinlochewe and while they carried off their booty Mackenzie and his men gave chase. They captured much of the loot and killed a good number of the raiders. This of course displeased the Earl of Ross who had Kenneth captured and later executed at Inverness. The lands of Kintail were given over to a supporter of Ross’s who failed, however, to capture Eilean Donan or Kenneth’s son, Murdoch Dhu who was only a child when his father died. He turned the Earls out of his land and claimed his heritage and for the rest of his time concentrated on rebuilding his family’s position.

Read more

Family History Mini Book


We hope you enjoyed reading this excerpt from this mini book on the Scottish history of the MacKenzie family.

You can buy the full book for only
$5.08

125 Clan MacKenzie

Tartan Products

The Crests

of Clan MacKenzie

Clan MacKenzie
Clan MacKenzie (MacKenzie-Shaw)
Clan MacKenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan MacKenzie

68 Clan MacKenzie

Crest Products

Divisions

of MacKenzie

Charles
Clunies
Cromarty
Kenneth
MacKenna
MacKenzie (Seaforth)
Smart

Spellings

of MacKenzie

MacCenzie
MacEinzie
MacEnzie
MacKainzie
MacKanze
MacKeanzie
MacKeinezie
MacKeinzie
MacKenezie
MacKenyee
MacKenyie
MacKenzy
MacKinyie
MacKinze
MacKinzie
MacQuhenzie
MacQuhinze
MacQuhynze
Makcainze
Makcanze
Makeinzie
Makenze
Makkanze
Makkenze
Makkinze
Makquhinze
Makquhynze
Mkenzi
MacHinzie
Makeinny
Makkennych
Makkeny
Makkenych
Makkynnay

191 Clan MacKenzie

Products