re: MacDonald of The Isles

Sunday, 21 May, 2006

Dear Leo,

I have seen the Elizabeth m. Angus MacKay link, but am not aware
of any documentation supporting same.

leovdpas...

Dear John,

Sources can be sensitive, especially for me as I have to rely on secondary
ones.

The Dutch book referred to is "Geschiedenis van het geslacht Mackay" by
Daniel, Baron Mackay. (History of the family Mackay). It was published by
"Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor geslacht- en wapenkunde" in 1984.

_If only_ it had also been translated. The sources require eight pages and
starts with an introduction telling that the manuscripts used for this book
mainly can be found in the family's archive "the Reay Papers" which are kept
in "Her Majesty's Register House in Edinburgh".

Amongst the manuscripts (they are given in detail) I will try to translate
the description as well as I can:
A manuscript of Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles for Angus of Strathnaver
en his eldest son Neil (son of Donald's sister Elizabeth) in regards a
donation of land near Strathallandale and Ferancostgrayg. Witnesses Lauchlan
Makgillan and Roderick Macleod 'cum diversis aliis'.
Dated : 'Apud insulam Arcage, 8 October 1415
Certified copy from 'Acta Dominorum Concilii (lords of Council) dated 15
February 1506, book 18, volume II, fol.200

I would guess this would be acceptable as a primary source.

Hope someone has access to the original.
With best wishes
Leo van de Pas
Canberra, Australia

The daughter Mary (m. to Lachlan MacLean) is well supported.
They were married before 3 Id. May [13 May] 1367, as stated by
mandate of Pope Urban V dated at Marseilles:

' To the bishop of Sodor. Mandate, if the facts are as stated,
to absolve Lochlan (Lacolannus) Johannis, called 'Maguilleon'
(Maclean), donsel, and Mary de Insulis, daughter of John, lord of
the Isles, from the excommunication which they have incurred by
intermarrying without banns, and to grant them a dispensation to
remain in the marriage so contracted, declaring their past and
future offspring legitimate. ' [Bliss and Tremlow, eds. Calendar of
Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and
Ireland, Papal Letters (A.D. 1362-1404), IV:63].

The record of this dispensation for the marriage, as
given by Andrew Stuart:
' Dispen. Lotolamio filio Joannis dicti Magrilleon
Domicello Sodoren. et Mariae de Insulis filiae Joannis,...1366.'
[Andrew Stuart, Genealogical History of the Stuarts, p. 447].

There is the ongoing issue of Agnes 'de Insulis', wife of Sir
John Montgomery (d. ca. 1428). Andrew MacEwen is of a different
opinion, but I have become somewhat re-inclined to attribute this
Agnes as a younger daughter of John, Lord of the Isles by his
2nd wife Margaret Stewart. This is shown in Munro, Acts of the
Lords of the Isles, p. 298 (Appendix D), but there are certainly
flaws in the genealogy of the MacDonalds presented there. I will
present what evidence I see as supporting same, if requested:
however, it remains circumstantial, and I would like to find
something definitive (if such evidence exists) before posting
re: same.

Cheers,

John

John Lord of the Isles "Eoin of Isla" married and divorced Amy, daughter of
Roderick MacRuari, they had at least three sons. Then John marries 14 June 1350
Margaret daughter of Robert II, King of Scots and they have five more sons (I
saw six actually) but what about daughters?

Sir Iain Moncreiffe in his "The Highland Clans" gives John and Margaret a
daughter Mary, married to Lachlan Maclean

In a book produced in the Netherlands by the Mackay family is shown that John
and Margaret also had a daughter Elizabeth who married Angus Du Mackay of
Strathnaver.
Burke's Peerage, 1999, page 2378 calls this Elizabeth "sister of Donald Lord
of The Isles" as is also indicated in this Dutch book.

Can these daughters be confirmed? Were there more?

With many thanks.
Leo van de Pas
Canberra, Australia