Iye Mackay (abt. 1300 - 1370)

Born about 1300 in Tongue, Sutherland, Scotland

Descendants

Died 1370 at about age 70 in Dingwall, Ross, Scotland

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Biography

Iye was born about 1300. ^[1] His father is said to have been Donald Mackay, Chief of Clan Mackay. The genealogy of the family prior to this person is unreliable and there is divergence between the two key family sources. His mother is said to have been a daughter of lye MacNeil, son of Neil of Gigha.^[2] Gigha is a small island just off the Kintyre peninsula between the mainland and Islay. It would have been held by the MacNeil to the Lord of the Isles.

Mackay and MacNeil

Angus Mackay provides that "The distance to which Donald went in search of a wife, combined with the neighbourhood in which he found her, seem to indicate that there was at this time a close connection between the Mackays of Strathnaver and those of that name on the west coast of Argyle. We have found Mackays holding land in Kintyre at this early period, and there were others in the same quarter". The Mackay didn't hold land in that region at that time and it seems that Angus Mackay missed an opportunity based on a bias toward proving heritage from families in Moray.

There was, certainly by 1320, Mackays living in and around Mull and Kintyre and, evidence suggests that they formed part of the force at Bannockburn in 1314 under the Lord of the Isles and Bruce's reserve. They owned (?), lived close to the lands of MacNeil and it clearly illustrates a relationship between the two families. The name itself, Mackay, is derived from MacAoidh, son of Iye, a name popular amongst the MacNeil.

It demonstrates that there was a relationship between the MacNeil of Barra and the Mackay of Strathnaver just when the Mackay are starting to appear on the record of Strathnaver and Sutherland. This relationship becomes pronounced when, in 1430, Neil Neilson obtained from King James I., 20 Mar 1430, a charter of the lands of Creich, Gerloch, Daane, Moyzeblary, Croinzneorth, Tutumtarwauch, Langort and Amayde, in the Earldoms of Ross and Sutherland, escheated from his deceased brother, Thomas.^[3] In this Charter he is called Nigello Nelesoun. He will lead a coup, on the basis of title to the lands, against Clan Mackay which leads to the Battle of Drumnacoub where he, and his brother, are killed and his claims defeated. The justification for this war was a claim to the title and lands of, what we would now recognise as, Clan Mackay. This claim, not explored in any source material noticed, was on the basis of birth right. It seems possible that the relationship between the MacNeil and the Mackay may be closer than previously believed and is one that could be explored further.

It may be that the Mackay of Strathnaver came from the Mackay of Kintyre and thus from Ireland, rather than from Moray.

Iye Mackay

There is little recorded regarding Iye Mackay. While Angus Mackay suggests the feud between Sutherland and Mackay started in his lifetime the evidence suggests otherwise and likely started in the lifetime of his father.

Sir Robert Gordon provides^[4] that Donald, the son of this lye, was the first who went under the name Mackay where he states he was Chief of the Clan Vic-Morgan of Strathnaver. Although this is inaccurate, they are on record in Kintyre prior, it was certainly true in Strathnaver. It can thus be argued that Iye is the first of the Strathnaver Mackay - MacAoidh, son of Iye. It is also worth noting that the record does not state that he was from Clan Vic-Morgan.

Although there is much conjecture and blame in the historical record what is clear is that the Chief of Clan Mackay, even at this date was powerful enough to not only "create a disturbance" but to keep the forces of the Earl of Sutherland, one of the most powerful families in the Kingdom, at bay.

This reaches a climax in 1342 when William, 5th Earl, complains and seeks a Papal dispensation of marriage with Margaret Bruce, against "an ancient enemy," who caused "wars, disputes, and many offences," in these parts. In the dispensation provided^[5] it provides: "It sets forth that between the said Earl and Margaret and their forefathers and friends, by the wicked procuring of an ancient enemy (hostis antiqui nequitia procurante) there have arisen wars, disputes, and many offences, on which account murders, burnings, depredations, forays, and other evils have frequently happened and cease not to happen continually, and many churches of these parts have suffered no small damages, and greater troubles are expected unless prevented by an immediate remedy." Clearly this is not an isolated case and neither did it happen in the recent past. It illustrates a protracted period, certainly beyond his lifetime, of antagonism and unrest.

Events at Dingwall 1370

Angus Mackay records^[6] that "In consequence of disputes existing at this time between the Earl of Sutherland and MacKay a meeting was agreed upon to settle the matter in dispute". He does not provide the matter in dispute but it clearly, as it arises again, related to lands and titles. Further "The meeting took place at Dingwall in Ross in 1370, at which were present the. Earl of Sutherland and his brother Nicolas, and MacKay and his son Donald, and other chieftains to act as umpires and decide in the matter submitted". In 1370 the Earl was William, 5th Earl, and his brother, Nicolas, was Lord of Duffus.

In a classic case of Sir Robert Gordon, family historian of Clan Sutherland, getting it completely wrong, he provides the date as 1395, has a Nicolas as the Earl of Sutherland "appointing" a meeting at Dingwall, outside his Earldom, to be arbitrated by the Lord of the Isles, who would have had no official interest in these matters.

In 1370 the Earldom of Ross, the principal seat of which was Dingwall, was held by William of Ross. He was at the Parliament of Scotland in February 1370 and again in October when he resigned his lands for a re-grant under which he was disadvantaged. He had no male heirs and the Earldom of Ross was about to pass to Sir Walter Leslie, who, in 1370, was in France. William of Ross had married Mary MacDonald, a daughter of Angus MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, and brother to John.

Thus it seems probable that Dingwall was chosen as a neutral ground to conduct discussions and that William, Earl of Ross, attended along with his brother in law, John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles. This could not have been arbitration as none of these could arbitrate on any matter dealing with lands relating to either Mackay or Sutherland. Although Angus Mackay suggests the Earl of Buchan, as Justiciar for the North, would have been there it seems improbable; one he wasn't Justiciar at the time and was a racketeer terrorising the north from his castle at Badenoch and two David II, who had no regard for him, had put him in prison in 1369 where he seems to have remained until 1371, when David II died and he was released by his father, Robert Stewart, now King. It is Robert II, his father that makes him "Royal Lieutenant in the North" in 1385 (about). It was Sir Alexander Lindsay, of Glenesk, that held the post at the time.^[7] However, given the strong relationship between the Mackay family and Alexander Stewart, Lord of Badenoch (same person just different time), may have been represented and in which case Sutherland would have had little opportunity to put a case forward.

Angus Mackay also makes the error of date regarding the death of David II, using a date of 22 Feb 1370, thus before the Dingwall meeting, rather than 22 Feb 1371 and after the Dingwall affair. He does mention however the partiality that David II had for John of Sutherland, being the son of his sister, Margaret. But John had died sometime prior to 1370 and was no longer an influence in the decision making process. Nevertheless there can be no doubt that the Earl of Sutherland would have felt that with the Stewart's power rising that his power would wane with that of David Bruce.

Regardless of the purpose of the meeting historical sources suggest that Nicolas Sutherland, Lord of Duffs, murdered both Iye Mackay and his son Donald, as they slept in Dingwall castle.^[8] Whilst this is possible, Highland hospitality suggests this did not occur, as it would have brought not just the wrath of the Mackay but alienated the Sutherland family from all others, particularly the Earl of Ross and the Lord of the Isles, the hosts. That they were murdered is not in dispute but it is more likely that it occurred on the return home and away from Ross.

Family

His wife is not mentioned. He is known to have had children:

• Donald Mackay, who was killed with his father at Dingwall Castle.

• Farquhar Mackay, likely born about 1335, who is said to have been a physician to King Robert II (Stewart, crowned 1371). and in favour with the King's son, the Earl of Buchan (Alexander, "wolf of Badenoch". While Angus Mackay mentions the association with "the wolf of Badenoch" in regards to Mariota, below, he strangely does not in regards to Farquhar. It is presumably the association with Alexander (and his brigand bands) that gets him the role with the King after he is crowned.) Angus Mackay provides evidence how his descendants signed themselves Mackay. He obtained by royal charter (David II.) the lands of Melness, Hope, etc., in 1379, and the islands lying round Strathnaver in 1386.

• Mariota, who was the "handfasted" wife of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan (although he wasn't Earl until after 1382), son to the King and popularly known as the "Wolf of Badenoch". She is also regarded as the mother of his children. It certainly seems that the name on record "Mariota filia Athyn" was the daughter of lye of Strathnaver. Athyn is generally regarded as a form of lye.

The relationships between this family and Alexander Stewart in particular provides a reason for why the Mackay joined with Stewart and his "brigands". Iye grandson, Angus, will participate, recorded by Tytler,^[9] amongst the "caterans" that terrorised Angus in the late 14th Century and fought, under Stewart's son, Duncan, at the Battle of Glascune in about 1392. Angus Mackay conjectures it as a reason for Mackay standing for Scotland against MacDonald, at Dingwall in 1411 as the Earl of Mar and Chief of Clan Mackay would have been cousins, but so were the Sutherlands and they took no part.

At his death he was followed by his grandson, Angus Mackay.

Footnotes

1. ↑ #S-1 Angus Mackay; page 44
2. ↑ the source of this information being Sir Robert Gordon; page 303
3. ↑ Register of the Great Seal; vol 2, Charter no 147, page 32.
4. ↑ Sir Robert Gordon "Genealogical history of the Earldom of Sutherland from its origin to the year 1630. With a continuation to the year 1651"
5. ↑ Theiner's Monumenta Vetera, p. 278
6. ↑ #S-1 Angus Mackay; page 45
7. ↑ See Kings, Lords and Men in Scotland and Britain, 1300-1625: Essays in Honour of Jenny Wormald by Steve Boardman; page 102
8. ↑ #S-1 Angus Mackay; page 47
9. ↑ History of Scotland; Tytler, vol 1 page 345

Sources

• http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p4805.htm#i144285

• The early genealogy of the family and its interactions with the families of Sutherland is sourced to the work by Sir Robert Gordon "Genealogical history of the Earldom of Sutherland from its origin to the year 1630. With a continuation to the year 1651", written at a time when the families were at war with each other. Gordon's work, even inaccurate within the family genealogy, tends to be disparaging and often completely false towards the Mackay and should only be used as a source for surrounding events.

• Source S-1Angus Mackay. The book of Mackay. Vol. I. Edinburgh: Norman Macleod, 1906. Open Library

• Source S-2Robert Mackay. History of the house and clan of Mackay. Vol. I. Edinburgh: Andrew Jack, 1829. archive.org