Descent from Gillebride to Jean Macrory (Line 121)
Last updated 20 April 2005
According to The Scots Peerage, the Clan Donald were the descendants of Conn of the Hundred Fights (or Battles), High King of Ireland, who ruled from Tara in the 2nd century and were known in ancient times as the Siol Chuinn (or descendants of Conn). The Clan was later known as the Clan Cholla (descendants of Colla Uais, a later High King of Ireland). Fourth in descent from Colla Uais was Fergus Mor, son of Erc (died about 500), who had two sons, Domnagart, ancestor of Kenneth MacAlpine and Godfrey (or Toshach of the Isles) ancestor of the Clan Donald.
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Gillebride, known to be living in the district of Morven during the first half of the 12th century (A) |
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Somerled, died. 1164 at Renfrew and buried at the Abbey of Saddel in Kintyre (A, B); married 1140 (A, B) Ragnhildis (daughter of Olave, King of Man and the Isles and Affrica (or Elfrica) of Galloway; died 1154 (A)) An entry in Burke’s says he was the grandson of Orila Domnan and Ragnhild was his second wife (C) The following is a summary of his entry in The Scots Peerage: Chosen by the tribes of Argyll as their leader in their struggle against the Scandinavians, he gained possession of his family’s mainland territory and assumed the title of Regulus (or Thane) of Argyll. In 1156 he defeated Godred, who had succeeded his father Olave in 1154, in a naval battle off the north coast of Isla and Godred ceded all the southern islands (the Sudreys). Two years later, Somerled invaded the Isle of Man. At the same time, he was supporting the sons of Malcolm Macheath over their claim to the earldom of Moray and in 1157 Malcolm IV came to terms with them and invested Macheth’s son with the earldom of Ross. At some time before this date Somerled was given the title of “King of the Sudreys” However in 1164 Malcolm IV and Somerled renewed hostilities. Somerled landed at Greenock with an army of 15000 and a fleet of 184 galleys to confront the King at Renfrew. There is doubt whether Somerled was killed in battle (the Scottish version) or whether he was murdered in his tent and his army dispersed without fighting (the Highland version) |
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Angus, Lord of Bute and Arran, killed 1210 (A, B), Somerled’s 3rd son, he inherited Bute, with a part of Arran and Garmoran, extending from Ardnamurchan to Glenelg (A, B) but these vwere taken from him by his brother Reginald/Ranald (A, B) |
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James MacSorley of Bute and Arran, killed with his father and his two brothers in 1210 by the men of Skye (A, B, C) |
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Jean Macrory m. Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward (A, B, C) |
Sources :
A : The Scots Peerage, edited by Sir James
Balfour Paul ; published by David Douglas in Edinburgh in 1904
B: Burke’s Peerage and Baronetage; entry for BOSVILLE MACDONALD OF
SLEAT, CHIEF OF MACDONALD OF SLEAT.
C: Burke’s Peerage and Baronetage; entry for MACDOUGALL OF
MACDOUGALL
Ancestry of Affrica of Galloway:
According to The Scots Peerage, Fergus of Galloway is believed to have married Elizabeth, the youngest natural daughter of Henry I of England. Fergus had three children Uchtred, Gilbert and Affrica, but only Uchtred is apparently ever referred to as a relative or cousin of Henry II of England. Alison Weir in her book Britain's Royal Families (page 50) states that Joan or Elizabeth, daughter of Henry I and an unknown mother, married Fergus of Galloway and had issue. If Affrica is the granddaughter of Henry I, then this line is descended from the Dukes of Normandy, the Norman Kings of England, the Counts of Flanders and many other French nobles
