Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Triath nan Eilean or Rìgh Innse Gall; Latin: Dominus Insularum) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was held by a series of his descendants, the Norse-Gaelic rulers of the Isle of Man and Argyll and the islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages. They wielded sea-power with fleets of galleys (birlinns). Although they were, at times, nominal vassals of the kings of Norway, Ireland, or Scotland, the island chiefs remained functionally independent for many centuries. Their territory included much of Argyll, the Isles of Arran, Bute, Islay, the Isle of Man, Hebrides, Knoydart, Ardnamurchan, and the Kintyre peninsula. At their height they were the greatest landowners and most powerful lords after the kings of England and Scotland.
Duart Castle, or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic, is a castle on the Isle of Mull, beside the Sound of Mull off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and is the seat of Clan MacLean. One source states that the castle was "brought back from ruin in 1911". The regimental colours of the WW1 Canadian Expeditionary Force 236th Battalion, CEF are laid up in the Great Hall.
Clan Maclean is a Highlands Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in clan skirmishes with the Mackinnons, Camerons, MacDonalds and Campbells, as well as all of the Jacobite risings.
Clan MacKinnon is a Highland Scottish clan from the islands of Mull and Skye, in the Inner Hebrides.
MacLaine or Maclaine is a surname of Scottish origin. It may refer to:
Sir Hector Og Maclean (1583–1623), or Eachann Óg Maclean in Scottish Gaelic, was the 15th Clan Chief of Clan Maclean in Scotland.
Hector Mor Maclean of Dowart, or Eachann Mór Maclean in Scottish Gaelic, known as Hector the Great, was the 16th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from 1623 until his death in 1626. The term Mór or Mor translates to great when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic. He resided at Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. Notably, he was the first Chief of MacLean in four hundred years to not produce an heir, breaking the direct male line from Gillean of the Battle Axe, the clan's founder. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Lachlan Maclean, 1st Baronet.
Colonel Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, 10th Baronet of Morvern, KCB, DL was a Scottish officer who served as the 26th Clan Chief of Clan Maclean from 1883 to 1936, for fifty-three years. He lived to be 101 years old. He bought and restored Duart Castle in 1911 as the seat of the Maclean clan.
Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet of Duart and Morvern (1670–1716) was the 20th Clan Chief of Clan Maclean from 1674 to 1716. He was the 16th and last Laird of Duart, when in 1691 he lost Castle Duart to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. The castle wasn't recovered by Clan Maclean until 1912 until it was purchased by Fitzroy Donald Maclean, 221 years later.
Gillean of the Battle Axe, or Gilleain na Tuaighe in Scottish Gaelic, was the eponymous ancestor of Clan Maclean and Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie. He is considered the 1st Chief of Clan Maclean.
John Dubh Maclean, or Iain Dubh mac Gilliemore in Scottish Gaelic, or John Maclean the Black was the 4th Chief of Clan MacLean.
Lachlan Lùbanach Maclean, 5th Chief was Chief of Clan Maclean. He was the first Maclean to occupy Castle Duart as the 1st Laird of Duart. His brother, Hector Reaganach Maclean was the progenitor of the Lochbuie Macleans usually MacLaines.
Lachlan Catanach Maclean was the 11th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from 1515 until his murder in 1523.
Sir Lachlan Mór Maclean or Big Lachlan Maclean, was the 14th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from late 1573 or early 1574 until 1598. Mór or Mor translates as big in English, or magnus in Latin, when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic.
Note: Not to be confused with Moy Castle in Inverness on Loch Moy, the previous home of the Clan Mackintosh Chiefs.
William Cleireach MacLeod is considered to be 5th Chief of Clan MacLeod. He was a younger son of chief Iain Ciar and was originally intended to enter the church, as his nickname shows; however, on the death of his elder brother, William Cleireach became the heir to the chiefship. As chief of the clan, he led his followers in attacks against the Frasers and defended his lands against the MacDonalds. He did not live a long life and was said to have been buried on the isle of Iona with his predecessors.
William Dubh MacLeod is considered to be the 7th Chief of Clan MacLeod. He is thought to have been a younger son, yet because of the death of his elder brother, William Dubh succeeded his father, Iain Borb, in the year 1442. William Dubh was an old man when he was killed, leading his clan, at the Battle of Bloody Bay in 1480. He was the last MacLeod chief to be buried on the island of Iona. He was succeeded by his son, Alasdair Crotach.
The current chief of the Highland, Scottish clan, Clan Maclean is Sir Lachlan Hector Charles Maclean of Duart and Morvern Bt, CVO, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute, 28th clan chief and 12th Baronet of Morvern. The seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLean is Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. Duart was given to Lachlan Lubanach Maclean as part of his wife's dowry.
Hector Odhar MacLean of Lochbuie, 9th Chief (1575–1628) was the 9th Chief of Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie.
Sir Lachlan Mackinnon was chief of the Scottish Highland clan Mackinnon and played a prominent part in the troubled and transitional politics of the West Highlands in the early 17th century.
