The Mackays of Scoury were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan. They were seated at Scourie Castle, [1] in Scourie (modern spelling), in the parish of Eddrachillis, county of Sutherland. However, Scourie was part of the Mackay chief's province of "Strathnaver" until it was sold to the Earl of Sutherland in 1829.
Donald Balloch Mackay, 1st of Scoury was the second eldest natural son of chief Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver and Helen, daughter of Hugh MacLeod of Assint. [2] However, as his parents were first cousins Donald Balloch Mackay was therefore barred by canon law from succeeding as chief to his father's estates. [2] Historian Angus Mackay does designate Donald Balloch as 13th of Strathnaver, [3] but shows that the true successor of Iye Du Mackay was Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver who was the eldest son from Iye Du's second marriage to Christian, daughter of John Sinclair of Duns, Caithness. [2]
Donald Balloch disputed the chiefship with his younger half-brother Huistean Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver, [4] and later he was banished from Strathnaver and Sutherland for the killing of one James Mackroy, thus retiring himself to the Earl of Caithness, chief of the Clan Sinclair who was then at feud with the Gordon Earl of Sutherland. [5] In 1590 Donald Balloch Mackay commanded a company of archers in support of the Earl of Caithness and against the Earl of Sutherland at the Battle of Clynetradwell. [5] Historian Angus Mackay states that Donald Balloch played the part of a skilful and gallant leader, saving the situation for the Earl of Caithness. [6] Even the Gordon of Sutherland account states that Donald Balloch Mackay played the part of a good commander. [5] The Earl of Caithness was however defeated and Donald Balloch Mackay was imprisoned in Dunrobin Castle by the Earl of Sutherland. [7] He was later released with the consent of his half brother, Huistean Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver and from then on Donald Balloch Mackay supported the Earl of Sutherland like Huistean did. [7]
Donald Balloch Mackay received from Huistean Mackay of Strathnaver a charter of alienation for Kinlochbervie, Scouriemore, Scouriebeg, (Scourie) and Eriboll. [8]
Donald Balloch Mackay married Euphemia, daughter of Hugh Munro of Assint, brother of Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis. [9] They had the following children:
Hugh Mackay, 2nd of Scoury obtained the lands of Eriboll for £2000 Scots which he then disponed to Hugh Munro of Pitfure, whose descendants resided there for three generations. [11] Hugh Mackay then purchased the estate of Scoury from Lord Reay which his elder brother Neil had previously disponed of and had sasine of it on 27 June 1634. [11]
In 1643 Hugh Mackay, 2nd of Scoury was appointed as a commissioner of supply for the shire of Sutherland. [11] In 1648 he was made a member of the War Committee but in 1649 was taken prisoner at Balvenie Castle during the Civil War. [11] In 1650 Parliament appointed him as a colonel in a fencible regiment and he was re-appointed as a commissioner of supply in 1661. [11] For his support of Charles II of England during the Civil War his estate was burdened with fines and debts, however his son, General Hugh Mackay, managed to clear them away. [11] Hugh Mackay, 2nd of Scoury married Ann, daughter of John Corbett of Arkboll, Ross and had the following children:
General Hugh Mackay, 3rd of Scoury was known in Scottish Gaelic as An Shenilir Mor meaning The Great General. [12] He is best known for his service during the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which although he was defeated at the Battle of Killiecrankie, he won the campaign against the Jacobite John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee. General Hugh Mackay later distinguished himself during the Williamite War in Ireland. He was killed at the Battle of Steenkerque during the Nine Years' War.
General Hugh Mackay married Clara de Bie, a Dutch lady of noble extraction. [12] They had the following children:
Hugh Mackay, 4th of Scoury was given command of a company in his father's Scots Regiment on 1 September 1692, but he died in a field accident whilst holding the rank of major. [13] He had married Anna de Lancy, a Swiss lady and they had the following children:
Hugh Mackay, 5th of Scoury became a captain on one of the Scot regiments in Holland on 20 September 1729 and in 1772 he became a lieutenant-general. [13] On 17 December 1773 he was made honorary colonel of his grandfather's old regiment of Scots as a special mark of honour. [13] He married Isabella de Savornin and they had only one daughter, Anna Louisia Mackay who married Lieut-General Prevost, colonel of the 60th Foot and Lord of Belsinge in the Republic of Genoa. [13]
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray.
Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed through marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon. The current chief is Alistair Sutherland who holds the title Earl of Sutherland.
Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay, 14th of Strathnaver was a Scottish soldier and member of Parliament. He played a prominent role in the Thirty Years' War, raising a regiment of 3,000 men, which served in both the Danish and Swedish forces. He was later an unwilling Covenanter. He was the fourteenth chief of Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.
The Battle of Alltan-Beath, also known as the Battle of Ailtan-Beath, was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in 1542 in the village of Knockarthur, in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between men of the Clan Mackay and men of the Clan Sutherland whose chiefs were the Gordon, Earls of Sutherland.
Clan Mackie is a Lowland Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Mackie is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a recognised chief, or a chief who possessed the chiefly arms of the name; however, no one at present is in possession of such arms.
Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort and royal castle in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland.
The Mackays of Aberach also known as the Clan Aberach are a Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay of the Scottish Highlands. They were the senior cadet branch of the Clan Mackay and were seated at Achness, in Strathnaver, which is in modern-day Sutherland. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the Sleaght-ean Aberigh.
Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver, was the thirteenth chief of Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.
The Battle of Clynetradwell was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1590 in the county of Sutherland between the forces of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland and George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness.
Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver, was the chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan, from 1550 to 1572.
The Mackays of Borley were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan. Their territorial designation of Borley is a small village within the parish of Durness, in the modern-day county of Sutherland, Scotland
Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver, was the fifth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver, was the tenth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
John Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
The Stand-off at Bengrime took place in 1601 and was a stand-off between the armies of John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland and George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness. Bengrime is in the county of Sutherland, Scotland.
George Mackay, 3rd Lord Reay (1678–1748), was a Scottish noble and chief of the Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. During his life the Glorious Revolution took place which directly affected his family and estate, and during his chiefdom he served the British-Hanoverian Government during the Jacobite rising of 1715 and the Jacobite rising of 1745.
George Sinclair was a Scottish nobleman, the 5th Earl of Caithness and chief of the Clan Sinclair, a Scottish clan based in northern Scotland.
Lachlan Mor Mackintosh, 16th of Mackintosh was the chief of the Clan Mackintosh, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. He was also chief of the confederation of clans that was known as the Clan Chattan.
Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland was a Scottish landowner.
Their son: i) Robert Mackay to ii) Alexander Mackay to iii) Angus Mackay to iv) Mary Mackay who married Donald Macleod to v) Mary Anne Macleod who married Fred Trump to vi) Donald J. Trump.