The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. IX] OF SCOTLAND 353
the tradition of their being descended from the Norwegian
kines of the Isles. Malcolm was succeeded b\' his son
William, who, although from his having been a younger son,
he had been brought up for the church, appears to have
involved himself in nnmberless feuds with the neighbouring
clans, and to have become one of the most noted and daring
of the restless chiefs of that period.
Among the first of his plundering incursions he ravaged the
estates of Lovat in the Aird, in order to avenge an insult which
he had received in that country in his youth. He afterwards on
some occasion called down upon himself the resentment of the
lord of the Isles, who invaded his estates with a considerable
of Macdonalds William Macleod, however, possessed no
body ;
small portion of military skill, and having a perfect knowledge
of the country, he succeeded in surprising the Macdonalds at a
place called Lochsligichan, where he defeated them with great
slaughter. But notwithstanding this feud with the Macdonalds,
John Macleod, his successor, is said to have followed the banner
of Donald of the Isles in his invasion of Scotland in 1411, and
to have taken a part in the battle of Harlaw.
From the accession of the Macdonalds to the earldom of
Ross, the Macleods seem to have acknowledged them as their
lords, and to have followed them on all occasions. On the
unfortunate dissension occurring between John, the last lord of
the Isles, and hi.*? son Angus Ogg, when both parties at length
took to arms, the one to reduce a rebellious son, and the other
to depose a person whom he considered incapable of governing
his extensive territories, Macleod of Glenelg embraced the
cause of the injured father, and took an active share in the
civil war which thus divided the Macdonalds and finally caused
their ruin. He was present at the battle of the Bloody Bay
and lost his life in that unnatural engagement.
On the forfeiture of the last lord, the Macleods, as well as
the other clans connected with the Macdonalds, assumed inde-
pendence, and in consequence Alexander Macleod received
from king James IV. a crown charter of all his lands, which
included those of Harris and his extensive possessions in Sky ;
which charter narrates that these lands were held of the
earls of Ross and lords of the Isles before their forfeiture,
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