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3 Celts & Company • BLACK WATCH "Independent Highland Companies"

The first Independent Companies (then known as the 'Kings Guard') are generally regarded to have been formed after the Union of the Crowns in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. Following events of 1688, King James II of England (VII of Scotland) made a decision to secure peace throughout both the Scottish Highlands and Scottish Lowlands. The main chiefs were asked to supply a certain number of men each. By 1738 the Independent Highland Companies were known officially as 'Am Freiceadan Dubh' or Black Watch. The Independent Highland Companies took a very active part in the Jacobite rising of 1745. One of their first actions was when 600 men of the Grant, two Sutherland, Munro and Mackay companies fought in the Siege of Fort Augustus (December 1745). The fort was liberated from the Clan Fraser of Lovat, largely Jacobites.
During the Seven Years’ War a number of unidentified Independent Highland Companies were raised but were almost immediately sent south to the Scottish Lowlands or to England as new recruits and could scarcely be regarded as true Independent Companies but were more like a recruitment agency for the British Army. There were no more Independent Highland Companies formed after 1763 but from those that had been before emerged the world-famous Highland regiments during the remainder of the 18th century.

Clans: MURRAY, MENZIES, STUART, CAMPBELL, ROBERTSON, MACFARLANE, GRAHAM, GORDON, MONRO, SUTHERLAND (under GUNN), GRANT, MACKAY, MACLEOD, MACINTOSH (town of INVERNESS), MACKENZIE, MACDONALD of SLEAT, ROSS

"Independent Highland Companies." Wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Highland_Companies]. 3 November 2013. web.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, Black Watch, clan, regiments

3 Celts & Company • "MACDONALD (of the Isles)"

Clan Siol Cuinn: the race of Conn - Rory, Donald & Dugall ( the Chief Gallgael ).

Maormorship of ir-Galgael:: Siol Cuinn, Gillevray/Neill/Ewen/Lachlan, Siol Eachern/Lamont, Donnachie/Robertson, Pharlane/Macfarlane.

Greatest and most widespread of all, Clan Donald has its main roots in the old Gaelic and Pictish times, with additions from the Norsemen just when the curtain of history begins lifting on personalities. There is a legendary ancestor Conn of the Battles, but the first clear one is Somerled, the thane of Argyll to become wellnigh an independent king of the 'South Isles' (from Ardnamurchan round to Bute), swaying his naval alliance between the rival powers of Scotland and Norway. In 1135 he availed David I to expel the Norse from Arran and Bute, and eventually fell at Renfew in 1164 when himself invading against Malcolm IV. Of his three sons by a daughter of Olaf, Norse king of the Isle of Man, the eldest founded the MacDougall clan of Lorn, and the next son Raginald or Ranald was ancestor to all the clans that derive name from his eldest son Donald.
[...]MacDonald allegiance to the Scottish crown was now unquestionable--so far as it could be induced or enforced. Bruce at Bannockburn granted the clan their jealously upheld honour of position on right of the Scottish battle-array: and in the following reign Angus Mor's grandson John of Islay reunited the North and South Isles by marrying the MacRorie heiress, and first assumed the Lordship of the Isles[...]After 1493[...]Chiefship shifted to the Sleat branch in Skye, called MacDonalds of the Isles, to distiguish them from the branch-clans.
The numerous sept names have various origins[...] Small clans or families sought or fell under the MacDonald protection, or like the MacBeths took high service with the chiefs.

• "MACDONALD of Clanranald"

Strictly, all the MacDonald clans are of Clan Ranald and were frequently so termed, from Donald's father Reginald or Ranald. Thus some confusion arises when a particular branch-clan adopts that general name,[...] (Specifically of Clanranald) They derive from another Ranald, doubly descended from the first, being a younger son of John, first Lord of the Isles[...]

MacDonald (of the Isles) Septs: ALASTAIR, ALLISTER, ANDERSON, BALLACH, BALLOCH, BEATH, BEATON, BETHUNE, BOWIE, BRODIE, BUDGE, BUIE, BULLOCH, CAMBRIDGE, CATHAL, CATHIL, COCHRANE, COLL, COLSON, CONN, CONNAL, CONNELL, COOK, COOKE, COULL, COULSON, CRIRIE, CROMB, CROMBIE, CROOM, CRUM, DANIEL, DANIELS, DARRACH, DARROCH, DONALD, DONALDSON, DONNELL, DRAIN, DUNNEL, FORREST, FORRESTER, GALBRAITH, GALBREATH, GALL GALT, GAULD, GAUL, GAULT, GILBRIDE, GILL, GORRIE, GORRY GOWAN, GOWANS, HAWTHORN, HERON, HEWISON, HOUSTOUN, HOWAT, HOWE, HOWIE, HOWISON, HUDSON, HUTCHEON, HUTCHESON, HUTCHIN, HUTCHINSON, HUTCHON, HUTSON, ISLES, JEFFERY, KEEGAN, KEIGHREN, KELLY, KINNEL, LAING, LANG, LEITCH, MACARTHUR, MACBEATH, MACBETH, MACBHEATH, MACBRAYNE, MACBRIDE, MACBRYDE, MACCAA, MACCAIRN, MACCAMBRIDGE, MACCARRON, MACCAW, MACCAY, MACCLUSKIE, MACCODRUM, MACCOLL, MACCONNAL, MACCONNELL, MACCOONISH, MACCOOK, MACCOSHAM, MACCRAIN, MACCRAN, MACCRIRIE, MACCRORIE, MACCRUM, MACCUAIG, MACCUISH, MACCUITHEIN, MACCUTCHEN, MACCUTCHEON, MACDANIELL, MACDRAIN, MACEACHERN, MACEACHRAN, MACELFRISH, MACELHERAN, MACGAA, MACGAW, MACGEACHY, MACGECHIE, MACGEE, MACGHEE, MACGHIE, MACGILL, MACGORRIE, MACGORRY, MACGOUN, MACGOW, MACGOWAN, MACGOWN, MACGRAIN, MACHUGH, MACHUTCHEN, MACHUTCHEON, MACILLRICK, MACILREACH, MACILWRAITH, MACILWRICK, MACKAY, MACKEACHIE, MACKEE, MACKELLAIG, MACKELLOCH, MACKERRON, MACKEY, MACKIE, MACKIGGAN, MACKINNELL, MACLAIRISH, MACLARDY, MACLARTY, MACLAVERTY, MACLEVERTY, MACMURCHIE, MACMURCHY, MACMURDO, MACMURDOCH, MACO'SHANNAIG, MACQUIKAN, MACQUISTAN, MACQUISTEN, MACRAITH, MACREARIE, MACRORIE, MACRORY, MACRUER, MACRURY, MACRYRIE, MACSORLEY, MACSPORRAN, MACSWAN, MACSWEEN, MACWHAN, MACWHANNELL, MARK, MARQUIS, MARTIN, MAY, MURCHIE, MURCHISON, MURDOCH, MURDOSON, MURPHY, O'MAY, PATON, PATTEN, PEDEN, PURCELL, REOCH, REVIE, RIACH, RODERICK, RORIE, RORISON, RYRIE, SHANNON, SHENNAN, SORLEY, SORLIE, SPORRAN, TRAIN, WHANNEL, WHEELAN, WHELLAN, WILKIE, WILKINSON

of Ardnamurchan Septs: JOHNSON, JOHNSTONE, KEAN, KEENE, MACIAN, MACKAIN, MACKANE, MACKEAN, MACKEAND

of Clanranald Septs: ALCOCK, ALISON, ALLAN, ALLANSON, ALLEN, CALLAN, CALLEN, CURRIE, ISAAC, ISAACS, KETCHEN, KECTHIN, MACACHIN, MACAICHAN, MACALLAN, MACBURIE, MACCRINDLE, MACCURRACH, MACCURRIE, MACDONALD, MACEACHAN, MACKEACHEN, MACEACHIN, MACGACHAN, MACGEACHAN, MACISAAC, MACKEACHAN, MACKECHNIE, MACKEOCHAN, MACKESSACK, MACKESSICK, MACKICHAN, MACKISSOCK, MACMURRAY, MACMURRICH, MACVARISH, MACVURICH, MACVURIE, MACVURRICH, PARK

of Glencoe Septs: HENDERSON, HENDRIE, HENDRY, HENRY, JOHNSON, KEAN, KEENE, MACDONALD, MACGILP, MACHENDRIE, MACHENDRY, MACHENRY, MACIAN, MACKEAN, MACKILLOP, MACPHILIP, PHILIP, PHILP

of Glengarry Septs: ALASTAIR, ALEXANDER, ALLISTER, COWAN, MACCOWAN, MACDONELL, MACOWAN, SANDER, SANDERS, SANDERSON, SAUNDERS

of Keppoch Septs: MACDONELL, MACGILLIVANTIC, MACGILP, MACGLASRICH, MACKILLOP, MACMICHIE, MACPHILIP, MACRONALD, MECHIE, MEEKISON, MEKIE, MICHAEL, MICHIE, MICHIESON, PHILIP, PHILIPSON, PHILLIP, PHILLIPS, PHILP, RAINNIE, RONALD, RONALDSON

"MACDONALD (of the Isles)." Scots Kith and Kin and Illustrated Map Revised Second Edition. Edinburgh, SCOT: Clan House, c.1970. p.62-66. Print.

"Ancient North Scotland." The Highland Monthly - Volume 2. Edinburgh: JOHN MENZIES & CO. c.1890-91. p.546. Print.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, MacDonald, clan, septs

3 Celts & Company • "MACFARLANE"

Clan MacFarlane claims descent from the original Earls of Lennox, though the ultimate origin of these earls is murky and has been debated. The original Earls of Lennox descended from an Anglo-Saxon – Arkil, son of Egfrith. This Arkil, a Northumbrian chief, was said to have fled to Scotland from the devastation caused by the Harrying of the North by William the Conqueror, and later received control of the Lennox district from Malcolm III of Scotland, though alternative theories state that the original Earls of Lennox may have been of Gaelic descent. These two views are not mutually exclusive, as what is now southern Scotland had been a flux of Gaelic, Brittonic, Scandinavian and Germanic ethnicities.

The original line of the Earls of Lennox, through Gille Chriosd, brother of Maol Domhnaich, Earl of Lennox. Gille Chriosd's son, Donnchadh, appears in the Ragman Rolls as "Dunkan Makilcrift de Leuenaghes" (Duncan son of Gilchrist of Lennox). Donnchadh's grandson was Parlan (or Bartholomew), from whom the clan takes its name. It should be noted that there is no contemporary evidence of this Parlan or his elided father, only centuries-retrospective assertions that private documentation existed at the time of the Macfarlane attempt to claim the defunct earldom of Lennox. Maolchaluim Mac Pharlain, the son of Parlan, was confirmed the lands of Arrochar and others, and "hence Maolchaluim may be considered as the real founder of the clan". Maolchaluim, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Donnchadh, who obtained by charter the lands of Arrochar, dated in 1395 at Inchmurrin. Donnchadh seems to have married Christian, daughter of Sir Colin Campbell of Loch Awe, as stated in a charter of confirmation by Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, also dated in 1395.

Not long after, the ancient line of the Earls of Lennox died with the execution of Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, by James I of Scotland in 1425. After the earl's death it seems that the MacFarlanes claimed the earldom as heirs male. This claim, though, proved disastrous and the family of the chief were murdered, with the clan's fortunes reduced severely. The destruction of the MacFarlanes would have been inevitable but for an Anndra MacFarlane, who married Barbara, daughter of John Stewart, Lord Darnley, who had been created Earl of Lennox in 1488. From this period on the clan appears to have loyally supported the Stewart Earls of Lennox, and for several generations there is little history attributed to the clan.

Septs: Condey, Condie, Condy, Gruamach, MacCondey, MacCondie, MacCondy, MacIock, MacJock, MacInally, MacNide, MacNite, MacNoyer, MacNuyer, MacWalter, Monach, Monnock, Parlane, Parlin, Weaver, Webster, Weir.

Shared / Associated Septs: Allan, Allen, Allanach, Allanson, Allison, Arrell, Arroll, Barclay, Bart, Bartholomew, Bartie, Barty, Bartson, Brice, Bryce, Caa, Caw, Callar, Callendear, Cunnison, Kennison, Galbraith, Galloway, Grassick, Griesk, Greusaich, Knox, Leaper, Liper, Lenox, Lennox, MacAllan, MacAllen, MacAndrew, MacAndro, MacCaa, MacCaw, MacCause, MacEoch, MacEach, MacEachern, MacEoin, MacErrachar, MacFarquhar, MacGaw, MacGreusich, MacGreusick, MacInstalker, MacJames, MacKinlay, MacKinley, MacKindley, MacNair, MacNayer, MacRob, MacRobb, MacWilliam, Michie, Millar, Miller, Rob, Robb, Spruell (and assoc. spellings), Stalker, Williamson, Wilson, Wylie, Wyllie.

"Clan MacFarlane." Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacFarlane]. 18 December 2018. web.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, Black Watch, MacFarlane, clan