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Genealogy of The MacLeods of Kildonan- 2 -The MacLeods of Assynt

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The MacLeods of Lewis"
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(I) Tormod [1]
(b.~1380, died ~1437)
married Margaret, daughter of MacNicol, or Nicolson
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(II) Angus [2]
(~1406,)
m. ~1428 to Margaret Mackintosh (widow Matheson)
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there seems to be a generation missing or a very elderly father [5]
b ~1430
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(III) Angus Mor [4]
(~1470,)
m. Anne Mackenzie (Coigeach)
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(IV) Donald Cam [6]
(~1522,)
(V) Norman [7]
(~1524,)
(VI) Angus Beag [8]
(~1526,)
(VII) Iain Riabhach [9]
(~1528,)
m. Christina MacDonald (Keppoch)
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(VIII) Angus [10]
Iain
Duncan
Neil [11]
(~1530 exec.1581,)
m. Margaret MacDonald (Glengarry)
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Iain Riabhach (IX) Donald Ban [14]
b~1570 alive.1639
m. Marian Mackay (Reay)
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descendants
(III) Hucheon [12]
(~1532,)
m. ?
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Neil Donald Iain Roderick Angus
Roderick
(~1472,)
Norman
(~1474,)
Iain
(~1476,)
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Neil
(~1510,)
Iain [13]
(~1512,)
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sliochd Iain Mhoir
Iain Riabhach [3]
(~1410, )
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Sliochd Iain Riabhaich
Tormod Ban
(~1412, )
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d.s.p
 

[1] I. TORMOD OR NORMAN MACLEOD, the first of that family and name who possessed the extensive lands of Assynt, which are situated on the mainland, opposite the Lewis, in the County of Sutherland. The district of Assynt is said to have belonged to the Thanes of Sutherland before it became the property of the MacNicols, the first of whom received it as a reward for having recovered a great number of cattle carried away from the county of Sutherland by a horde of Scandinavians, who, in addition to stealing the cattle, set fire to the magnificent fir forest which at that time covered Assynt, and other extensive woods in the adjoining districts. Tormod died in the reign of James 1. (1406-1437). He married, with issue- 1. Angus, who was called "Old Angus" by the men of Assynt. 2. John Riabhach, who possessed Coigeach, and was famed for his valour and manhood. He had one son, John Mor, of whom the "Sliochd Iain Riabhaich." 3. Tormod Bān, of whose descendants, if any, nothing is known

[2] Tormod was succeeded by his eldest son, II ANGUS MACLEOD, second of Assynt, who married his cousin. Margaret, daughter of Malcolm Beag Mackintosh, X. of Mackintosh, and widow of Alexander Matheson, "Alastair MacRuairi," of Lochalsh, beheaded on the Castle Hill, Edinburgh, shortly after 1427, in which year he was taken prisoner along with the Earl of Ross, and several other Highland Chiefs at Inverness. Matheson's widow was left tutrix to her eldest son. John, the young heir of Lochalsh. Angus MacLeod of Assynt was induced to marry her by the extent of property committed to her care, and he was apparently determined to take possession of it and hold it for himself, right or wrong.
By Margaret Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and widow of Alexander Matheson of Lochalsh, Angus MacLeod had issue -
1. Angus Mor, his heir and successor.
2. Roderick;
3. Norman; and
4, John.

[3] John Riabhach, who possessed Coigeach, and was famed for his valour and manhood. He had one son, John Mor, of whom the "Sliochd Iain Riabhaich."

[4] On his death in Lochalsh, Angus was succeeded by his eldest son,
III ANGUS MOR MACLEOD, third of Assynt, who married Anne Mackenzie of Coigeach, with issue, several sons; of whom survived,
1. Donald Cam, his heir and successor.
2. Norman, who succeeded his brother Donald
3. Angus Beag, who succeeded his brother Norman.
4. John Riabhach, who succeeded his brother Angus.
5. Neil, who succeeded his brother John.
6. Hucheon,

[5] There appears to be a generation missing In order to make sense of the the marriage of Angus in 1427 to the widow of Alexander Matheson of Lochalsh, when their grandchild Neil, the 5th son of Angus Mor was executed in 1581,

[6] Angus was slain by his nephew, the son of his brother John, at the Stoer. He was succeeded by his eldest son, IV. DONALD MACLEOD, fourth of Assynt, called “Domhnull Cam” from his being blind of an eye He fought a battle with John Mac Torquil MacLeod of the Lewis., in the vicinity of Loch-an-Assaidh, where he defeated his opponent and took him prisoner, but he was himself mortally wounded, and died shortly after. He married Margaret, daughter of Alexander Macdonald, VII. of Glengarry, widow of Cuthbert of Castle Hill, Inverness. She afterwards married, as his second wife, Torquil Connnach MacLeod, who makes a grant of lands in her favour in 1590. without issue. Donald was succeeded by his next brother,

[7] V NORMAN MACLEOD, fifth of Assynt, who was slain by his brother, Angus Beag, at Leth-bhad. He died unmarried, and was succeeded by his next brother,

[8] VI. ANGUS BEAG MACLEOD, sixth of Assynt. He was soon after slain by his bastard brother, Alexander, in revenge for the murder of his predecessor, their brother Norman, to whom Alexander was devotedly attached. Y Roy Mackay of Farr, whose daughter was married to Angus Beag of Assynt was very angry about the death of his son-in-law, and he vowed vengeance against Alexander, who left the district and betook himself to the hills of Wester Ross, where he was ultimately captured by Mackay, and put to death. From this Alexander descended "Sliochd Alastair Mhic Aonghais."

[9] Angus beag married Florence, daughter of Y Roy Mackay of Farr, without issue. He was succeeded by his next brother, VII. JOHN RIABHACH MACLEOD, seventh of Assynt, whom Sir Robert Gordon describes as "a valiant gentleman” who “ commanded and governed the country of Assynt for 15 years, with great commendation ; and when he died he left the government of his country and children, who were under age, to his brother Neil." He married Christina, daughter of Macdonald of Keppoch, with issue- 1. Angus Mac lain Riabhaich, his heir, who was lame of one leg. 2. John, who had several children. 3. Duncan, who died without issue.

[10] On the death of Neil MacAngus, VIII. ANGUS MACLEOD, Mac lain Riabhaich, " who was impotent of ane leg," having in the meantime come of age, succeeded as his father's eldest son and lawful heir. In about a year, however, he was dispossessed by Hucheon MacAngus's sons, and by Tormod, Angus, and Alexander, the bastard sons of Neil MacAngus, who divided the estate among themseves, Angus Mac Iain Riabhaich, his brother John, and the bastard sons of Neil MacAngus getting a third of the property between them, while Hucheon's children, though he was his father's youngest son, had the other two-thirds.

[11] Hucheons' eldest son, Neil, by the common consent of all parties, was chosen leader and commander of their united followers. Shortly after this arrangement was entered into, a dispute arose among themselves about fishing rents. Neil and his brothers proceeded to Ullapool, where the others resided, there attacked and after a sharp skirmish defeated them, killing Alexander, the son of Neil MacAngus, and wounding John Mac lain Riabhaich. Soon afterwards, Tormod, son of Neil MacAngus, was slain by Angus son of Hucheon, at Inchna-damh. To revenge this, Donald Bān Mor, second son of Neil MacAngus, attacked John, Hucheon's son, and killed him at Cuileag, Lochinver. Neil, Hucheon's eldest son, still maintained his position at the head of the peoples possessed the Clan lands. But in 1585, Y Mackay, whose sister Donald Bān Mor, the second. and now only surviving son of Neil MacAngus, had married, took Donald's part, and, assisted by the Gunns, laid siege to the Isle of Assynt, Where Neil resided. Alexander, Earl of Sutherland, came to the rescue and compelled Mackay to raise the siege and retire to Strathnaver, in consequence of which Neil was able to keep possession for some time longer. These family feuds continued, the various claimants in time killing each other, until there were scarcely any of themselves or their families left, and most of those remaining were slain by others. Angus, son of Alexander, Neil's son, who was among the last survivors of them, killed his father-in-law Neil, Hucheon's son. For that crime he was apprehended in Tain, and there executed by the Laird of Balnagown.

[12] Hucheon, 6th son of Angus Mor, had issue - Neil, Donald, John, Roderick, and Angus. He had also a natural son, Alexander.

[13] John, the youngest son of Angus MacLeod (II of Assynt), had two sons of his own- Neil and John Mor. Neil was killed "by the Sutherland men of Torran-Dow-Reawigh," leaving no issue. and John Mor was wounded at the same battle. This last-named John left issue, his descendants being known as"Sliochd lan Mhoir.

[14] IX. DONALD BAN MOR MACLEOD, second son of Neil, fifth son of Angus Mor, III. of Assynt, and immediate younger brother of John Riabhach MacLeod, VII. of Assynt.