Clan of the Month - Magnificent MacLeod

Clan MacLeod can be traced back to Leod who was said to be the son of Olaf the Black, King of Mann and the Isles. Leod was said to be born in the 13th Century, circa 1200, and acquired land on the Isle of Skye on Scotland's West Coast. It was here that the clan was established through the sons of Leod, hence the name MacLeod, with the prefix "Mac" being the Gaelic for "son of".

The clan has two main branches, which were both formed by the descendants of Leod. Clan MacLeod of Harris and Dunvegan was established by Tormod, son of Leod, with Clan MacLeod of Lewis being formed by Leod's great-grandson, Torcall. The MacLeods of Lewis later branched to create the MacLeods of Raasay. Clan MacLeod's prevalence in the Isles resulted in several smaller clans becoming septs of the clan.

Leod was said to have passed circa 1280 and was buried on the holy island of Iona. Thereafter, the island became the resting place of six successive clan chiefs.

According toClan MacLeod tradition, Leod was said to have inherited some of his lands on the Isle of Skye from a foster father, named Pall Balkason, who was a sheriff or lord on the island. It was said that his other lands were inherited through his father-in-law who was also a Lord on Skye.

The clan's seat is Dunvegan Castle which is situated on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan on Skye's northern coast. The castle is made up of five different buildings which range from 1200 to the 1850s. This resulted in a disjointed appearance, with different building styles used throughout the design. The castle's appearance was unified between 1840 and 1850, with the creation of a Victorian façade. This façade gives the castle a romantic picturesque appearance, with the internal buildings remaining disjointed to this day. The castle is the oldest continuously occupied building in the whole of Scotland, with Clan MacLeod calling it home for over 800 years.

Today, Dunvegan is the seat of the entire MacLeod clan, however, Clan MacLeod of Lewis once had their own distinct seat. The now ruinous Stornoway Castle, or MacLeod's Castle, on the Isle of Lewis, was once a stronghold of the clan. Although held by Clan MacLeod of Lewis, the site on which it sat is thought to date back to the 11th Century when it was home to Clan MacNicol. The MacLeods either removed the MacNicols from the Isle of Lewis by force or through marriage or perhaps even both. The castle was captured and taken from Clan MacLeod by the Clan Gordon Earl of Huntly in 1506, who successfully held it against the Campbells in 1554. It was eventually destroyed by the forces of Oliver Cromwell in 1653. Today, nothing of the site remains, with the last of the ruins being incorporated into the stones of Stornoway's pier.

Clan MacLeod of Harris and Dunvegan

The motto of Clan MacLeod of Harris and Dunvegan is 'Hold Fast'. This motto is displayed on the clan's crest which shows a large bull flanked by two waving flags. The bull signifies the strength of the clan.

Clan MacLeod of Lewis

The motto of Clan MacLeod of Lewis is I Burn Quhil I Se, or "I burn, while I watch" when translated. This motto is displayed on the clan's crest which shows a shining golden sun.

A sprig of juniper can also be worn by members of the clan, with this being the official plant of the clan. April's Clan of the Month, Clan Gunn, also wear juniper. Of course today juniper is well known for flavouring gin, but did you know the timber is also used for making pencils?

Clan MacLeod has plenty of tartans to choose from on account of all the different branches, so you are sure to find a variation you love.

Clan MacLeod

The iconic MacLeod Dress, or MacLeod of Lewis, tartans have a bright and bold style with a radiant golden base and overlapping black and red lines. This gives the tartan a somewhat punky appearance, reminiscent of the Dr Martens Check, and has been often seen on catwalks around the world. The ancient variantof MacLeod Dress tartan would have traditionally been created using animal and plant dyes, hence its lighter appearance. Heathers and bracken would be used for the base yellow, with the bark of alder tree and dock root combining to make black.

The modern variant of the tartan is bolder in its appearance due to the use of modern chemical dyes; with the weathered tartan recreating the appearance of fabric tarnished by the harsh Scottish weather.

If yellow is not your colour, there is a red variant of MacLeod tartan. MacLeod Red Ancient has a red base with an overlapping yellow, black and green check. Whilst the yellow and black are adopted from the clan's dress tartans, the inclusion of red and green draws influence from the tartans of the MacLeods of Harris.

MacLeod of Harris

The MacLeod of Harris tartans are significantly different in appearance and sett to the clan's dress tartans, and certainly have a more subdued feel to them, however this was not necessarily reflected in the personalities! MacLeod of Harris Ancient has a pale blue base, with a large green check, accented an overlapping yellow, black and red check. The pale blue base would have traditionally been made using blae berries and alum, whilst the greens would have been created with the use of gorse bark, broom and knapweed. As you walk across the hillsides in Scotland at this time of year (April) you can smell the beautiful almost coconut scent of the gorse bushes.

The Story of Clan MacLeod

Following the death of Leod, his son Tormod led the clan. He was said to be a great warrior and fought at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Tormod's grandson, Iain Ciar succeeded his father to become the clan's 4th Chief, with MacLeod tradition acknowledging him as the clan's most tyrannical chief. His wife, the daughter of an Irish O'Neil chieftain, was said to be equally cruel. So the story goes that two of her daughters attempted to escape the clan with their lovers. Upon hearing this, Iain's wife had the lovers flogged to death and threw their bodies into the sea. The daughters faired no better with it being said that they were buried alive in the dungeons of Dunvegan Castle.

Iain Ciar was equally cruel. On one trip to Harris, in 1392, it was said that Iain and his men had been hunting for a rare white stag. The stag was reported to live deep within the forest, which had once been owned by Clan MacGhitthich. The MacLeod Chief was frustrated when the stag remained hidden and proclaimed that it had been killed by someone on the island. He put out a reward for information on the islander who was responsible. An enemy of the Chief of Clan MacGhitthich reported to Iain that it was the chief who was responsible. MacLeod subsequently confronted the chief and brutally killed him using the antlers of a large stag.

As the hunting party returned to their ships, they were ambushed by the members of Clan MacGhitthich. During the battle that ensued, Iain was struck by an arrow, before his son William managed to rout the attackers. Amongst the chaos, MacLeod's wife and three illegitimate daughters escaped on a ship back to Skye but faced high winds and stormy weather. Upon nearing the Isle of Skye, the rough seas smashed their ship against the rocks killing everyone onboard. The rocks on which they perished are today known as MacLeod's maidens.

Following the battle on Harris, Iain succumbed to his wounds at the St Clement's Church of Rodel. His body was later taken to the Holy Island of Iona to be buried with the other clan chiefs. These are such beautiful islands and if you get a chance to come to Scotland and explore your history you must have Harris and Iona on your list!

Soonafter the death of the clan's fourth chief in 1392, the Lord of the Isles attacked Skye in 1395. Iain's grandson, William, and his men met the MacDonalds at Sligachan, driving them back to Loch Eynort. As the MacDonalds turned to flee, they discovered that their ships were nowhere to be seen. The cunning MacAskills, a sept of Clan MacLeod, had moved the MacDonald ships off the shore leaving them stranded and at the mercy of the MacLeods. They were easily defeated, as the Lord of the Isles' attack failed.

Throughout the 16th Century, Clan MacLeod had a blood feud with the neighbouring Clan MacDonald of Sleat. The clans had frequent skirmishes, which resulted in many deaths. One particularly notable skirmish occurred in 1578 at the Battle of Spoiling Dyke. As the members of Clan MacLeod worshipped, the MacDonalds barricaded the doors of their church and raised it to the ground. The MacLeod chief was alerted by a young girl who had escaped the blaze before she succumbed to her wounds. Having been alerted, the chief rode out of Dunvegan with his band of men and slaughtered the MacDonalds leaving none alive.

The Battle of Coire Na Creiche in 1601 saw the defeat of Clan MacLeod at the hands of Clan MacDonald of Sleat on the northern slopes of the Cullin Mountains. Their bitter feud came to an end in 1608 following a century of bloodshed. The chiefs of the MacLeods, MacDonalds, MacKenzies, and MacLeans met with Lord Ochiltree, a representative of the King. They discussed the future rule of the Isles with the King seeking control. All of the chiefs refused to give up their power and were subsequently imprisoned.

Although the MacLeods supported the Jacobites in the uprising of 1715, they were staunch opponents of the 1745 uprising. The Clan Chief, Norman MacLeod of Dunvegan, raised a highland militia in support of the government forces. From Skye, he led his 500 men to the Battle of Inverurie, on the 23rd of December 1745, where they were defeated by the Jacobites.

The MacLeods of Raasay defied the chief, and fought as part of the Jacobite army, in the Glengarry Regiment, at the Battle of Culloden, 1746. Enraged, Norman MacLeod burned and pillaged the island of Raasay, harassing its residents. This attack continued for many weeks into the summer of 1746.

In the clan's more recent history, the chiefs of Clan MacLeod have adopted a wider scope in an attempt to grow the sense of clanship around the world. Flora MacLeod became President of the Clan MacLeod Society in 1929 when her father became Clan Chief. Upon her father's death in 1935, Flora was recognised as the 28th Chief of the Clan. She travelled far and wide, establishing Clan MacLeod Societies in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. This great work saw her honoured as a Dame of the British Empire (DBE) in 1953. She also held the first Gathering of Clan MacLeod in 1956 on the coming of age of her grandson and heir, John. She named this gathering a Parliament, a name by which it names to this day. Flora sadly passed away at the age of 98 in 1976.

John MacLeod succeeded his grandmother, following in her footsteps as a world traveller. He visited clan members in France, Germany and South Africa and done much to modernise Dunvegan Castle and its estate. Upon his death in 2007 he was succeeded by his son, Hugh, who became the clan's 30th Chief. Today the clan is a truly international organisation and has societies in Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Switzerland and the USA.