The Magnificent MacKenzie's - August's Clan of the Month

Clan MacKenzie is traditionally associated with the Kintail area of mountains in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, and Ross-Shire in the central highlands. Traditional genealogies trace the ancestors of the MacKenzie chiefs right back to the 12th century. However, the earliest MacKenzie chief recorded by contemporary evidence is Alexander MacKenzie of Kintail who died sometime after 1471.

The surname MacKenzie in Scottish Gaelic is MacCoinneach which means "son of the fair bright one". The MacKenzie’s are believed to have the same ancestry as the Clan Matheson and Clan Anrias. All three are said to be descended from Gilleoin of the Aird, a Gaelic dynasty who lived in the early 12th century. Another theory is that all three are descended from the thirteenth century Kermac. The chiefs of the Clan MacKenzie are said to have been settled at their great stronghold on Eilean Donan, a small tidal island where three sea lochs meet, Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh, in the western Highlands of Scotland around 1297.

Having become famous as a diviner and wit, he was invited to Brahan castle to work as a labourer for the Mackenzie chief. This led to dramatic and tragic sequence of events, leading to the barbaric murder of the seer. Lady Seaforth asked the Seer if her husband, who was in France, was well. The Seer told her that her husband was more than well. He was in the arms of a beautiful Frenchwoman! The horrified Lady Seaforth’s reaction was to blame the messenger. She ordered the Brahan Seer to be burned to death in a barrel of tar.

The MacKenzie Clan Crest is a mount in flames and there moto is Luceo non uro, ‘I shine not burn’. Outlander fans out there will recognise this from Willie's words in Chapter 10 "The Oath-Taking". The official plant of Clan MacKenzie is Holly or Deergrass (also known as heath club rush), and clansmen wore sprigs attached to their caps, whereas the women pinned plant badges to their tartan sashes at the shoulder.

MacKenzie comes in 5 variations, Ancient, Dress Ancient, Modern, Dress Modern & Weathered, so there’s sure to be something to suit your clothing tastes or your interiors. MacKenzie tartan is mainly blue and green with white running through it and a hint of red. The weathered, with its muted colours wouldn’t look out of place on a beautifully tailored jacket for a walk in the country. In ancient times blaeberries and alum with club moss produced the blue colours, bracken (that coarse, rough fern covering the Highland hills) produced the greens, and white crotal was the base for the red. Crotal is the name given to the different varieties of lichens that grow on the rocks.

Traditionally, during the Wars of Scottish Independence, the MacKenzies supported Robert the Bruce, but feuded with the Earls of Ross in the latter part of the 14th century. During the 15th and 16th-centuries the MacKenzies feuded with the neighboring clans of Munro and MacDonald. In the 17th century the Mackenzie chief was made Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Scotland. During the Scottish Civil War of the 17th century the MacKenzies largely supported the Royalists. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the chief and clan of Mackenzie supported the Jacobite cause. However, during the Jacobite rising of 1745 the clan was divided with the chief, Kenneth MacKenzie, Lord Fortrose, supporting the British-Hanoverian Government and his relative, George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie, supporting the Jacobites.

Throughout the 19th century Clan Mackenzie was without a chief that was recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. In 1979, Roderick Grant Francis Blunt-Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Cromartie, legally changed his surname to Mackenzie and was widely recognised as Chief of the clan (for example by Clan Mackenzie Societies around the Commonwealth). Although not descended from a Mackenzie in the male line (his father was born a Blunt and later changed to Blunt-Mackenzie after marrying Sibell Lilian Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Countess of Cromartie) he inherited his titles and Mackenzie descent through his mother (even she only claims a Mackenzie descent as a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie).

Today Roderick's son is the current chief of Clan MacKenzie, John Ruaridh Grant MacKenzie, 5th Earl of Cromartie and he resides in Castle Leod, Strathpeffer, Ross-Shire, below. John is a keen climber and an explosives engineer so don't mess with him! He was recognised as Chief by Lord Lyon in 1962 and has two sons, Colin Ruaridh and Alasdair Kenelm Stuart. As stated on the Clan MacKenzie Society website: It was a Mackenzie who best defined the term ‘Chief’ when the Lord Advocate, Sir George Mackenzie, wrote in 1680 ‘Chief; for so we call the representative of the Family, from the French Word chef, a head: and in the Irish with us the chief of the Family, is call’d the head of the Clane’. Such has been the legal prestige of Sir George’s much cited assertion that the Chief of a Family and Head of a Clan are synonymous that it was upheld by the Scottish Court of Session in a case as recent as 1941.

If you aren't already a follower fictional MacKenzies appear in the hugely popular Outlander series of books by Diana Gabaldon. The Seat of the Clan Mackenzie, Castle Leod is widely considered to be the inspiration behind Castle Leoch, the home of the Clan MacKenzie, in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. It was considered as a filming location for the TV series, however, Doune Castle was selected due to its ease of location. This may be surprising to viewers who know Castle Leod as the seat of the Clan Mackenzie and accurately represents the historical period which Diana Gabaldon seeks to portray.

Diana Gabaldon told STV that "When the TV show began scouting locations, I suggested Leod as a possibility. It's entirely accurate as to period, of course, and has magnificent grounds, with a park of enormous, exotic trees planted by centuries of MacKenzies and their visitors. (Diana herself planted a "very modest" rowan, as her "own wee contribution" to the history). You can visit the Castle today and even stay in the Dower House in the grounds, perfect for exploring the beautiful surrounding area of Strathpeffer, Inverness and the Black Isle.