Mackenzie Branches and their Takeover of Lewis

The MacDonalds, Campbells, and other large clans had cadet branches that took on a life of their own. What about Clan Mackenzie? They were a large clan. In this portion of my discussion with Dr. Aonghas MacCoinnich, he teaches us about different branches of the Mackenzies and their individual personalities. He also explains how the Isle of Lewis went from being MacLeod territory for hundreds of years to being absorbed into Mackenzie territory and occupied by them.
Sponsor: www.usakilts.com
Scottish Clans Website: www.scottish-clans.com
Contribute to the Cause! www.scottish-clans.com/team

[@randyross5630]

My understanding is that the Chief of the Mackenzie's after the Fall of the Great Clan Ross and the Earls of Ross (1-5) that the Mackenzie Chief was saying he should be the Earl of Ross because he is an Hier to the Earls of Ross and or a Direct Descendant of one of the Earls of Ross (and any real claim would come through the Male line so I am pretty sure that is what he was saying), than I know later after the Official Advent of Surnames for everyone (with Ross' having a Surname long before per Declaration of Arbroath) that all Ross' that could not prove their pedigree by paperwork became Mackenzie's (almost a direct quote out of Pioneers and Map Makers of Arkansas), so I would like to know the Ross Component of the Mackenzies... Ross-shire was Ours! But than the 1st Stuart King Married the Chief of Ross the 4th Earl of Ross Hugh Ross' daughter somehow leading to the Stuarts turning on us, and taking the Title of Earl of Ross away from the Ross'! So than we partnered with the Laird of the Isles, by way of a Countess Ross who had to write the Pope to Marry him, and they had a Son, the Laird of the Isles the Earl of Ross, and we made War! Till was Ross-shire was Decimated, and than the Stuarts really weren't happy and appears to have worked with the Mackenzies to replace us as the Dominate power in Ross-shire, but the Mackenzies like their Chief it appeared for a Time, were Ross' by Blood, so my question is, were the Mackenzies all Kin and Blood Related, or was it a mishmash of people that adopted the Mackenzie Name when they became part of the Clan like so many Clans are? If they were a Clan of Blood Relatives, and that's why Ross' that couldn't prove their Pedigree by Paperwork made sense just to be Mackenzies because they were all assumed Kin? Or just that the Mackenzie was a Clan Comprised of so many Name Adoptions it just didn't Matter? So in the End where Ross' supplanted by others of Ross Blood? And the Stuart Kings just didn't think it was a Big Deal to just replace us with our Cousins? I also wonder when Clan Arias moved to Easter Ross under the War Master and Chief the 1st Earl of Ross Fearchar the Son of the Priest and became the Great Clan Ross, if there was a Power Vacuum in Wester Ross the Mackenzie filled the Void of, and than Grew in Power over the Generations... Well no matter what, they still owe us (Ross') RENT!

[@thescottishclans]

@randyross5630 great questions! I can tell you've thought a lot about this.