History of the Mackenzies | Page 4

small changes
to apparent typographical errors. I have left out the occasional accent
that is used on some Scottish names. For instance, "Mor" has an accent
over the "o." A capital L preceding a number, denotes the British
monetary pound sign.
[Footnotes are in square brackets, book titles and italized words in
quotes.]

Edited and reformatted by Brett Fishburne
[email protected]

HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIES WITH GENEALOGIES OF THE
PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE NAME.
NEW, REVISED, AND EXTENDED EDITION.

BY
ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, M.J.I.,
AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE MACDONALDS AND
LORDS OF THE ISLES;" "THE HISTORY OF THE CAMERONS;"
"THE HISTORY OF THE MACLEODS;" "THE HISTORY OF THE
MATHESONS;" "THE HISTORY OF THE CHISOLMS;" "THE
PROPHECIES OF THE BRAHAN SEER;" "THE HISTORICAL
"TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE HIGHLAND CLEARANCES;"
"THE SOCIAL STATE OF THE ISLE OF SKYE;" ETC., ETC.

LUCEO NON URO

INVERNESS: A. & W. MACKENZIE. MDCCCXCIV.

PREFACE.
-:0:-

THE ORIGINAL EDITION of this work appeared in 1879, fifteen
years ago. It was well received by the press, by the clan, and by all
interested in the history of the Highlands. The best proof of this is the
fact that the book has for several years been out of print, occasional
second-hand copies of it coming into the market selling at a high
premium on the original subscription price.
Personally, however, I was never satisfied with it. It was my first clan
history, and to say nothing of inevitable defects of style by a
comparatively inexperienced hand, it was for several other reasons
necessarily incomplete, and in many respects not what I should wish
the history of my own clan to be.

This edition, which extends to close upon two hundred pages more than
its predecessor, has an accurate and well-executed plate of the clan
tartan, and a life-like portrait of the Author; has been almost entirely
re-written; contains several families omitted from the first; has all been
carefully revised; and although not even now absolutely perfect, I
believe it is almost as near being so as it is possible for any work which
contains such an enormous number of dates and other details as this
one to be.
The mythical Fitzgerald origin of the clan, hitherto accepted by most of
its leading members, is exhaustively dealt with, I venture to hope
effectively, if not completely and finally disposed of. That it is now
established beyond any reasonable dispute to have been a pure
invention of the seventeenth century may, I think, be safely asserted,
while it is, with almost equal conclusiveness, shown that the
Mackenzies are descended from a native Celtic chief of the same stock
as the original O'Beolan Earls of Ross, as set forth in the Table printed
on page 39.
My list of subscribers, for a second edition, shows in the most
gratifying form that the work is still in active demand, and I am
sanguine enough to expect that as soon as it is issued to the public the
remaining copies will be quickly disposed of.
I am indebted to a young gentleman, Mr Evan North Burton-Mackenzie,
Younger of Kilcoy, of whom I venture to predict more will be heard in
this particular field, for valuable genealogical notes about his own and
other Mackenzie families, while for the copious and well-arranged
Index at the end of the volume - a new feature of this edition - I have
again to acknowledge the services of my eldest son, Hector Rose
Mackenzie, solicitor, Inverness.
A. M. PARK HOUSE, INVERNESS, March 1894

THE HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIES.

ORIGIN.

THE CLAN MACKENZIE at one time formed one of the most
powerful families in the Highlands. It is still one of the most numerous
and influential, and justly claims a very ancient descent. But there has

always been a difference of opinion regarding its original progenitor. It
has long been maintained and generally accepted that the Mackenzies
are descended from an Irishman named Colin or Cailean Fitzgerald,
who is alleged but not proved to have been descended from a certain
Otho, who accompanied William the Conqueror to England, fought
with that warrior at the battle of Hastings, and was by him created
Baron and Castellan of Windsor for his services on that occasion.
THE REPUTED FITZGERALD DESCENT.
According to the supporters of the Fitzgerald-Irish origin of the clan,
Otho had a son Fitz-Otho, who is on record as his father's successor as
Castellan of Windsor in 1078. Fitz-Otho is said to have had three sons.
Gerald, the eldest, under the name of Fitz-Walter, is said to have
married, in 1112, Nesta, daughter of a Prince of South Wales, by whom
he also had three sons. Fitz-Walter's eldest son, Maurice, succeeded his
father, and accompanied Richard Strongbow to Ireland in 1170. He was
afterwards