Clan Macdonald of Clanranald

===14th century===

===14th century===

Reginald, 1st of Clanranald, succeeded through his mother in the majority of the old lands of Clann Ruaidhrí.<ref name=”Macd3-226238″>[[#Macd3|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’3”’]]: pp. 226–238.</ref> In 1371, his father John confirmed this succession by a charter of these lands which also granted him others on the mainland. That charter was confirmed the following year by Robert II and included the lands of [[Eigg]], [[Rùm|Rum]], [[Uist]], [[Harris, Outer Hebrides|Harris]], the three pennylands of [[Sunart]] and Letterlochette, the two pennylands of [[Ardgour]], the pennylands of Hawlaste and sixty merklands in [[Lochaber]]. On John’s death, Reginald’s younger half-brother, [[Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles|Donald]], succeeded to the lordship of the isles and chiefship of Clan Donald. Reginald died in 1386 at [[Castle Tioram]] and was buried at Relig Odhráin on [[Iona]]. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Allan.<ref name=”Macd3-226238″/> According to the family [[seanachie]] MacVuirich, Reginald’s brother Godfrey took possession of the former Clann Ruaidhrí lands of Uist and those on the mainland, leaving Reginald’s sons the lands in Lochaber.<ref name=”Macdonald-226230″>[[#Macd2|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’2”’]]: pp. 226–230.</ref>

Reginald, 1st of Clanranald, succeeded through his mother Amie mac Ruari in the majority of the old lands of Clann Ruaidhrí.<ref name=”Macd3-226238″>[[#Macd3|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’3”’]]: pp. 226–238.</ref> In 1371, his father John confirmed this succession by a charter of these lands; this charter also granted him others on the mainland. John’s charter was confirmed the following year by Robert II; it included the lands of [[Eigg]], [[Rùm|Rum]], [[Uist]], [[Harris, Outer Hebrides|Harris]], the three pennylands of [[Sunart]] and Letterlochette, the two pennylands of [[Ardgour]], the pennylands of Hawlaste and sixty merklands in [[Lochaber]]. On their father John’s death, Reginald’s younger half-brother, [[Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles|Donald]], son of John and Margaret, succeeded to the lordship of the isles and chiefship of Clan Donald. Reginald died in 1386 at [[Castle Tioram]] and was buried at Relig Odhráin on [[Iona]]. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Allan.<ref name=”Macd3-226238″/> According to the family [[seanachie]] MacVuirich, Reginald’s brother Godfrey took possession of the former Clann Ruaidhrí lands of Uist and those on the mainland, leaving Reginald’s sons the lands in Lochaber.<ref name=”Macdonald-226230″>[[#Macd2|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’2”’]]: pp. 226–230.</ref>

[[File:Iona Abbey – St Oran’s Chapel.jpg|thumb|”Relig Odhráin”: the cemetery surrounding St Oran’s Chapel on [[Iona]]. It was the burial grounds of the earliest chiefs of Clanranald.]]

[[File:Iona Abbey – St Oran’s Chapel.jpg|thumb|”Relig Odhráin”: the cemetery surrounding St Oran’s Chapel on [[Iona]]. It was the burial grounds of the earliest chiefs of Clanranald.]]

The era from Reginald down to his great-grandson Allan, son of Roderick, is by far the most obscure in the history of the clan. From the years 1372–1495, no charters of the family exist and it is impossible to know for certain exactly what territories it possessed. The earliest document to shed some light on this era is a charter granted by [[James V of Scotland|James V]] to John Moidartach in 1531. It states that the lands granted had been held by his grandfather, Allan, son of Roderick, and his predecessors. The lands mentioned were the 27 merklands of Moidart, the 30 merklands of Arisaig, 21 merklands in Eigg, and the 30 merklands of Skirhough, in South Uist. According to Angus and Archibald Macdonald, it seems likely that this mere fragment of Ranald’s original lands was all that the senior branch of Reginald’s descendants had left by the time of Allan, 2nd of Clanranald.<ref name=”Macdonald-230232″>[[#Macd2|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’2”’]]: pp. 230–232.</ref>

This early era from Reginald down to his great-grandson Allan, son of Roderick, is by far the most obscure in the history of the clan. From the years 1372–1495, no charters of the family exist and it is impossible to know for certain exactly what territories it possessed. The earliest document to shed some light on this era is a charter granted by [[James V of Scotland|James V]] to John Moidartach in 1531. It states that the lands granted had been held by his grandfather, Allan, son of Roderick, and his predecessors. The lands mentioned were the 27 merklands of Moidart, the 30 merklands of Arisaig, 21 merklands in Eigg, and the 30 merklands of Skirhough, in South Uist. According to Angus and Archibald Macdonald, it seems likely that this mere fragment of Ranald’s original lands was all that the senior branch of Reginald’s descendants had left by the time of Allan, 2nd of Clanranald.<ref name=”Macdonald-230232″>[[#Macd2|Macdonald; Macdonald 1900, ”’2”’]]: pp. 230–232.</ref>

===15th century===

===15th century===