View source for Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
'''Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver''' (died 1486), was the ninth chief of the ancient [[Clan Mackay]], a [[Scottish clan]] of the [[Scottish Highlands]].
==Early life==
Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver, was the eldest son of [[Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver]], and his wife who was a daughter of [[George Munro, 10th Baron of Foulis]], chief of [[Clan Munro]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66">{{cite book |last=Mackay |first=Angus |year=1906 |title=The Book of Mackay |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofmackay00mack/page/n7/mode/2up |location=25 [[George IV Bridge]], Edinburgh |publisher=Norman MacLeod |pages=[https://archive.org/stream/bookofmackay00mack#page/66/mode/2up 66]–69}}</ref> His maternal grandmother, through Munro of Foulis, was a daughter of Ross of Balnagown, chief of [[Clan Ross]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
The blood feud that had raged since 1370 between the Clan Mackay and the [[Clan Sutherland]] had become assuaged, so much so that one of Angus Roy Mackay's daughters married Sutherland of Dirlot.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
==Feud with the Clan Gunn==
[[File:Strathnaver map.jpg|thumb|Map showing the Mackay chief's territory of [[Strathnaver]] in relation to [[Caithness]], [[Sutherland]] and [[Ross, Scotland|Ross]] to the south]]
The Keiths who lived in [[Caithness]] were akin to the Sutherlands of Dirlot, both families having obtained their lands in Caithness through marriage with daughters of [[Reginald le Chen (d.1345)|Reginald Cheyne]] (of [[Clan Cheyne]]).<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> According to historian Angus Mackay, it is probable that the chief of [[Clan Gunn]], who was a man of great power and the Crowner of Caithness, resented the intrusion of the Keiths who were newcomers to the area.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> The [[Clan Keith]] of [[Aberdeenshire]] had great influence at court through their chief, the [[Earl Marischal]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> In Caithness relations became so hostile that the Keiths were determined to crush the Gunns if possible.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
According to [[Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet]], the Keiths "mistrusting" their own forces "sent to Angus Mackay entreating him to come to their aid",  which he did.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66.1">Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. p. 67. Quoting: [[Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet|Gordon, Sir Robert]], ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland.''</ref> According to historian Angus Mackay it is not known exactly why Mackay chose to support the Keiths, but it could have been partly because of the prospect of plunder, but also because at the time Sir Gilbert Keith of Inverguie was collector of customs for Caithness, Strathnaver and Sutherland, and in this function might have crossed the Gunns and befriended the Mackays, securing Mackay's help.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> As such in 1464 Angus Roy Mackay advanced on Caithness where the [[Battle of Tannach]] took place.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> The Mackays were joined by the Keiths and the [[Clan MacLeod of Lewis#Branches of the clan|MacLeods of Assynt]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> The Gunns were defeated being overwhelmed by numbers, but not without great slaughter on both sides.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> Soon after this the Keiths massacred the Gunn chief and some his sons in what is now known as the [[Battle of Champions]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> The Parliament of 1478 took measures to end the blood-shed in Ross, Sutherland and Caithness.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
==Feud with the Clan Ross==
A feud later broke out with the [[Clan Ross]] whose chiefs were the Rosses of [[Balnagown Castle]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> According to the ''Blackcastle MS'' (which was written by Alexander Mackay of Blackcastle who had access to the Mackay chief's family charters and papers) the Rosses had made "a predatory incursion" into the territory of the Mackays.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> Sir Robert Gordon however says that the Mackays "often molested with incursions and invasions" the lands of the Rosses.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66.2">Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. p. 68. Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert, ''A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland.''</ref> According to historian Angus Mackay the evidence is ample that the Mackays managed to recover some of the lands in Ross-shire that had belonged to their relatives and enemies, Neil Neilson Mackay, his brother Morgan Neilson Mackay and Neil and Morgan's father-in-law Murray of Cubin, all three of whom had been defeated and killed by the Mackays of Strathnaver at the [[Battle of Drumnacoub]] in 1433.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> The evidence is also ample that the Rosses managed to secure some of these lands lying in the parishes of Edderton and Kincardine in Ross-shire.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> So it appears that the feud between the Mackays and the Rosses arose out of a scramble for disputed lands.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> Angus Roy Mackay having made various expeditions into Ross was at last overpowered in what is now known as the [[Battle of Tarbat]], and taking refuge in the church of Tarbat which was set on fire, he was burnt to death in 1486.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Carver |first1=M |last2=Garner-Lahire |first2=J |last3=Spall |first3=C |year=2016 |title=Portmahomack on Tarbat Ness: Changing Ideologies in North-East Scotland, Sixth to Sixteenth Century AD |publisher=[[Historic Scotland]], FAS Scotland, [[University of York]] |page=319}}</ref>
==Family==
Angus Roy Mackay married a daughter of Mackenzie of [[Kintail]], chief of [[Clan Mackenzie]] and had the following children:<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
#[[Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver]], successor as chief of the Clan Mackay.
#John Rivach Mackay, who led the Mackays to avenge his father's death and defeated the Rosses at the [[Battle of Aldy Charrish]] in 1487 where the Ross chief was killed.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/> However, John Rivach Mackay himself was killed in 1513 fighting the English at the [[Battle of Flodden]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
#A daughter who married Hector Mackenzie of Auchterned, son of [[Hector Roy Mackenzie]] of [[Gairloch]].<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
#A daughter who married Sutherland of Dirlot.<ref name="Book of Mackay.61.66"/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
*[[Chiefs of Clan Mackay]]
*[[Clan Mackay]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, Angus Roy}}
[[Category:Clan Mackay|Angus Roy]]
[[Category:1486 deaths]]
[[Category:Scottish clan chiefs]]