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CLAN HISTORY OF MacLEOD OF LEWIS

MacLeod of Lewis: Pronounced Mac-Leod, emphasis on the L in Leod.

Sometimes written and pronounced MacCloud in the U.S.A.

Clansmen's Crest: The sun in his splendor, proper.

Moto: Luceo non uro (I shine, not burn).

Gaelic Name: MacLeoid

Origin of Name: Gaelic MacLeoid (son of Leod, from Norse Ijot, ugly).

Badge: Red whortleberry.

Ancient Septs or members of the Torquil MacLeod family are: In alphabetical order:
Askey, Mulay, Callam, Caskey, Caskie, Lewis, MacAllum, MacAskie, MacAskill, MacCabe, MacAulay, MacCallum, MacCaskie, MacCaskill, MacCorkill, MacCorkindale, MacCorkle, MacCorquodale, MacGillecallum, MacKaskill, MacLewis, MacNichol, MacNicol, MacNicoll, Malcolmson, Nicholl, Nicholson, Nicol, Nicoll, Nicolson, Norie, Norrie, Tolmie.

The Siol Torquil branch of the Clan MacLeod is descended from Torquil, son of Leod, who was son to Olaf the Black of Norway and the Orkneys.

In the 14th Century King David II granted to Torquil MacLeod a charter of the barony of Assynt in Sutherland. Lewis was given to Torquil by father Leod, of Norwegian descent. Lewis and (Skye) had been held by this branch of the clan as vassals of the MacDonalds, and with the acquisition of other lands in Rassay, Waternish and Gairloch, the Siol Torquil rivalled the Siol Tormod (his brother Tormod - the Harris branch) in importance and disputed the chiefship of the clan. Torquil, had enough clan members to become his own Clan Chief , and he did so. There was little animosity between the brother Clans' and both were Chief's of their own Clan.

Tormod became MacLeod of Harris, Torquil became MacLeod of Lewis.

Torquil, who was chief of the Lewes or Lewis MacLeods, had his estate forfeited in 1506 for assisting Donald Dubh MacDonald in his rebellion to obtain the forfeited Lordship of the Isles. The forfeited estate of Lewis was restored to Malcolm, brother of the attainted Torquil in 1511. In the 16th Century the history of the Siol Torquil became a succession of feuds, not only with other clans, but between members of their own clans, and when the main lines of the Lewis MacLeods became extinct in the early 17th century, the chiefship of this branch passed to the MacLeods of Rassay, and afterwards to the MacLeods of Cadboil, who are the oldest cadets of the MacLeods of Assynt.

So, to sum it up a bit, Torquil MacLeod owned lands not only on Lewis, but also on the Isle of Skye, (several areas), in addition to the sites on western mainland of Scotland -- the Rassay area, the Waternish, Gairloch, and Assynt.

The King of Scotland forfeited Torquils land, but it was restored to Malcolm, brother of the attainted Torquil in 1511. After Torquil lines ecame extinct in the early 17th century, the chiefship passed to MacLeods of Rassay, then to MacLeods of Assynt.

These were warlike Norse who were related to Olaf the Black, founder of the Gunn Clan, Caithness and the Orkneys. . Olaf the Black was the father to Leod of MacLeod and an grandfather to Tormod and Torquil. Thus the Gunn, MacLeod of Lewis connection. All Norse, all ferocious. Due to the plan of fosterage, some Gunn infants were raised by the MacLeods, thus the close MacLeod of Lewis and Gunn connections.

another source book states:

The clan of Torquil early became so powerful as to dispute the superiority of the Harris (brother) chiefship, attaining at least an independent status. Always friendly with MacLeod of Harris (his brother) Tormod, Torquil rivaled his brother in clan members and formed MacLeod of Lewis. Important branches were the MacGillecallum or MacLeods of Rassay, and those of Assynt. The MacNicol (Nicolson) were originally and independent clan of the Assynt district; they moved to the Portree corner of Skye after a 14th-century Lewis MacLeod had married their Chief's heiress.

another source states:

Some authorities represent the Clan MacLeod as having a Celtic orgin, but the larger number favour the tradition of a Norse ancestory. The latter theory seems to be as by far the nearly undesputible, and the names of the two great branches of the clan (Siol Tormod or Norman) and Siol Torquil (or Orkill or Orchill) would seem to bear out the theory of their Norse descent.

According to their officially certified descent (and the ministerial decision of the Lord Lyon in such 'Diplomae Stemmatis' is, according to their preamble, "conclusive" and is so received in all courts of Honour and Ancestry), the progenitor of the MacLeods was Leod, son of Olave (Olaf) the Black, brother of Magnus, the last King of Man. The present son of Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, is reckoned 28th from Leod and 36th from Godfred, surnamed Crovan, son of Harold the Black, of the Norwegian Royal Family, in the year 1066. The MacLeods thus rank as a "Royal Race" amongst the princely houses of Europe.

By marriage Leod's marriage with the daughter and heiress of Macarailt, Armuin of Dunvegan, Tormod inherited also the famous stronghold on the northern coast of Skye. This stronghold is now shared by both branches Harris & Lewis, it is however owned by
the eldest who inherited it from his father, Leod.

There is more if you want it, just request it please, to Nancy MacCorkill, (scone@Scotlandmail.com) SCM mailing list (see link in main web page) or send email at bottom of this page.

Lady Nancy MacCorkill, F.S.A.N.A.S./ SCH
of Clans Gunn, MacLeod of Lewis, and Keith.
Sources: Clans of Scotland by Innes
Clans and Tartan, M Bain,
MacNaughton, Clans of Scotland
Scottish Clans, Innis
Lord Lyons Office, Agent of the Queen
[Credits] Standard Disclaimer Researched
(C)opyrighted: All Rights Reserved NAM 1998
Copy Protected: NOT to be copied in ANY form of media of communication -- or persons will be Prosecuted!!
(1997)-Copyright attorney.

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