按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ncient powerful native Gaelic tribes of which the Earls of Ross were the chiefs。
It has been shown that Kenneth； from whom the Mackenzies take their name； was closely allied by marriage with William； second Earl of Ross； the latter having married Kenneth's maternal aunt。 This fact by itself would be sufficient to establish the high position； which even at that early period； was occupied by Kenneth； who was already very closely connected with the O'Beolan Earls of Ross by blood and marriage。
Kenneth himself married Morna or Morba； daughter of Alexander Macdougall； styled； 〃De Ergedia；〃 Lord of Lorn by a daughter of John； the first Red Comyn； Lord of Badenoch； who died in 1273。 Kenneth's wife was thus a sister of John； the Black Comyn； who died about 1299； having married Marjory； daughter of John Baliol； by whom he had John； the second Red Comyn； one of the competitors for the Scottish Crown； killed by Robert the Bruce in the Church of Dumfries in 1306。 Kenneth's issue by Morna or Morba of Lorn was John Mackenzie； II。 of Kintail； who was thus； through his mother； third In descent from John； the first Red Comyn； who died in 1273； and sixth from the great Somerled of the Isles； Thane of Argyle； progenitor of the Macdougalls of Lorn and of all the Macdonalds； who died in 1164。
John made even a more illustrious alliance than his father； by which at that early date he introduced the Royal blood of Scotland and England into the family of Kintail。 He married his relative； Margaret； sister of David； twelfth Earl of Atholl； slain in 1335； and daughter of David； the eleventh Earl； who died in 1327 （whose estates were forfeited by Edward I。）； by Joan Comyn （died 1323）； daughter of the Red Comyn killed by Robert the Bruce； and great granddaughter of John Baliol。
Margaret's father； David； eleventh Earl of Atholl who died in 1327； was the oldest son of John de Strathbogie； tenth Earl； hanged by Edward I。 Earl John's mother was the Countess Isabel de Dover； who died at a very old age in 1292； daughter of Richard Fitzroy de Chillam （died 1216）； a natural son of King John of England。
Kenneth Mackenzie； III of Kintail； the issue of this marriage； was sixth in descent from John Baliol of the Royal line of Scotland and sixth from King John of England。
The Norwegian blood of the Kings of Man was brought into the family by the marriage of this Kenneth to Finguala； daughter of Torquil Macleod； I。 of Lewis； who was the grandson of Olave the Black； Norwegian King of Man； who died about 1237； by his wife Christina； daughter of Ferquhard 〃Mac an t'Sagairt；〃 first O'Beolan Earl of Ross。
The Royal blood of the Bruce was introduced by the marriage of Murdoch Mackenzie； V。 of Kintail； to Finguala； daughter of Malcolm Macleod； III。 of Harris （who has a charter in 1343）； by Martha； daughter of David； twelfth Earl of Mar； son of Gratney； eleventh Earl （whose sister Isabel married Robert the Bruce） by his wife Christina； daughter of Robert Bruce； Earl of Carrick； and sister of King Robert the Bruce。
The Plantaganet blood…royal of England was introduced later by the marriage of Kenneth Mackenzie； X。 of Kintail； to Lady Elizabeth Stewart； daughter of John； second Earl of Atholl； fourth in descent from John of Gaunt； Duke of Lancaster； son of Edward III。； and father of Henry IV。 of England； and this strain was strengthened and continued by the marriage of Kenneth's son； Colin Cam Mackenzie； XI。 of Kintail； to his cousin Barbara； daughter of John Grant of Grant by Lady Marjory Stewart； daughter of John； third Earl of Atholl。 It scarcely needs to be pointed out that； through these inter…marriages； the Mackenzies are also descended from the ancient Celtic MacAlpine line of Scottish Kings； from the original Anglo…Saxon Kings of England； and from the oldest Scandinavian； Charlemagne； and Capetian lines； as far back as the beginning of the ninth century。
The origin of the O'Beolan Earls of Ross and the Mackenzies from the same source is strikingly illustrated by their inter…marriages into the same families and with each other's kindred。 Both the O'Beolans and the Mackenzies made alliances with the Comyns of Badenoch； with the MacDougalls of Lorn； and subsequently with the Macleods of Lewis and Harris； thus forming a network of cousinship which ultimately included all the leading families in the Highlands； every one of which； through these alliances； have the Royal blood of all the English； Scottish； and Scandinavian Kings； and many of the earlier foreign monarchs； coursing in their veins。
Surely this is a sufficiently ancient and illustrious origin and much more satisfactory to every patriotic clansman than an Irish adventurer like the reputed Colin Fitzgerald； who； if he ever existed； had not and never could have had any connection with the real origin of the Mackenzies； which was as purely native of the Highlands as it was possible for any Scoto…Celtic family in those days to be。 The various genealogical steps and marriage alliances already referred to will be confirmed in each individual case as we proceed with the succession and history of the respective chiefs of the family； beginning with the first of the line；
I。 KENNETH； OR COINNEACH；
Who gave his name to the clan。 His is the fourth ascending name in the manuscript genealogy of 1467； which begins with Murdoch of the Cave。
Murdoch died in 1375； and was thus almost contemporaneous with the author of the Gaelic genealogy； which； translated； proceeds up to this Kenneth as follows：Murdoch； son of Kenneth； son of John； son of Kenneth； and so on； as already given at page 39 to Gilleoin of the Aird。
At this interesting stage it may be well to explain how the name Mackenzie came to be pronounced and written as it now is。 John； the son of this Kenneth； would be called in the original native Gaelic； 〃Ian Mac Choinnich；〃 John； son of Kenneth。 In that form it was unpronounceable to those unacquainted with the native tongue。 The nearest approach the foreigner could get to its correct enunciation would be Mac Coinni or Mac Kenny； which ultimately came to be spelt Mac Kenzie； Z in those days having exactly the same value and sound as the letter V； and the name； although spelt with a Z instead of a Y would be pronounced Mac Kenny； as indeed we pronounce in our own day； in Scotland； such names as Menzies； Macfadzean； and several others； as if they were still written with the letter Y。 The two letters being thus of the same value； after a time came to be used indiscriminately in the word Kenny or Kenzie； and the letter z having subsequently acquired a different value and sound of its own； more allied to the letter S than to the original Y； the name is pronounced as if it were written Mackensie。
Kenneth was the son and heir of Angus； the direct representative of a long line of ancestors up to Gilleoin na li'Airde； the common progenitor of the O'Beolan Earls of Ross； the Clann Ghille…Andrais； who about the end of the fourteenth century called themselves Rosses； and of the Mackenzies。 The close connection by blood and marriage between the O'Beolan Earls of Ross and Kenneth's family before and after thi