Battle of the Western Isles

55°57′18″N 5°54′04″W / 55.955°N 5.901°W / 55.955; -5.901

Battle of the Western Isles
Part of Clan Maclean and Clan MacDonald feud

Glen Garrisdale, the former stronghold of the MacLeans of Jura
Date1585-86
Location
Result Act of Parliament was passed to obtain peace
Belligerents
Clan Maclean Clan Macdonald of Sleat
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg
Commanders and leaders
Lachlan Mor Maclean Donald Gorm Mor of Sleat
Angus MacDonald of Islay

The Battle of the Western Isles was a series of conflicts in 1585 and 1586 on the islands of Jura, Islay, Mull and Tiree, Scotland as well as the peninsula of Kintyre on the mainland. However, although the historic sources describe this as having taken place in the "Western Isles"[1][2] which are now known as the Outer Hebrides, all of the aforementioned locations are actually in the Inner Hebrides. It was fought between the Clan Macdonald of Sleat and Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg against the Clan Maclean. In 1585, the Macleans slaughtered a party of the MacDonalds of Sleat when they were mistakenly accused of stealing cattle and the MacDonalds of Sleat and Dunnyveg retaliated. James VI of Scotland intervened but the conflicts continued into 1586. After further intervention an act of Parliament was passed which would levy fines on any clan chiefs who did not maintain peace and good order among their vassals.

  1. ^ "Troubles in the West Isles the year 1586". The History of the Feuds and Conflicts among the Clans in the Northern Parts of Scotland and in the Western Isles. Glasgow: Printed by J. & J. Robertson for John Gillies, Perth. 1780 [Originally published in 1764 by Foulis press]. pp. 28–36. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Written from a manuscript wrote in the reign of James VI of Scotland
  2. ^ Mackintosh, Charles-Fraser (1895). The Last Macdonalds of Islay chiefly selected from original bonds and documents, sometime belonging to Sir James Macdonald, the last of his race, now in the possession of Charles Fraser-Mackintosh. Glasgow: Celtic Monthly Office. pp. 46–52. Retrieved 5 January 2020. Quoting: Manuscript History of the Frasers