Clan MacLeod of Lewis

Clan MacLeod of the Lewes
Sìol Thorcaill
Crest: A golden sun in splendour
MottoI birn quhil I se / Luceo Non Uro
Profile
DistrictLewis
Chief
Torquil Donald MacLeod of the Lewes
Historic seatStornoway Castle, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.[1]
Clan branches
Macleods of Lewis (historic chiefs)
Macleods of Assynt
MacLeod of Raasay
Macleods of Pabbay and Uig
Macleods of Cadboll
Allied clans
Rival clans
Kindreds

Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Clann Mhic Leòid Leòdhais), is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the beginning of the 17th century there were two branches of Macleods: the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris (Clan MacLeod); and the Macleods of the Isle of Lewis. In Gaelic the Macleods of Lewis were known as Sìol Thorcaill ("Seed of Torquil"), and the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris were known as Sìol Thormoid ("Seed of Tormod").[2]

The traditional progenitor of the MacLeods was Leod, made a son of Olaf the Black, King of Mann and the Isles, by a now-discredited tradition. An older, more accepted tradition names his father Olvir and describes the clan as Sliochd Olbhur. Tradition gave Leod two sons, Tormod - progenitor of the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan (Sìol Thormoid); and Torquil - progenitor of the Macleods of Lewis (Sìol Thorcaill). In the 16th and early 17th centuries the chiefly line of the Clan Macleod of The Lewes was nearly extinguished by the bloodthirsty and power hungry chief "Old Rory" and his various offspring. This feuding directly led to the fall of the clan, and loss of its lands to the Clan Mackenzie. One line of the 16th century chiefly family, the Macleods of Raasay, survived and prospered on their lands for centuries thereafter. The current chief of Lewis descends from this latter family.

Today, Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, MacLeod of Raasay, and Clan MacLeod are represented by "Associated Clan MacLeod Societies", and the chiefs of the three clans.[3] The association is made up of eleven national societies around the world including: Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa (inactive), Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States of America.[4]

  1. ^ Coventry, Martin (2008). Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans. Musselburgh: Goblinshead. pp. 390–392. ISBN 9781899874361.
  2. ^ Matheson, William (11 April 1979). "The MacLeods of Lewis". macleodgenealogy.org. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  3. ^ "Associated Clan MacLeod Societies: ACMS". Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.