Roderick MacLeod (Old Rory)
Encyclopedia
Roderick MacLeod also known as Old Rory, was the chief of Clan MacLeod of Lewes
in the later half of the 16th century.
, whom the Scottish king had deposed in 1506.
Malcolm had re-acquired the ancestral dominions from the king in 1511, but when he died, his son Roderick was still underage, and Torquil's son John
-with the assistance of Domhnall 'gruamach' of Sleat- to seize the whole Lewes inheritance. John's daughter and heiress Mari had married Domhnall 'gorme' of Sleat. Roderick, on the other hand, claimed the succession as male heir, many regarding him as the lawful possessor of the Ljotson dynasty's heritage. An agreement was reached between Domhnall 'gorme' and Roderick Melkolmson, whereby Roderick was allowed to enter into possession of the island of Lewis
, and in return Roderick became bound to assist in putting Domhnall 'gorme' in possession of Trotternish
, and help against all the efforts of the chief of Harris-Dunvegan.
The powerful fleet of King James V
arrived at the isle of Lewis around 1540, which caused the resistance there to collapse. The claimant Domhnall Dubh
, last male scion of the main line of the MacDonald princes, died in 1545.
Upon the collapse of the rebellion, Roderick was pardoned for his treasonable part by the king. However it is clear he and his clan continued to act independently of the Scottish government. In 1554, Letters of Fire and Sword were issued for the extermination of Roderick of The Lewes, John Moydertach of Clan Ranald and Donald Gormson MacDonald of Sleat after they all refused to attend parliament at Inverness
.
The fall of the clan in Lewes, the extinction of the original line of chiefs, and loss of the Isle of Lewis, began with Roderick's sordid marital story and the disastrous feuds he incurred against other clans.
His first wife was Siobhan, a daughter of Iain Mackenzie of Kintail. This woman had produced a son named Torcuil 'connanach' (named after his residence among the Mackenzies in Strathconnan). Roderick disowned Torcuil Connanach on account of alleged adultery between his wife and the Morrison brieve of Lewis. Siobhan later abandoned him and eloped with a cousin of his, John MacGillechallum of Raasay, after which Roderick divorced her. In that way, Roderick provided a pretext for a deadly feud with the Mackenzies, which ended only with the destruction of his whole family.
In 1541, Roderick took for his second wife, the widowed Barbara Stewart from Orkney, daughter of Andrew, Lord Avondale
, and by this lady had a son, likewise named Torquil, and surnamed Oighre (the Heir, to distinguish him from the disowned Torcuil). About 1566, the younger Torquil was drowned along with sixty attendants in a tempest while sailing from Lewis to Skye
across The Minch
.
Torcuil Connanach immediately took up arms for what he conceived to be his rights. In this, he was supported by the Mackenzies. He captured his supposed father, the old lord Roderick, and for the next four years kept him as prisoner under dreadful conditions within the castle of Stornoway
. Roderick was only released from captivity by agreeing to recognise Torcuil Connanach as his lawful heir. In 1572, Roderick was brought before the Privy Council, where he was forced to resign to the Crown his lands of Lewis, Assynt
, Coigach
and Waternish
. These lands were then granted to Torcuil Connanach as his lawful heir, and he only received them back in life-rent. When Roderick returned to Lewis, however, he renounced all he had agreed to on the grounds of coercion on 2 June 1572. Later in 1576, Regent Morton
was successful in reconciling Roderick and Connanach, where Connanach was again made lawful heir and also received charter to the lands of Coigach.
Roderick took for his third wife, a sister of Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart, and had by her two sons, named Torquil 'dubh' and Tormod. He made Torquil Dubh his heir. Having again been disinherited, Torcuil Connanach once more took up arms, and was supported by two illegitimate sons of Roderick. He captured Roderick and killed a number of his men. All the charters and title deeds of the Lewis were carried off by Connanach, and handed over to the Mackenzies. The charge of the castle of Stornaway, with the chief a prisoner in it, was committed to Iain, the son of Connanach, but he was attacked by Lewes troops and killed. Freed, Roderick possessed the island in peace for the remainder of his life.
The dissensions in the Lewis, followed by the forfeiture of that island in consequence of the non-production of the title-deeds (held by the Mackenzies), as required by the Act of Estates of 1597, afforded the king an opportunity to try an abortive project of colonisation of Lewes. The colonists were in the end compelled to abandon their enterprise.
After the death of Roderick, the Sleat chieftains, heirs to Mari, the daughter of John, regarded themselves heirs of the deceased chiefs of Lewis and invaded the island pursuing their claim, although Torquil Dubh had left legitimate sons. It was not until after causing much destruction that the MacDonald of Sleat chief was driven off the island by the men of Lewis.
Clan MacLeod of Lewis
Clan Macleod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis, 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...
in the later half of the 16th century.
Life
Roderick was the son and heir of Malcolm, chieftain of Lewes, himself younger brother of the forfeited chieftain TorquilTorquil MacLeod (forfeited clan chief)
Torquil MacLeod was the chief of Clan MacLeod of Lewis in around 1500. He died before 1510. He was born in about 1460, and mentioned in 1498, and in 1506....
, whom the Scottish king had deposed in 1506.
Malcolm had re-acquired the ancestral dominions from the king in 1511, but when he died, his son Roderick was still underage, and Torquil's son John
John MacLeod (son of Torquil MacLeod)
John MacLeod was chieftain of the island of Lewis in the 1520s and 1530s. He is mentioned in 1528.John was the son of Torquil MacLeod, the deposed chief of Clan MacLeod of Lewis, whom the king had forfeited in 1506. John's uncle Malcolm had managed to acquire the ancestral island back...
-with the assistance of Domhnall 'gruamach' of Sleat- to seize the whole Lewes inheritance. John's daughter and heiress Mari had married Domhnall 'gorme' of Sleat. Roderick, on the other hand, claimed the succession as male heir, many regarding him as the lawful possessor of the Ljotson dynasty's heritage. An agreement was reached between Domhnall 'gorme' and Roderick Melkolmson, whereby Roderick was allowed to enter into possession of the island of Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
, and in return Roderick became bound to assist in putting Domhnall 'gorme' in possession of Trotternish
Trotternish
Trotternish or Tròndairnis is the northernmost peninsula of the Isle of Skye, in Scotland.One of its more well-known features is the Trotternish landslip, a massive landslide that runs almost the full length of the peninsula, some...
, and help against all the efforts of the chief of Harris-Dunvegan.
The powerful fleet of King James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
arrived at the isle of Lewis around 1540, which caused the resistance there to collapse. The claimant Domhnall Dubh
Domhnall Dubh
Domhnall Dubh was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Aonghas Óg, chief of Clan Donald , and claimant to the Lordship of the Isles, which had been held by his grandfather John of Islay, Earl of Ross ....
, last male scion of the main line of the MacDonald princes, died in 1545.
Upon the collapse of the rebellion, Roderick was pardoned for his treasonable part by the king. However it is clear he and his clan continued to act independently of the Scottish government. In 1554, Letters of Fire and Sword were issued for the extermination of Roderick of The Lewes, John Moydertach of Clan Ranald and Donald Gormson MacDonald of Sleat after they all refused to attend parliament at Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
The fall of the clan in Lewes, the extinction of the original line of chiefs, and loss of the Isle of Lewis, began with Roderick's sordid marital story and the disastrous feuds he incurred against other clans.
His first wife was Siobhan, a daughter of Iain Mackenzie of Kintail. This woman had produced a son named Torcuil 'connanach' (named after his residence among the Mackenzies in Strathconnan). Roderick disowned Torcuil Connanach on account of alleged adultery between his wife and the Morrison brieve of Lewis. Siobhan later abandoned him and eloped with a cousin of his, John MacGillechallum of Raasay, after which Roderick divorced her. In that way, Roderick provided a pretext for a deadly feud with the Mackenzies, which ended only with the destruction of his whole family.
In 1541, Roderick took for his second wife, the widowed Barbara Stewart from Orkney, daughter of Andrew, Lord Avondale
Lord Avondale
There have been several peerage titles created with the name Avondale , referring to the dale of the Avon Water in Scotland. The word strath also means valley, and the area is now better known as Strathaven....
, and by this lady had a son, likewise named Torquil, and surnamed Oighre (the Heir, to distinguish him from the disowned Torcuil). About 1566, the younger Torquil was drowned along with sixty attendants in a tempest while sailing from Lewis to Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
across The Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
.
Torcuil Connanach immediately took up arms for what he conceived to be his rights. In this, he was supported by the Mackenzies. He captured his supposed father, the old lord Roderick, and for the next four years kept him as prisoner under dreadful conditions within the castle of Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
. Roderick was only released from captivity by agreeing to recognise Torcuil Connanach as his lawful heir. In 1572, Roderick was brought before the Privy Council, where he was forced to resign to the Crown his lands of Lewis, Assynt
Assynt
Assynt is a civil parish in west Sutherland, Highland, Scotland – north of Ullapool.It is famous for its landscape and its remarkable mountains...
, Coigach
Coigach
Coigach today refers to the peninsula "beyond the big rock" north of Ullapool, in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Anciently till changes in civil registration districts in 1857 the Barony also included Isle Martin, the lands down to Corrie beyond Ullapool, the various farms of...
and Waternish
Waternish
Waternish or Bhatairnis/Vaternish is a peninsula approximately long on the island of Skye, Scotland, situated between Loch Dunvegan and Loch Snizort in the northwest of the island, and traditionally inhabited and owned by Clan MacLeod whose clan seat is at the nearby Dunvegan Castle. The current...
. These lands were then granted to Torcuil Connanach as his lawful heir, and he only received them back in life-rent. When Roderick returned to Lewis, however, he renounced all he had agreed to on the grounds of coercion on 2 June 1572. Later in 1576, Regent Morton
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Morton was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he did manage to win the civil war which had been dragging on with the supporters of the exiled Mary, Queen of...
was successful in reconciling Roderick and Connanach, where Connanach was again made lawful heir and also received charter to the lands of Coigach.
Roderick took for his third wife, a sister of Lauchlan Maclean of Dowart, and had by her two sons, named Torquil 'dubh' and Tormod. He made Torquil Dubh his heir. Having again been disinherited, Torcuil Connanach once more took up arms, and was supported by two illegitimate sons of Roderick. He captured Roderick and killed a number of his men. All the charters and title deeds of the Lewis were carried off by Connanach, and handed over to the Mackenzies. The charge of the castle of Stornaway, with the chief a prisoner in it, was committed to Iain, the son of Connanach, but he was attacked by Lewes troops and killed. Freed, Roderick possessed the island in peace for the remainder of his life.
Aftermath
On his death, Roderick was succeeded by his son, Torquil Dubh, who married a sister of the knight Rhuaidhri mhicLeoidh of Harris. In 1596, Torquil Dubh, with a force of seven or eight hundred men, devastated Torcuil Connanach's lands of Coigach and the Mackenzie lands of Lochbroom. In consequence, Torquil Dubh was summoned to appear before the Privy Council and was declared a rebel when he failed to appear. He was by stratagem apprehended by the breve of Lewis, chief of the Morrisons of Ness, and carried to the lands of the Mackenzies, into the presence of Lord Kintail, who ordered Torquil Dubh and his companions to be beheaded. This took place in July 1597.The dissensions in the Lewis, followed by the forfeiture of that island in consequence of the non-production of the title-deeds (held by the Mackenzies), as required by the Act of Estates of 1597, afforded the king an opportunity to try an abortive project of colonisation of Lewes. The colonists were in the end compelled to abandon their enterprise.
After the death of Roderick, the Sleat chieftains, heirs to Mari, the daughter of John, regarded themselves heirs of the deceased chiefs of Lewis and invaded the island pursuing their claim, although Torquil Dubh had left legitimate sons. It was not until after causing much destruction that the MacDonald of Sleat chief was driven off the island by the men of Lewis.