| Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean, 14th Clan Chief | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1558 |
| Died |
1598 (age 40) Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Other names |
Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean of Duart Big Lachlan Lachlan the Great |
| Title | 14th Clan Chief |
| Predecessor | Hector Og Maclean, 13th Chief, father |
| Successor | Hector Og Maclean, 15th Clan Chief, son |
| Spouse | Margaret, daughter of William Cunningham, 6th Earl of Glencairn |
| Children |
Hector Og Maclean, 15th Clan Chief Lachlan Og MacLean, 1st Laird of Torloisk |
| Parents | Hector Og Maclean, 13th Chief |
Cairn marking the place where he fell in battle
Sir Lachlan Mór Maclean (1558–1598) or Lachlan the Great, was the 14th MacLean Clan Chief from late 1573 or early 1574 until his death in 1598.[1] Mór or Mor translates as great in English, or magnus in Latin, when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic.[2]
Birth[]
He was born in 1558 to Eachuinn Og Maclean. Sir Lachlan became the 14th Maclean Clan Chief at the death of his father in 1573 or 1574.[1]
He was called "Big Lachlan," both on account of his stature and the greatness of his mind. He was the most accomplished and warlike chief that ever held sway in Duard. His military talents were of a very high order; his chivalrous character commanded the respect of his most inveterate foes, and his personal interest for and kindness toward his followers endeared him to his clansmen. So great were his qualities that historians have been forced to pay tribute to his memory.[1]
Marriage and children[]
He married Lady Margaret Cunningham of Glencairn, daughter of William Cunningham, 6th Earl of Glencairn.[3] They had the following children:[1]
- Hector Og Maclean, 15th Clan Chief
- Lachlan Og Maclean, 1st Laird of Torloisk
- Gillean Maclean, married to Mary the elder, daughter of John Dubh Maclean of Morvern
- Allan Maclean, married to Mary the younger, daughter of John Dubh Maclean of Morvern
- Charles Maclean, married to daughter of Hector Maclean of Lochbuie, 8th Chief
- Bethag Maclean, married to Hector MacLean of Lochbuie, 9th Chief
Death[]
He died on August 5, 1598 in the Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart on the Island of Islay and his remains were left on the battlefield. A day or two after the battle, it is said that two females, of whom different accounts are given—some calling them strangers, some clanswomen, some relations of the dead—grieving to think that the body of so notable a chief as Sir Lachlan Mor should be unburied and uncared for on the moorland, came from a distance in search of it. They hired a vehicle, the only one to be had in the neighborhood, and having found the corpse, proceeded to carry it to the nearest burying-grounds, about six miles distant. The way was rough, and the driver looking behind him saw the head of the great chief, which extended beyond the car, nodding to him at every jolt, as if it had life, and were giving him directions. At the next heavy rut he looked again to please his savage soul with ferocious enjoyment. But this time the elder female, who had watched him, acted as described in the ballad, and killed the brutal driver with the chieftain's dagger. Then, along with her companion, she brought the mortal remains of Sir Lachlan to the place where they still lie buried.[1]
He was buried in the churchyard of Kilchoman, Islay, near the south wall of the church, and over his grave was laid a great stone. There is a churchyard, Kilnave, near the battle-field; but the body was taken to Kilchoman so that it might be more honored, for he was buried inside the church, and when a new church was built there, about sixty years ago, the wall was so constructed that the grave was left outside.[1]
Ancestors[]
| Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean | Father: Eachuinn Og Maclean |
Paternal Grandfather: Eachuinn Mor Maclean |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: Lachlan Cattanach Maclean |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Katherine, daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll | |||
| Paternal Grandmother: Mary MacDonald of Islay and the Glens |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: Alexander MacDonald of Islay and the Glens | ||
| Paternal Great-Grandmother: | |||
| Mother: Janet Campbell of Argyll |
Maternal Grandfather: Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll |
Maternal Great-Grandfather: Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll | |
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: Jean, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly | |||
| Maternal Grandmother: |
Maternal Great-grandfather: | ||
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: |
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f MacLean, John Patterson (1889). A History of the Clan MacLean from Its First Settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the Present Period: Including a Genealogical Account of Some of the Principal Families Together with Their Heraldry, Legends, Superstitions, etc.. R. Clarke & Company. http://books.google.com/books?id=tQs2AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA224&dq=%22Laird+of+Brolas%22&ei=b4ikSaD5JJHIM5uWrb8B#PPA91,M1. "Sir Lachlan Mor became chief. He was called "Big Lachlan," both on account of his size and the greatness of his mind. It is recorded that he was the most accomplished and warlike chief that ever held sway in the castle. This assumption might be owing to the nearness of his time, whilst those remote might grow dim as ages melt away. His military talents were of a high order; his chivalrous character everywhere commanded respect, and his devoted interest in behalf of his people endeared him to all. Historians have written of him in unstinted praise. His reign covers a very interesting period, though varied and much given to tumult. He fell in a clan battle with the MacDonalds of Islay, on August 5, 1598 ... His issue by Margaret, daughter of William Cunningham, sixth earl of Glencairn, was Eachann Og, his eldest son and successor, Lachlan Og, of whom the family of Torloisk was descended, Gillean, married to Mary the elder, Allan, married to Mary the younger, both daughters of John Dubh of Morvern, and Charles. The only daughter married Hector MacLean of Lochbuy, the first Protestant of his family also."
- ^ "Mór". MacBain's Dictionary. http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/mb27.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17. "great, Irish mór, Old Irish mór, már, Welsh mawr, Old Welsh, Cornish maur, Breton meur, Gaulish -mârós; Greek @G-mwros, great, famed ( @Ge@'ghesí-mwros) in spear-throw; Gothic -mêrs, famed, mêrian, proclaim, Old High German mâri, famed, -mar in Germanic names German märchen, a tale, Norse m@oerr, famous; Slavonic -meru (Vladimir, etc.); Latin merus, English mere. A shorter form of the stem (*mâro-) appears in mò, greater (mâ), q.v."
- ^ "Lady Margaret Cuninghame". Thepeerage.com. http://www.thepeerage.com/p32652.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-30. "Lady Margaret Cuninghame is the daughter of William Cuninghame, 6th Earl of Glencairn and Janet Gordon. She married Sir Lachlan 'Mor' Maclean of Dowart."
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