Kenneth Mackenzie, the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail ( – 1611), was a Highland clan chief who secured for himself and his heirs the entirety of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and successfully pursued a bloody feud with the Macdonells of Glengarry.
Origins
Mackenzie was the son of Colin Cam Mackenzie of Kintail (died 14 june 1594) âge 38 years and Élisabeth Stewart (died 58 years) Daughter Barbara Grant, Lady of Freuchie, Baroness of Kintail 1551-1591 Mariés à Ross, Scotland. of John Grant of Grant. The Mackenzies were a clan from Ross-shire that had risen to prominence in the 15th century during the disintegration of the Lordship of the Isles.
Political advancement
On 9 November 1594, soon after his father's death, Mackenzie made oath in presence of the King and the Privy Council that he would "faithfully, loyally, and truly concur, fortify, and assist his Majesty's Lieutenant of the North with his advice and force at all times and occasions as he may be required by proclamations, missive letters, or otherwise."
Under date of 18 February 1595 – 1596, there is an entry in the records of the Privy Council that Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail "being elected and chosen to be one of the ordinary members" of the Council, and being personally present, makes faith and gives oath in the usual manner. Mackenzie's connections to central government were to prove invaluable to him in the turbulent times that lay ahead. He proved himself to be a masterful political operator but even he had to deal with potentially serious setbacks and the Privy Council's records show that he was on at least one occasion imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle.
Mackenzie was one of the eight Lesser Barons who constituted the Lords of the Articles in the Scottish Parliament which met for the first time on 17 June 1609. Although he was raised to the peerage on 19 November 1609, by the title of Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, he was not so designated in the Privy Council Records until 31 May 1610, when the patent of his creation was read and received by their Lordships, and he was thereupon acknowledged to be a free baron in all time coming. Mackenzie's peerage accompanied his final triumph in his long campaign for the Isle of Lewis.
The conquest of Lewis
Mackenzie's greatest opportunity arose from an internecine struggle within the Macleods of Lewis. Roderick "Old Ruari" Macleod of Lewis (c.1500-c.1595) divorced his wife, Janet (the daughter of John Mackenzie 9th of Kintail and therefore Kenneth Mackenzie's great-aunt), and disowned his son by her, Torquil Cononach Macleod. By another wife, Roderick had another son, Torquil Dubh Macleod. After Roderick's death, Torquil Dubh retained Lewis, but Torquil Cononach (who had the support of central government) held the mainland Macleod estates at Coigach and Loch Broom. Torquil Cononach had no sons. His daughter and co-heir, Margaret, married Mackenzie's brother, Roderick (progenitor of the Earls of Cromartie), and the Mackenzies accordingly took up his cause against Torquil Dubh.
In 1596/7, Mackenzie complained to the king of attacks made by Torquil Dubh on Coigach and Loch Broom. When Torquil Dubh failed to appear before the Privy Council on 11 February 1596/7, he was denounced as a rebel and Mackenzie obtained a commission of fire and sword against him. Torquil Dubh's rights to Lewis were forfeited and he himself was captured and beheaded in July 1597. Torquil Cononach surrendered his rights in Lewis to Mackenzie and identified Roderick Mackenzie as his heir in respect of Coigach and Loch Broom.
However, a new obstacle to Mackenzie's campaign of self-aggrandisement now arose. In 1598, Lewis was granted to the Fife adventurers, with the professed object of civilising the inhabitants. Their colonising efforts over the next several years met with vigorous local resistance, which was intermittently and discreetly assisted by Mackenzie.
At a meeting of the Privy Council, held at Edinburgh on 30 September 1605, Mackenzie received a commission to act for the King against Neil MacNeill of Barra, the Captain of Clanranald, and several other Highland and Island chiefs, who had "of late amassed together a force and company of the barbarous and rebellious thieves and limmers of the Isles," and with them entered Lewis, "assailed the camp of his Majesty's good subjects," and "committed barbarous and detestable murders and slaughters upon them." Mackenzie was in consequence commissioned to pursue these offenders with fire and sword, by sea or land. This was the beginning of Mackenzie's conquest of Lewis.
