Battle of Bloody Bay
Battle of Bloody Bay | |||||||
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Part of Clan MacDonald internal conflicts | |||||||
![]() Bloody Bay | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
John of Islay (Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald) | Angus Òg (son of John of Islay) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in Scottish Gaelic, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of Mull 2 miles (3 kilometres) north of Tobermory, between John MacDonald of Islay, the Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald; and his son, Angus Og Macdonald. The precise date of the battle varies in sources, from 1480 to 1483.[1] After the battle, in which Angus Og Macdonald emerged victorious, the latter seized power from his father, and held it for the rest of the decade. However, Angus's victory would prove pyrrhic. Many clansmen had died in the battle and nearly half the clan's fleet had been sunk, as a result of which the power of the Lords of the Isles was henceforth greatly diminished. Angus, last of the independent Lords of the Isles, would himself be murdered in 1490.
Background
In 1476,
John gathered his remaining supporters in an attempt to quash his son's rebellion. John's fleet of galleys met those of Angus sometime in the early 1480s off the coast of Mull to the north-west of the present town of Tobermory, an area ever afterwards to be known as Bloody Bay.
Battle
The Bannatyne Manuscript states that William Dubh, chief of the MacLeods, was killed early on, and at the fall of their chief, the MacLeods began to give way. However, a priest named Callum Clerich made the keeper of the Fairy Flag unfurl his banner. The manuscript states that when the MacLeod's kinsmen, the MacLeods of Lewis, switched sides upon seeing the sacred flag unfurled and joined the forces supporting John. However, the fate of the battle was already decided and the forces of Angus won the day. A large number of the clan was killed during the conflict, including the bearer of the flag, Murcha Beach, as well as the twelve men who were tasked with the flag's protection.[6]
, chief of Clan MacLeod, was killed along with many of his clan.Aftermath
After the battle, Angus Og Macdonald took over power from his father, and held it for a decade until he was murdered. However, many clansmen died, and nearly half the clan's fleet had been sunk. Angus himself would be murdered ten years later. As a result of Bloody Bay and other reverses, the power of the Lords of the Isles would henceforth be greatly diminished.
See also
- Fairy Flag, a MacLeod banner with supposed magical properties, is traditionally said to have been used at the battle.
References
- ^ Scottish Battles List by Region, Scotland – UK History
- ^ "The Clan Ranald". Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
- ^ Macdonald, Angus; Macdonald, Archibald (1900). The Clan Donald. Vol. 1. Inverness: The Northern Counties Publishing Company, Ltd. pp. 266–268.
- ^ Notes Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ MacRuarie – McCreary
- ^ MacLeod, Roderick Charles (1927). The MacLeods of Dunvegan. Edinburgh: Privately printed for the Clan MacLeod Society. pp. 68–71.
- ^ 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. p. 224.
Laird of Brolas.
- ^ Maclean Archived 15 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- "The Battle of Bloody Bay - 1480s". BBC Scotland. Retrieved 22 July 2021.