Huistean Du Mackay, 14th of Strathnaver

Huistean Du Mackay (Hugh Mackay) (d. 1614) of Strathnaver was the thirteenth chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.

Huistean Mackay was the eldest son from the second marriage of his father, Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver, whose wife was Christian, daughter of John Sinclair of Duns, Caithness. Iye Du Mackay died in 1572 when Huistean was just eleven years of age.

In the later half of the 16th century in the far north of Scotland Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (chief of Clan Sutherland) and George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness (chief of Clan Sinclair) were at deadly feud with each other. Alexander Gordon, Earl of Sutherland was supported by his relative George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly (chief of Clan Gordon), whose sister the Earl of Sutherland married. Between the two sides was Huistean Mackay who supported both but was in a weak position, being at the head of a divided clan.

The dispute among the Clan Mackay was over who was the rightful chief. Some believed that John Beg Mackay and Donald Balloch Mackay who were born from Iye Du Mackay’s first marriage were rightful chiefs. However, this marriage was an irregular one under canon law as it was a marriage of first cousins. Others supported Huistean Mackay. When Huistean obtained legal possession of his lands he gave Scourie to Donald Balloch Mackay, only surviving son from the first marriage. This served as a settlement but the two families remained disunited.

Huistean Mackay and his younger brother William Mackay, 1st of Bighouse were initially supporters of George Sinclair, Earl of Caithness. Huistean had even resided at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe until he was old enough to lead his own clan. In the meantime John Beg Mackay had been in control of the Mackay lands of Strathnaver; however the Earl of Caithness had instigated the Mackays of Aberach, a powerful and very much independent branch of the Mackays to attack him on a plea of alleged unfaithfulness to Huistean Mackay. The Mackays of Aberach did this along with the MacLeods of Assynt, killing John Beg Mackay, William Gunn (chieftain of the Robson Gunns) and others at Balnakeil in the parish of Durness in 1579, and the chieftain of Clan Matheson barely escaped with his life. This left Huistean Mackay’s followers divided. On the one side were the Robson Gunns and Mathesons and on the other side were the MacLeods of Assynt and the Mackays of Aberach. Huistean Mackay chose to oppose the Aberachs. The Aberach Mackays then rushed to the open arms of the Earl of Sutherland.

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