Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver

Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver was the chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan, from 1550 to 1572.

Iye Du Mackay was the eldest son of Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, chief of Clan Mackay and Helen Sinclair, daughter of Alexander Sinclair of Stempster who was in turn the second son of William Sinclair, Earl of Caithness and chief of the Clan Sinclair. Iye Du Mackay succeeded his father Donald who died towards the end of 1550.

Iye Du Mackay was taken prisoner by the English for having taken part in the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542. However, Henry VIII of England was keen on a union between Scotland and England, by marrying his son Edward to the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. He treated the Scottish prisoners well and allowed them to return to Scotland without the usual ransom, on the condition that they supported his proposal, and if they did not support his proposal that they would return to England on parole.

In 1544 Iye Du Mackay and nineteen of his followers took part in the Battle of Glasgow. The Earl of Arran had been made Governor of Scotland but the earls of Glencairn, Angus and Lennox had formed a strong alliance which attacked Arran in 1544 at Glasgow Muir, but were defeated by Arran with considerable loss. A letter of remission was granted to Mackay and nineteen of his followers. Mackay then returned to England where he remained in the military service of the English for three years.

It is certain that Mackay took part in the Siege of Haddington in 1548. 17th century historian, Sir Robert Gordon, writes of Iye Du Mackay: "served divers tymes in wars upon the borders, against the English: in which service he behaved himself valiantly". However, 19th century historian Angus Mackay states that records show that Iye Du Mackay actually fought for the English and not against them.

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