Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth

Kenneth Mackenzie
The Earl of Seaforth
Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth
Chief of Clan Mackenzie	1651–1678
Predecessor	George Mackenzie
Successor	Kenneth Mackenzie
Spouse(s)	Isobel Mackenzie
Noble family	Clan Mackenzie
Father	George Mackenzie
Mother	Barbara Forbes
Born	1635 Brahan Castle, Ross-shire, Kingdom of Scotland
Died	1678 (aged 43)
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth (1635–1678) was a Highland clan chief and Scottish nobleman, who adhered faithfully to Charles II through his tribulations. From his great stature he was known among the Highlanders as "Coinneach Mor" (Great Kenneth).

Mackenzie was the eldest son of George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth (died 1651) and Barbara, daughter of Arthur, Lord Forbes. 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.

He was born at Brahan Castle in 1635, and when he was five or six years old his father placed him under the care of the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, minister of Kintail, and constable of Eilean Donan, who had a seminary in his house which was attended by the sons of the neighbouring gentry. From there, he went to public school and was sent in 1651 to King's College, Aberdeen, under the discipline of Mr Patrick Sandylands.

However, he had not been there long when the King arrived in Stirling and began to recruit an army for his proposed invasion of England. Kenneth’s father remained in Holland, so he went home himself to raise his men for the King’s service. He went straight to Kintail with leading members of his clan (his uncles, the Lairds of Pluscarden and Lochslinn; young Tarbat, Rory of Davochmaluag, Kenneth of Coul, Hector of Fairburn, and several others), but the Kintail men declined to rise with him, because he was but a child, asserting that they would not move without his father, their master, since the King, if he had use for him and for his followers, might easily bring him home.