William Dubh MacLeod
| William Dubh MacLeod | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1415 |
| Died | 1480 near Tobermory, Mull |
| Cause of death | killed at the Battle of Bloody Bay |
| Resting place | Iona |
| Predecessor | Iain Borb (father) |
| Successor | Alasdair Crotach (son) |
| Spouse(s) | two wives |
| Children | one son, and at least one daughter |
William Dubh MacLeod (Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Dubh MacLeòid) (c. 1415–1480) is considered to be the seventh chief of Clan MacLeod. He is thought to have been a younger son, yet because of the death of his elder brother, William Dubh succeeded his father, Iain Borb, in the year 1442. William Dubh was an old man when he was killed, leading his clan, at the Battle of Bloody Bay in 1480. He was the last MacLeod chief to be buried on the island of Iona. He was succeeded by his son, Alasdair Crotach.
According to early 20th-century clan historian R.C. MacLeod, William Dubh was born in about the year 1415. He was the son of the MacLeod chief Iain Borb. The Bannatyne manuscript records that Iain Borb married a granddaughter of the Earl of Douglas—several 20th-century clan historians gave her name as Margaret. The couple had two sons, named William and Norman (Tormod), as well as two daughters. The manuscript maintains that Norman was the elder of the brothers, but that he died young and left a son who was too young to succeed to the chiefship. In fact, William was the son that succeeded Iain Borb as chief; MacLeods states that this happened in the year 1442. In MacLeod's opinion, the fact that the clan accepted William Dubh as chief, and not guardian, was evidence that William was in fact the elder brother. Later in the 20th century, A. Morrison stated that Norman was probably an illegitimate son of Iain Borb and that he was considerably older than William, since Norman led the clan in battle in 1428. According to 20th-century clan historians Morrison and D. Mackinnon, William Dubh was known as "Long Sword".
William Dubh and his kinsman, Roderick MacLeod of Lewis, are recorded as witnesses to a charter granted by John MacDonald, Earl of Ross, Lord of the Isles, to his brother Hugh MacDonald of Sleat, dated on 28 June 1449. According to MacVurich, the Sleat shenachie, William Dubh ('William MacLeod of Harris') accompanied Hugh and other "young gentlemen of the Isles" on a raiding expedition to Orkney. The tradition runs that the Western Islesmen were victorious in their conflict with the Northern Islesmen and that the Earl of Orkney was also slain. Hugh is then said to have ravaged Orkney, and carried off much loot. According to early 20th-century clan historians A. Macdonald and A. Macdonald, this expedition took place around the year 1460.
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