Of ancient Celtic roots and with their name meaning ‘son of Kenneth’, the Mackenzies trace a descent from a mid-thirteenth century ‘Kenneth’ whose many powerful roles included the governorship of Eilean Donan Castle and lordship over other families who lived in Kintail.
• This often brought them into conflict with his equally powerful relative William, Earl of Ross, who mounted an assault on Eilean Donan only for his men to be slaughtered.
• Known as ‘the children of Kenneth’, and with the motto ‘I shine, not burn’, the Mackenzies were among the loyal supporters of Robert the Bruce, providing him with shelter inside the forbidding walls of Eilean Donan in early 1307 while on the run from his enemies, and also playing an important part in his victory at the battle of Bannockburn seven years later.
