Mac Aulay History

This clan might be attributed to one of the branches of Soil Alpen, from whom also descend the Mac Gregors. It has equally been asserted that they stem from Almhalidh, a younger son of the Earl of Lennox. Nisbet, in his commentary on the Ragman Roll of 1296, states that Maurice de Arnincaple, who submitted to Edward I of England, was the ancestor of the Lairds of Ardincaple, which was to become the principal Macaulay seat. In 1587 Sir Aulay Macaulay of Ardincaple was noted as a principal vassal of the Earls of Lennox.

Whether the connection between the Mac Gregors and the Macaulays was one of descent or not, they became closely connected, and a bond of manrent was entered into on 27 May 1591 between Mac Gregor of Glen Strae and the Laird of Ardincaple; in it, Macaulay acknowledged the superiority of Mac Gregor and agreed to pay him tribute in cattle. The historian, Skene, while skeptical about the claim that the Macaulays were a sept of Mac Gregor, stated that "their connection with the Mac Gregors led them to take some part in the feuds that that unfortunate race were at all times engaged in, but the protection of the Earls of Lennox seems to have relieved the Macaulays from the consequences which fell so heavily on the Mac Gregors". The Macaulays were certainly keen to renounce any connection with the Mac Gregors when they were declared outlaw, and Ardincaple was required to find surety for the good behaviour of his clan in 1610. The fortunes of the family declined, however, and the twelfth and last chief of the Macaulays sold off the estates to the Campbells around 1767.

The Macaulays of Lewis asserted that they were of Norse descent, their name meaning simply, "son of Olaf". One of the chiefs of the Lewis Macaulays in the sixteenth century was known as Donald Camm, meaning Donald One-Eye. He was so renowned for his great strength and quarrelsome nature that there was a Gaelic saying "whoever is blind of an eye is pugnacious". The son of Donald Camm followed the Marquess of Montrose in his campaign for Charles I during the civil war, and died at the Battle of Auldern in 1645. Thomas Babington Macaulay, the nineteenth century politician and historian, was descended from the line of Donald Camm. He is best remembered for his works, History of England which is still read by historians today and Lays of Ancient Rome. He appears to have made little reference during his life to his distinguished Highland background. He received many honours and was raised to the peerage as Lord Macaulay in September 1857. He died unmarried in 1859 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. Lord Macaulay of Bragar is a distinguished modern Scottish jurist who now sits as a life peer.