Gillean of the Battle Axe
Gillean of the Battle Axe | |
---|---|
1st Chief of Clan Maclean | |
In office 1210-1263 (53 years) | |
Succeeded by | Malise mac Gilleain, son |
Personal details | |
Children | Malise mac Gilleain Bristi mac Gilleain Gillebride mac Gilleain |
Parent | Rath |
Gillean of the Battle Axe, or Gilleain na Tuaighe in Scottish Gaelic, was the eponymous ancestor of Clan Maclean and Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie. He is considered the 1st chief of Clan Maclean.
Biography
He was born to a man named Rath and flourished around the year 1250.[1]
He was known as Gilleain na Tuaighe, from his carrying, as his weapon and constant companion, a battle axe. He was a man of mark and distinction. The following anecdote is related of him, which probably accounts for the origin of the Maclean crest, which consists of a battle-ax between a laurel and cypress branch, and is still used on the coat of-arms:[1]
He was on one occasion engaged, with other lovers of the chase, in a stag-hunt on the mountain of Bein 'tsheata, and having wandered from the rest of the party in pursuit of game, the mountain became suddenly covered with a heavy mist, and he lost his way. For three days he wandered about, unable to recover his route, and on the fourth, exhausted by fatigue, he entered a cranberry bush, where, fixing the handle of his battle axe in the earth, he laid himself down. On the evening of the same day his friends discovered the head of the battle-ax above the bush, and found its owner, with his arms round the handle, stretched, in a state of insensibility, on the ground.[1]
Gillean of the Battle Axe had three sons:[1]
- Malise mac Gilleain
- Bristi mac Gilleain
- Gillebride mac Gilleain
References
This article incorporates text from A history of the clan Mac Lean from its first settlement at Duart Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period: including a genealogical account of some of the principal families together with their heraldry, legends, superstitions, etc, by John Patterson MacLean, a publication from 1889, now in the public domain in the United States.
- ^ a b c d John Patterson MacLean (1889). A History of the Clan MacLean from Its First Settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the Present Period: Including a Genealogical Account of Some of the Principal Families Together with Their Heraldry, Legends, Superstitions, Etc. R. Clarke & Company. p. 32.
Laird of Brolas.
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- Maclean baronets
- Gillean of the Battle Axe (fl. 1250s) 1st Chief c.1250s
- Malise mac Gilleain (?–1300) 2nd Chief c.1260–1300
- Malcolm Maclean, 3rd Chief (fl. 1310s) 3rd Chief 1300–c.1350s
- John Dubh Maclean, 4th Chief (fl. 1350s) 4th Chief
- Lachlan Lubanach Maclean (c.1350–c.1405) 5th Chief flourished 1390s
- Red Hector of the Battles Maclean (c.1368–1411) 6th Chief c.1405–11
- Lachlan Bronneach Maclean (fl. 1470s) 7th Chief
- Lachlan Og Maclean (c.1432–1484) 8th Chief flourished 1480s
- Hector Odhar Maclean (?–1513) 9th Chief flourished 1490s
- Lachlan Maclean, 10th Chief (fl. 1510's) 10th Chief
- Lachlan Cattanach Maclean, 11th Chief (c.1465–1523) 11th Chief 1515–1523
- Hector Mor Maclean, 12th Chief (c1500–1568) flourished 1530s
- Hector Og Maclean, 13th Chief flourished 1540s
- Lachlan Mor Maclean (1558–1598) 14th Chief ?–1598
- Sir Hector Og Maclean, 15th Chief (c.1575–1623) 15th Chief 1598–1623
- Hector Mor Maclean, 16th Chief (c.1600–1626) 16th Chief 1623–1626 *
- Sir Lachlan Maclean, 1st Baronet (c.1620–1649) 17th Chief 1626–1649
- Sir Hector Maclean, 2nd Baronet (?–1651) 18th Chief 1649–1651 *
- Sir Allan Maclean, 3rd Baronet (1645–1674) 19th Chief 1651–1674
- Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet (1670–1716) 20th Chief 1674–1716 ^
- Sir Hector Maclean, 5th Baronet (c.1700–1750) 21st Chief 1716–1750 *
- Sir Allan Maclean, 6th Baronet (1710–1783) 22nd Chief 1750–1783 *
- Sir Hector Maclean, 7th Baronet (c.1750–1818) 23rd Chief 1783–1818 *
- Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 8th Baronet (c.1770–1847) 24th Chief 1818–1847
- Sir Charles Maclean, 9th Baronet (1798–1883) 25th Chief 1847–1883
- Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 10th Baronet (1835–1936) 26th Chief 1883–1936 *
- Sir Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean, 11th Baronet (1916–1990) 27th Chief 1936–1990
- Sir Lachlan Maclean, 12th Baronet (1942– ) 28th Chief 1990–present