Clan MacKenzie History 1500-1600
Kenneth's son by his MacDonald wife, Coinneach Og, probably sided with his mother's kindred in their struggle with the Crown. He's said to have been the ancestor of the MacKenzies of Dalmore in Aberdeenshire & of Finegand in Perthshire [see MacKenzie Lairds]. His half-brother Eoin Chillfhinn (John of Killin) continued to support the monarchy, fighting alongside James V at Flodden (1513) and for Mary Queen of Scots at Pinkie (1547). With royal support the MacKenzies accumulated more lands throughout Ross - often by grant from the Crown, sometimes by marriage, and occasionally by brute force - usually at the expense of neighbouring clans. So they were granted Brahan & Castle Leod, obtained Gairloch & Coigeach from the MacLeods by grant & marriage, took Lochalsh, Lochcarron & lands on Loch Broom from the MacDonalds largely by force, and seized the Chanonry of Ross - i.e. Fortrose - and other lands on the Black Isle & Easter Ross from the Munros. See Maps.
When John of Killin died in 1561 he was succeeded by his son Coinneach na Cuirc (Kenneth of the Whittle) who demonstrated his clan's loyalty to the Crown by personally helping Queen Mary gain possession of Inverness in 1562. Kenneth was succeeded in 1568 by his second son, Cailean Cam (One-Eyed Colin). He was the first chief to bear the name Colin - which was probably given him in honour of his Campbell grandmother (the Campbell's claimed descent from Cailean Mor, Great Colin) - and it was in this chief's time that the legend of Colin FitzGerald appears to have been written into the clan's history [see Legends]. As the MacKenzies acquired more lands, so more branches of the clan were created, and some hitherto independent clans became followers of the MacKenzie chiefs. Some of them retained their status as separate clans - such as the Macraes, MacLennans & MacAulays - while others came to be considered as septs of Clann Choinnich. See Septs.