My Maternal 14th. Great Grandfather, Sir Kenneth MacKenzie, 7th. Laird of Kintail

Sir Kenneth MacKenzie, traditionally reckoned 7th. of Kintail and nicknamed Coinneach a'bhlair (or "Kenneth of the Battle"), was a Highland chief, being head of the Clan MacKenzie.

Kenneth was the eldest son of Alexander MacKenzie of Kintail (d.1488). The weight of traditional clan histories identifies Anna MacDougall as his mother, but this is rendered difficult by Alexander's supplication for dispensation in 1466, which recorded that he, Alexander, had been married for about thirty years to "Catherine, daughter of John, son of Ranald". Although traditionally identified as the 6th. chief of the Kintail line, Kenneth was in fact only the second (after his father) of whom incontrovertible contemporary evidence survives. Kenneth had a tack from the Crown before 1479 of Ardovale (Ardival), near Strathpeffer, and appears repeatedly in records as refusing to pay the fermes (feudal payments) for his land and defying the Crown's officers. In 1486 he also had a charter from the Earl of Ross of the lands of Meyne, the two Scatwells (Meikle and Little), Innermany (Invermeinie), Inverchoran, and Kinloch Beannacharain. At some point between 1485 and 1491, Kenneth led a force of MacKenzies to victory over Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh at the Battle of Blar Na Pairce. He was served heir to his father in the lands of Kintail on 2 September 1488, at Dingwall, but died less than four years later on 7 February 1492. He was buried at Beauly Priory, where his tomb may still be found. The inscription carved in the stone of the tomb of Sir Kenneth MacKenzie of Kintail reads: hic . iacet . kanycus . mkynych . dns . de . kyntayl . qi . obiit . vii . die . februarii . ao . di . / m cccc . lxxxxi. (Here lies Kenneth MacKenzie Lord of Kintail who died the 7th day of February, A.D.1491). He married first Margaret MacDonald and later had a feud with a cousin of Margaret and returned her (she was blind in one eye) and he sent her mounted on a one-eyed horse accompanied by a one-eyed servant, followed by a one-eyed dog. She was in a delicate state of health, and this inhumanity grieved her so much that she never after wholly recovered. But he did have one son from her whom they named Kenneth. It appears that Kenneth had no great affection for Lady Margaret, for a few days after he sent her away he went to Lord Lovat accompanied by two hundred of his followers and besieged his house. Lovat was naturally surprised at his conduct and demanded an explanation, when he was informed by Kenneth that he came to demand his daughter Agnes in marriage now that he had no wife, having, as he told him, disposed of Lady Margaret in the manner already described. He insisted upon an immediate and favourable reply to his suit on which condition he promised to be on strict terms of friendship with the family ; but, if his demand was refused he would swear mortal enmity against Lovat and his house. Wikipedia