108779: John MacDonald

John MacDonald (d 1386) was Lord of Islay and Chief of Clan Donald. He was later the first to style himself Dominus Insularum, Lord of the Isles. In 1337 he married Amy MacRuairi, with whom he was to have three sons and a daughter. Amy’s brother Ranald was killed in 1346, and Amy inherited the MacRuairi lands. 

It was only four years later, in 1350, that John divorced Amy, making instead an advantageous marriage to Margaret Stewart, daughter of Robert, heir to the Scottish throne. Accounts suggest that Amy was not at fault. John initially retained Amy’s lands and her children were removed from his line of succession. Amy’s name was not mentioned in a charter of King David II in 1363, confirming John in possession of the Clan MacRuairi lands. However, in 1371 John relented somewhat, returning the lands to Amy’s sons Ranald and Godfrey but as vassals to the Lord of the Isles.

John had eight children with his second wife, and it was Donald, the first of those, who was to inherit the title Lord of the Isles.