The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. IV] OF SCOTLAND 53
succession, for in the beginning of the eleventh century we
find Malcolm Mac Maolbride, the Maormor of Moray, in
possession of the throne of Scotland ; and although it appears
from the Sagas, that Sigurd, earl of Orkney, married Malcolm's
daughter, and that on Malcolm's death, Thorfinn, earl of Orkney,
his grandson, was his nearest heir according to feudal principles,
yet we find that he A\-as succeeded in Moray by his brother
Gilcomgan Mac Maolbride, to whose posterity also his claim
to the throne of Scotland descended.
Fourth.—Not only were the Maormors so intimately connected
with the great districts of Scotland as to shew that they must
have possessed in them considerable power and extent of terri-
tory, but they also appear as the hereditary leaders of great
tribes, as well as the hereditary governors of these districts. For
in the year 1020, Tighernac mentions the death of Finlay Mac
Ruairi, Maonuor of the Clan Croeb, or sons of Croeb, by the
children of his brother Maolbride. This is a very important
fact, for it shews that the Gaelic population of the north of Scot-
land was divided into great tribes, corresponding to the great
and that over each of these
territorial divisions of the countrv ;
ml
tribes, the Maormor of the district was hereditary lord, and con-
sequently it follows from this fact, that the Maormors were of
the same race with the people whom they governed.
Fifth.— Further, this title of Maormor was quite peculiar to the
Gaelic people, who at this period inhabited Scotland. It is im-
possible, on examining the history of this early period, to avoid
being struck with this fact, and the remark has accordingly been
very generally made by the later historians. It was altogether
unknown among the Irish, although they were also a Gaelic
mentions Maormors
people ; for although Tighernac frequently
of Alban as being engaged in many of the feuds in Ireland, yet
we never find that title given by any of the Annalists to an
Irish chief In Britain the title was confined to the north of
Scotland, and although many of the Saxon and Norman barons
and other foreigners obtained extensive territories in Scotland,
and even at an early period not unfrequently succeeded by
marriage to the possessions and powers of some of the Maormors,
yet we never find them appearing under that title. From this it
is plain, that whenever we find a person bearing the title of