t　is　found　anywhere　as　a　family　name　until　the　middle　　of　the　sixteenth　century；　when　it　was　introduced　by　the　marriage　of　one　of　　the　Mackenzie　chiefs　to　a　daughter　of　the　Earl　of　Atholl；　whose　mother　　was　Lady　Mary　Campbell；　and　who；　calling　her　second　son　　after　her　own　　uncle　Colin；　third　Earl　of　Argyll；　for　the　first　time　brought　that　name　into　　the　family　genealogy　of　Kintail。
  It　will　also　be　seen　as　we　proceed；　although　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　superiors　of　the　lands　of　Kintail　as　part　of　the　earldom；　and　that　it　was　therefore　impossible　that　Colin　Fitzgerald　or　any　other　person　than　those　earls　could　have　had　a　gift　of　it　from　the　Crown；　that　the　Mackenzies　　occupied　the　lands　and　the　castle；　not　as　immediate　vassals；　of　the　King；　but　of　their　own　near　relatives；　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　and　their　　successors；　for　at　least　two　hundred　years　before　the　Mackenzies　received　a　grant　of　it　for　themselves　direct　from　the　Crown。　　This　is　proved　beyond　　dispute　by　genuine　historical　documents。　　Until　within　a　few　years　of　the　final　forfeiture　of　the　Lords　of　the　Isles　in　1476；　the　Mackenzies　　undoubtedly　held　their　lands；　first　from　the　O'Beolan　Earls　and　　subsequently　from　the　Island　Lords　as　Earls　of　Ross；　for　the　first　direct　Crown　charter　to　any　chief　of　Kintail　of　which　we　have　authentic　record；　is　one　dated　the　7th　of　January；　1463；　in　favour　of　Alexander　〃Ionraic；〃　　the　sixth　Baron。
  To　show　the　intimate　relations　which　existed　between　the　original　Earls　of　Ross　and　the　ancestor　of　the　Mackenzies；　a　quotation　may　be　　given　from　a　manuscript　history　of　the　clan　written　by　Dr　George　　Mackenzie；　nephew　of　Kenneth　Mor；　third　Earl　of　Seaforth；　in　the　　seventeenth　century。　　Although　be　is　a　supporter　of　the　Fitzgerald　origin；　　he　is　forced　to　say　that；　〃at　the　same　time　（1267）　William；　Earl　of　Ross；　laying　a　claim　of　superiority　over　the　Western　Isles；　thought　this　a　fit　　opportunity　to　seize　the　Castle　of　Ellandonnan。　　He　sent　a　messenger　to　his　　Kintail　men　to　send　their　young　chieftain　to　him　as　being　his　nearest　　kinsman　by　marriage　with　his　aunt。〃　　He　then　goes　on　to　say；　that　　Kenneth；　not　Colin；　was　joined　by　the　MacIvers；　Macaulays；　MacBeolans；　　and　Clan　Tarlichs；　〃the　ancient　inhabitants　of　Kintail；〃　and　refused　to　surrender；　when　〃the　Earl　of　Ross　attacked　them　and　was　beaten。〃　Had　　there　been　　no　previous　kinship　between　the　two　familiesand　no　one　will　　now　attempt　with　any　show　of　reason　to　maintain　that　there　was　notthis　marriage　of　William；　the　second　Earl；　to　Kenneth's　aunt　would　have　made　　the　youthful　Kenneth；　ancestor　of　the　Mackenzies；　first　cousin；　on　the　　maternal　side；　to　William　O'Beolan；　the　third　Earl　of　that　line；　whose　wife　　and　therefore　Kintail's　aunt；　was　Joan；　sister　of　John；　the　Black　Comyn；　　Lord　of　Badenoch。　　It　has　further　been　proved　to　a　demonstration；　and　it　is　　now　admitted　by　all　the　best　authorities；　that　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　were　descended　from　Gilleoin　na　h　‘Airde；　and　so　are　the　Mackenzies；　　who　from　the　first　formed　an　integral　and　most　important　part　of　the　　ancient　powerful　native　Gaelic　tribes　of　which　the　Earls　of　Ross　were　the　chiefs。
  It　has　been　shown　that　Kenneth；　from　whom　the　Mackenzies　　take　their　name；　was　　closely　　allied　　by　marriage　with　William；　second　Earl　of　　Ross；　the　latter　having　married　Kenneth's　maternal　aunt。　This　fact　by　　itself　would　be　sufficient　to　establish　the　high　position；　which　even　at　that　　early　period；　was　occupied　by　Kenneth；　who　was　already　very　closely　　connected　with　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　by　blood　and　marriage。
  Kenneth　himself　married　Morna　or　Morba；　daughter　of　Alexander　Macdougall；　styled；　〃De　Ergedia；〃　Lord　of　Lorn　by　a　daughter　of　John；　the　first　Red　Comyn；　Lord　of　Badenoch；　who　died　in　1273。　Kenneth's　wife　　was　thus　a　sister　of　John；　the　Black　Comyn；　who　died　about　1299；　having　　married　Marjory；　daughter　of　John　Baliol；　by　whom　he　had　John；　the　　second　Red　Comyn；　one　of　the　competitors　for　the　Scottish　Crown；　killed　　by　Robert　the　Bruce　in　the　Church　of　Dumfries　in　1306。　Kenneth's　issue　　by　Morna　or　Morba　of　Lorn　was　John　Mackenzie；　II。　of　Kintail；　who　was　　thus；　through　his　mother；　third　In　descent　from　John；　the　first　Red　Comyn；　　who　died　in　1273；　and　sixth　from　the　great　Somerled　of　the　Isles；　Thane　of　　Argyle；　progenitor　of　the　Macdougalls　of　Lorn　and　of　all　the　Macdonalds；　who　died　in　1164。
  John　made　even　a　more　illustrious　alliance　than　his　father；　by　which　at　that　early　date　he　introduced　the　Royal　blood　of　Scotland　and　　England　into　the　family　of　Kintail。　　He　married　his　relative；　Margaret；　　sister　of　David；　twelfth　Earl　of　Atholl；　slain　in　1335；　and　daughter　of　　David；　the　eleventh　Earl；　who　died　in　1327　（whose　estates　were　forfeited　　by　Edward　I。）；　by　Joan　Comyn　（died　　1323）；　daughter　of　the　Red　Comyn　　killed　by　Robert　the　Bruce；　and　great　granddaughter　of　John　Baliol。
  Margaret's　father；　David；　eleventh　Earl　of　Atholl　who　died　in　　1327；　was　　the　oldest　son　of　John　de　Strathbogie；　tenth　Earl；　hanged　by　Edward　I。　　　Earl　John's　mother　was　the　Countess　Isabel　de　Dover；　who　died　at　a　very　　old　age　in　1292；　daughter　of　Richard　Fitzroy　de　Chillam　（died　1216）；　a　　natural　son　of　King　John　of　England。
  Kenneth　Mackenzie；　III　of　Kintail；　the　issue　of　this　marriage；　was　sixth　in　descent　from　John　Baliol　of　the　Royal　line　of　Scotland　and　sixth　from　King　John　of　England。
  The　Norwegian　blood　of　the　Kings　of　Man　was　brought　into　the　　family　by　the　marriage　of　this　Kenneth　to　Finguala；　daughter　of　Torquil　Macleod；　I。　of　Lewis；　who　was　the　grandson　of　Olave　the　Black；　Norwegian　King　of　Man；　who　died　about　1237；　by　his　wife　Christina；　daughter　of　Ferquhard　〃Mac　an　t'Sagairt；〃　first　O'Beolan　Earl　of　Ross。
  The　Royal　blood　of　the　Bruce　was　introduced　by　the　marriage　of　Murdoch　Mackenzie；　V。　of　Kintail；　to　Finguala；　daughter　of　Malcolm　Macleod；　III。　of　Harris　　（who　has　a　charter　in　　1343）；　by　Martha；　daughter　　of　David；　twelfth　Earl　of　Mar；　son　of　Gratney；　eleventh　Earl　（whose　sister　　Isabel　married　Robert　the　Bruce）　by　his　wife　Christina；　daughter　of　Robert　　Bruce；　Earl　of　Carrick；　and　sister　of　King　Robert　the　Bruce。
  The　Plantaganet　blood…royal　of　England　was　introduced　later　by　　the　marriage　of　Kenneth　Mackenzie；　X。　of　Kintail；　to　Lady　Elizabeth　Stewart；　daughter　of　John；　second　Earl　of　Atholl；　fourth　in　descent　from　　John　of　Gaunt；　Duke　of　Lancaster；　son　of　Edward　III。；　and　father　of　Henry　IV。　of　England；　and　this　strain　was　strengthened　and　continued　by　the　　marriage　of　Kenneth's　son；　Colin　Cam　Mackenzie；　XI。　of　Kintail；　to　his　　cousin　Barbara；　daughter　of　John　Grant　of　Grant　by　Lady　Marjory　Stewart；　　daughter　of　John；　third　Earl　of　Atholl。　It　scarcely　needs　to　be　pointed　out　　that；　through　these　inter…marriages；　the　Mackenzies　are　also　descended　　from　the　ancient　Celtic　MacAlpine　line　of　Scottish　Kings；　from　the　　original　Anglo…Saxon　Kings　of　England；　and　from　the　oldest　　Scandinavian；　Charlemagne；　and　Capetian　lines；　as　far　back　as　the　　beginning　of　the　ninth　century。
  The　origin　of　the　O'Beolan　Earls　of　Ross　and　the　Mackenzies　from　the　same　source　is　strikingly　illustrated　by　their　inter…marriages　into　the　　same　families　and　with　each　other's　kindred。　　Both　the　O'Beolans　and　the　　Mackenzies　made　alliances　with　the　Comyns　of　Badenoch；　with　the　　MacDougalls　of　Lorn；　and　subsequently　with　the　Macleods　of　Lewis　and　　Harris；　thus　forming　a　network　of　cousinship　which　ultimately　included　all　　the　leading　families　in　the　Highlands；　every　one　of　which；　through　these　　alliances；　have　the　Royal　blood　of　all　the　English；　Scottish；　and　　Scandinavian　Kings；　and　many　of　the　earlier　foreign　monarchs；　coursing　　in　their　veins。
  Surely　this　is　a　sufficiently　ancient　and　illustrious　origin　and　much　　more　satisfactory　to　every　patriotic　clansman　than　an　Irish　adventurer　like　　the　reputed　Colin　Fitzgerald；　who；　if　he　ever　existed；　had　not　and　never　　could　have　had　any　connection　with　the　real　origin　of　the　Mackenzies；　　which　was　as　purely　native　of　the　Highlands　as　it　was　possible　for　any　　Scoto…Celtic　family　in　those　days　to　be。　　The　various　genealogical　steps　　and　marriage　alliances　already　referred　to　will　be　confirmed　in　each　　individual　case　as　we　proceed　with　the　succession　and　history　of　the　　respective　chiefs　of　the　family；　beginning　with　the　first　of　the　line；
  I。　　KENNETH；　　OR　　COINNEACH；
  Who　gave　his　name　to　the　clan。　　His　is　the　fourth　ascending　name　in　the　　manuscript　genealogy　of　1467；　which　begins　with　　Murdoch　of　the　Cave。
  Murdoch　died　in　1375；　and　was　thus　almost　contemporaneous　with　the　author　of　the　Gaelic　genealogy；　which；　translated；　proceeds　up　to　this　　Kenneth　as　follows：Murdoch；　son　of　Kenneth；　son　of　John；　son　of　　Kenneth；　and　so　on；　as　already　given　at　page　39　to　Gilleoin　of　the　Aird。
  At　this　interesting　stage　it　may　be　well　to　explain　how　the　name　Mackenzie　came　to　be　pronounced　and　written　as　it　now　is。　　John；　the　son　　of　this　Kenneth；　would　be　called　in　the　original　native　Gaelic；　〃Ian　Mac　　Choinnich；〃　John；　son　of　Kenneth。　　In　that　form　it　was　unpronounceable　to　those　unacquainted　with　the　native　tongue。　The　nearest　approach　the　　foreigner　could　get　to　its　correct　enunciation　would　be　Mac　Coinni　or　Mac　Kenny；　which　ultimately　came　to　be　spelt　Mac　Kenzie；　Z　in　those　days　　having　exactly　th