Kintail　was　now　a　very　old　man。　　His　prudence　and　sagacity　well　repaid　the　judicious　patronage　of　the　first　King　James；　confirmed　and　　extended　by　his　successors　on　the　throne；　and；　as　has　been　well　said　by　his　　biographer；　secured　for　him　〃the　love　and　respect　of　three　Princes　in　　whose　reign　be　flourished；　and　as　his　prudent　management　in　the　Earldom　　of　Ross　showed　him　to　be　a　man　of　good　natural　parts；　so　it　very　much　　contributed　to　the　advancement　of　the　interest　of　his　family　by　the　　acquisition　of　the　lands　he　thereby　made；　nor　was　he　less　commendable　　for　the　quiet　and　peace　he　kept　among　his　Highlanders；　putting　the　laws　　punctually　in　execution　against　all　delinquents。〃　　Such　a　character　as　this；　　justly　called　Alastair　Ionraic；　or　the　just；　was　certainly　well　fitted　to　govern；　and　deserved　to　flourish　in　the　age　in　which　he　lived。　　Various　important　events　occurred　during　the　latter　part　of　his　life；　but　as　Kenneth；　　his　brave　son　and　successor；　was　the　actual　leader　of　the　clan　for　many　　years　before　his　father's　death；　and　especially　at　the　celebrated　battle　of　　Park；　the　leading　battles　and　feuds　in　which　the　clan　was　engaged　during　　this　period　will　be　dealt　with　in　the　account　of　that　Baron。　　There　has　been　much　difference　of　opinion　among　the　genealogists　　and　　family　historians　regarding　Alexander's　two　wives。　　Both　Edmonston　　in　his　Baronagium　Genealogicum；　and　　Douglas　　in　　his　　Peerage　say　　that　Alexander's　first　wife　was　Agnes；　sixth　daughter　of　Colin；　first　Earl　of　　Argyll。　　This　we　shall　prove　to　be　absolutely　impossible　within　the　　ordinary　course　of　the　laws　of　nature。　　Colin；　first　Earl　of　Argyll；　　succeeded　as　a　minor　in　　1453；　his　uncle；　Sir　Colin　Campbell　of　　Glenurchy；　having　been　appointed　his　tutor。　　Colin　of　Argyll　was　created　　Earl　in　1457；　probably　on　his　coming　of　age。　　He　married　Isabel　Stewart　of　　Lorn；　had　two　sons；　and；　according　to　Crawford；　five　daughters。　If　he　had　　a　daughter　Agnes　she　must　have　been　his　sixth　daughter　and　eighth　child；　　Assuming　that　Argyll　married　when　he　became　of　age；　about　1457；　Agnes；　　as　his　eighth　surviving　child；　could　not　have　been　born　before　1470。　　Her　reputed　husband；　Alexander　of　Kintail；　was　then　close　upon　70　years　of　　age；　having　died　in　1488；　bordering　upon　90；　when　his　alleged　wife　would　　barely　have　reached　a　marriageable　age；　and　when　her　reputed　son；　　Kenneth　a　Bhlair；　pretty　well　advanced　in　years；　had　already　fought　the　famous　battle　of　Park。　　John　of　Killin；　her　alleged　grandson；　was　born　　about　1480；　when　at　most　the　lady　said　to　have　been　his　grandmother　　could　only　have　been　10　to　15　years　of　age；　and；　in　1513；　at　the　age　of　33；　　he　distinguished　himself　at　the　battle　of　　Flodden；　where　Archibald　　second　Earl　of　Argyll；　the　lady's　brother；　at　least　ten　years　older　than　　Agnes；　was　slain。　　All　this　is　of　course　impossible。
  A　similar　difficulty　has　arisen；　from　what　appears　to　be　a　very　simple　cause；　about　　Alexander's　second　marriage。　　The　authors　of　all　the　family　MS。　histories　are　unanimous　in　stating　that　his　first　wife　was　Anna；　　daughter　of　John　Macdougall　of　Lorn；　or　Dunollich；　known　as　John　Mac　　Alan　Mac　Cowle；　fourth　in　descent　from　Alexander　de　Ergedia　and　Lord　　of　Lorn　（1284）；　and　eighth　from　Somerled；　Thane　of　Argyle；　who　died　in　　1164。　　Though　the　direct　line　of　the　house　of　Lorn　ended　in　two　heiresses　who；　in　1388；　carried　away　the　property　to　their　husbands；　the　　Macdougalls　of　Dunollich　became　the　male　representatives　of　the　ancient　　and　illustrious　house　of　Lorn　；　and　this　fully　accounts　for　the　difference　　and　confusion　which　has　been　introduced　about　the　families　of　Lorn　and　　　Dunollich　in　some　of　the　Mackenzie　family　manuscripts。
  The　same　authorities　who　affirm　that　Agnes　of　Argyll　was　　Alexander's　first　wife　assert　that　Anna　Macdougall；　was　his　second。　　　There　is　ample　testimony　to　show　that　the　latter　was　his　first；　although　some　confusion　has　again　arisen　in　this　case　from　a　similarity　of　names　　and　patronymics。　　　Some　of　the　family　MSS。　say　that　Alexander's　second　　wife　was　Margaret；　daughter　of　〃M'Couil；〃　〃M'Chouile；〃　or　　〃Macdougall〃　of　Morir；　or　Morar；　while　others；　among　them　the　Allangrange　Ancient　　MS。　have　it　that　she　was　〃MacRanald's　daughter。〃　The　Ardintoul　MS。　describes　her　as　〃Muidort's　daughter。〃　　One　of　the　　Gairloch　MSS。　says　that　she　was　〃Margarite；　the　daughter　of　Macdonald　　of　Morar；　of　the　Clan　Ranald　Race；　from　the　stock　of　Donald；　Lord　of　the　　Aebudae　Islands；〃　while　in　another　MS。　in　Sir　Kenneth　　Mackenzie's　　possession　　she　　is　designated　〃Margaret　Macdonald；　daughter　of　　Macdonald　of　Morar。〃　　There　is　thus　an　apparent　contradiction；　but　it　can　be　conclusively　shown　that　the　lady　so　variously　described　was　one　and　　the　same　person。　　Gregory　in　his　Highlands　and　Islands　of　Scotland；　p。　　158；　states　that　〃Macdougall〃　was　the　patronymic　of　one　of　the　families　of　　Clan　Ranald　of　Moydart　and　Morar。　　Speaking　of　Dugald　MacRanald；　son　and　successor　to　Ranald　Ban　Ranaldson　of　Moydart；　he　says；　〃Allan　the　　eldest　son　of　Dougal；　and　the　undoubted　male　heir　of　Clan　Ranald；　　acquired　the　estate　of　Morar；　which　he　transmitted　to　his　descendants。
  He　　and　his　successors　were　always　styled；　in　Gaelic；　MacDhughail　Mhorair；　　ie。；　MacDougal　of　Morar；　from　their　ancestor；　Dougald　MacRanald。〃　　At　　p。　65　he　says　that　〃the　Clan　Ranald　of　Garmoran　comprehended　the　　families　of　Moydart；　Morar；　Knoydart；　and　Glengarry。〃　　This　family　was　　descended　from　Ranald；　younger　son　of　John　of　the　Isles；　by　his　marriage　　with　the　heiress　of　the　MacRorys　or　MacRuaries　of　Garmoran　whose　　ancestry；　from　Somerled　of　the　Isles；　is　as　illustrious　as　that　of　any　family　　in　the　kingdom。　　A　district　north　of　Arisaig　is　still　known　among　　the　Western　Islanders　as　〃Mor…thir　Mhic　Dhughail〃　or　the　mainland　possession　of　the　son　of　Dougall。　　The　MS。　histories　of　the　Mackenzies　having　been　all　written　after　the　patronymic　of　〃MacDhughail〃　was　acquired　by　the　Macdonalds　of　Moydart　and　Morar；　they　naturally　enough　　described　Alexander　of　Kintail's　second　wife　as　a　daughter　of　Macdougall　　of　Morar；　of　Muidort；　and　of　Clan　Ranald；　indiscriminately。　　But　in　point　of　fact　all　these　designations　describe　one　and　the　same　person。
  Alexander　　married　　first；　Anna；　daughter　of　John　Macdougall　of　Dunolly；　with　issue
  1。　　Kenneth；　his　heir　and　successor。
  2。　　Duncan；　progenitor　of　the　Mackenzies　of　Hilton；　and　their　branches；　and　of　whom　in　their　order　as　the　senior　cadet　family　of　the　　clan。
  He　married　secondly　Margaret；　daughter　of　Macdonald　of　Morar；　a　cadet　of　Clanranald；　with　issue
  3。　　Hector　Roy　or　〃Eachainn　Ruadh；〃　from　whom　are　descended　　the　Mackenzies　of　Gairloch　and　their　various　offshoots；　of　whom　in　their　　proper　place。
  4。　A　daughter；　who　married　Allan　Macleod；　Hector　Roy's　　predecessor　in　Gairloch。
  He　is　also　said　to　have　had　a　natural　son；　Dugal；　who　became　a　priest　and　was　Superior　of　the　Priory　of　Beauly；　which　he　repaired　about　　1478；　and　in　which　he　is　buried。　　This　ecclesiastic　is　said　by　others　to　have　　been　Alexander's　brother。　（Anderson's　History　of　the　Frasers；　p。　66；　and　　MS。　History　of　the　Mackenzies。）
  Alexander　died　in　1488　at　Kinellan；　having　attained　the　extreme　old　age　of　90　years；　was　buried　in　the　Priory　of　Beauly；　and　was　succeeded　　by　his　eldest　son　by　the　first　marriage；
  VII。　　KENNETH　　MACKENZIE；
  Better　known　as　〃Coinneach　a'　Bhlair；〃　or　Kenneth　of　the　Battle；　from　his　prowess　and　success　against　the　Macdonalds　at　the　Battle　of　Park　during　　his　father's　life…time。　　He　was　served　heir　to　his　predecessor　and　seized　in　　the　lands　of　Kintail　at　Dingwall　on　the　2nd　of　September；　1488。　　He　　secured　the　cognomen　〃Of　the　Battle〃　from　the　distinguished　part　he　took　　in　〃Blar…na…Pairc〃　fought　at　a　well…known　spot　still　pointed　out　near　　Kinellan；　above　Strathpeffer。　His　father　was　advanced　in　life　before　　Kenneth　married；　and　as　soon　as　the　latter　arrived　at　twenty　years　of　age　Alexander　thought　it　prudent；　with　the　view　of　establishing　peace　between　the　two　families；　to　match　Kenneth；　his　heir　and　successor；　with　Margaret；　daughter　of　John　Lord　of　the　Isles　and　fourth　　Earl　　of　Ross；　and　for　　ever　　　extinguish　　their　ancient　feuds　in　that　alliance。　　The　Island　chief　willingly　　consented　and　the　marriage　was　in　due　course　solemnised。　About　a　year　　after；　the　Earl's　nephew　and　apparent　heir；　Alexander　Macdonald　of　　Lochalsh；　came　to　Ross；　and；　feeling　more　secure　in　consequence　of　this　　matrimonial　alliance　between　the　family　of　Mackenzie　and　his　own；　took　　possession　of　Balcony　House　and　the　adjoining　lands；　where；　at　the　　following　Christmas；　he　provided　a　great　feast　for　his　old　dependants；　　inviting　to　it　also　most　of　the　more　powerful　chiefs　and　barons　north　of　the　Spey；　and　among　others；　Kenneth　Mackenzie；　his　cousin's　husband。　The　　house　of　Balcony　being　at　the　time　very　much　out　of　repair；　he　could　not　　conveniently　lodge　all　his　distinguished　guests　within　it；　and　had　　accordingly　to　arrange　for　some　of　them　in　the　outhouses　as　best　he　could。
  Kenneth　did　not　arrive　until　Christmas　Eve；　accompanied　by　a　train　of　　forty　able　bodied　men；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　times；　but　without　　his　lady；　which　deeply　offended　Macdonald。　　Maclean　of　Duart　had　chief　　charge　of　the　arrangements　in　the　house