Aonghas Mór

Infobox_Person
name = Aonghas Mór a Íle
("Angus Mór of Islay")
other_names = "Angus de Hyle"
"Angus Mor MacDonald"


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death_date = 1294 x1295
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title = Lord of Islay
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predecessor = Domhnall mac Raghnaill
successor = Alexander Óg
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children = Several, including Alexander Óg & Aonghas Óg
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Aonghas Mór (Anglicized: "Angus the Elder" or "Great"), also known as Aonghas a Íle ("Angus of Islay") and Aonghas mac Domhnaill (Modern: "Aonghas MacDhòmhnaill"; Anglicized: "Angus MacDonald" or "Angus, Donald's son"), was the son of Domhnall mac Raghnaill, "King of the Isles" and eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald.

Aonghas Mór has been called "the first MacDonald" by one historian,Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 207.] namely because he was the first of the dynasty created by his father to rule Islay. Islay was the centre of the lordship of both Aonghas and his father; and according to a contemporary praise-poem, the realm Aonghas inherited from Domhnall included "every house from Mull to Kintyre" ("gach teach ó Mhuile go Maoil"). [Text and translation, Wilson & Bateman, "Duanaire Na Sracaire", p. 83.]

Life

According to later Gaelic tradition, he was fostered by Dubh-Sidhe, alleged progenitor of the "MacDuffie" (now "MacDhubhaich") kindred of Colonsay, undoubtedly a tradition that served to connect the two kindreds at the time it was developed. He appears granting a charter to Paisley Abbey which can be dated between 1241 and 1249.Munro & Munro, "Acts", p. 280.] The first extant reference to Aonghas as "Lord of Islay" dates to 1256. [Woolf, "Age of the Sea-Kings'", p. 108.] In 1263, during the war between Haakon IV of Norway and Alexander III of Scotland, the Norwegians invaded Aonghas' territory and forced him to join them. [Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 205; Woolf, "Age of the Sea-Kings'", p. 108] Aonghas switched back to the Scottish side in the following year, sending his son Alexander Óg as a hostage to the king. Much of the remainer of his life is mysterious. He was one of the magnates who in 1284 recognised the right of Alexander III's granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway, to succeed to the throne; he appears in documents as late as July 1292. He died on Islay in either 1294 or 1295, and was buried in Iona. [Munro & Munro, "Acts", pp. 280-1.]

Praise poem

Aonghas was the subject of notable praise-poem called "Ceannaigh duain t'athar, a Aonghas" ("Pay For Your Father's Poem, Aonghas"), written for him by an Irish poet soon after acceding to his father Domhnall's lordship. [See McLeod & Bateman, "Duanaire na Sracaire", pp. 81-91; it is suggested that the author may have been Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe.] The poem is at face value a request that Aonghas fulfill his father's debt to the poet; it styles him, among other things, "Aonghas Íle" (Angus of Islay) and "rí Leodhais" ("King of Lewis"). [McLeod & Bateman, "Duanaire na Sracaire", p. 85.] Aonghas fathered at least three children, namely, the aforemention Alexander Óg, Aonghas Óg and a daughter who married Brian Ó Néill, King of Tír Chonaill. [Sellar, "Hebridean Sea-Kings", p. 194.]

tyles

As well as knowing his style of "Dominus de Hyle", we have his name written styled in several documents. For example, here are two ways he wrote his name in the two important languages other than his own one:
* Latin: "Engus de Yle filius Domnaldi" (on his seal)
** "Aonghas of Islay, son of Domhnall"
* French: "Angus fitz Dovenald des Isles"' (royal document)
** "Aonghas son of Domhnall of the Isles

Notes

References

* McLeod, Wilson, & Bateman, Meg (eds.), "Duanaire na Sracaire: The Songbook of the Pillagers: Anthology of Scotland's Gaelic Poetry to 1600", (Edinburgh, 2007)
* Munro, Jean, & Munro, R. W. (eds.), "Acts of the Lords of the Isles, 1336-1493", (Scottish History Society, Edinburgh, 1986)
* Sellar, W. D. H., "Hebridean Sea-Kings: The Successors of Somerled, 1164-1316", in Edward J. Cowan & R. Andrew McDonald (eds.), "Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era", (Edinburgh, 2000), pp. 187-218
* Woolf, Alex, "Age of Sea-Kings: 900-1300", in Donald Omand (ed.), "The Argyll Book", (Edinburgh, 2004), pp. 94-109