Battle of the Western Isles

The Battle of the Western Isles was a series of conflicts in 1585 and 1586 on the islands of Jura, Islay, Mull and Tiree, Scotland as well as the peninsula of Kintyre on the mainland. However, although the historic sources describe this as having taken place in the "Western Isles" which are now known as the Outer Hebrides, all of the aforementioned locations are actually in the Inner Hebrides. It was fought between the Clan Macdonald of Sleat and Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg against the Clan Maclean. In 1585, the Macleans slaughtered a party of the MacDonalds of Sleat when they were mistakenly accused of stealing cattle and the MacDonalds of Sleat and Dunnyveg retaliated. James VI of Scotland intervened but the conflicts continued into 1586. After further intervention an Act of Parliament was passed which would levy fines on any clan chiefs who did not maintain peace and good order among their vassals.

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