Islay Charter facts for kids
The Islay Charter is a very old and important document from the year 1408. Think of it like a special legal paper. It was a gift of land from Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles, to a person named Brian MacKay. Brian lived on the island of Islay in Scotland.
This charter is unique because it's the only land gift from the powerful MacDonald family that was written in Scottish Gaelic. Back in those days, most important documents were written in Latin. The Islay Charter is also one of the earliest examples of a document written in a common language, or "vernacular," instead of Latin. It shows that Gaelic was used for official business in the 1400s.
What is the Islay Charter?
The Islay Charter was a formal agreement. It gave Brian MacKay a large piece of land on the eastern part of Islay. This land was about 400 acres, which is a lot of space!
Who Created the Charter?
The charter was written on a piece of goatskin. A man named Fearghas MacBeatha wrote it. He was a personal doctor to the Lord of the Isles. His family, the Beatons, were a famous group of doctors on the islands.
The Lord of the Isles, Domhnall, signed the charter himself. A judge named Pat McAbriuin also witnessed the signing. This made the land gift official and legal.
Where Can We Learn More?
You can find a special version of the Islay Charter in a book. The book is called The Acts of the Lords of the Isles. It also has notes about how the document was made and where the lands were located.
See also
- Fernaig manuscript
- Book of the Dean of Lismore
