Sleat History facts for kids
The Sleat History is a really old book from the 1600s. It tells the story of a famous Scottish family called Clan Donald. People also call it the History of the MacDonalds.
This special history book is kept safe in just one copy, which is a handwritten document. It seems to have been written sometime between 1660 and 1685. A printed version of the text was made available in 1914, so more people could read it.
Contents
Who Wrote the Sleat History?
It's a bit of a mystery who actually wrote the Sleat History.
Possible Authors
- One idea is that a man named Hugh MacDonald wrote it. He might be the same person as Aodh Beaton. Aodh was part of the Beaton family, who were famous doctors from North Uist.
- Another idea is that Uisdean MacDonald of Paiblesgarry wrote it. He was a member of the MacDonalds of Sleat family.
What Does the Sleat History Talk About?
The Sleat History mainly focuses on the story of the MacDonalds of Sleat. This is different from another old book, the Red Book of Clanranald, which tells the history of the MacDonalds of Clanranald.
How It Describes Other Clans
The Sleat History doesn't always say nice things about other families. It speaks badly about the MacDougalls and the MacLeans. It also ignores the MacRuairies (another clan) completely. Even some branches of Clan Donald, like the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan and the MacDonalds of Glengarry, are not shown in a good light.
