!SOURCE: George Crawfurd, Esq., THE PEERAGE OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh,
1716, p. 229ff.

!BIOGRAPHY: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Bart., THE PEERAGE OF
SCOTLAND, Vol. 2, Second Edition, John Philip Wood, Esq., Editor,
Edinburgh, 1813, pp. 8-9.
VIII. Donald, Lord of the Isles, succeeded his father, and entered into a
treaty with King Richard II., on the independent footing of a Sovereign
Prince, in 1388, when his fther John is said to be lately deceased. he
gave off parts of his lands to the Macintoshes, Mackenzies, Mackinnons,
and Macleans, holding of himself, by military tenure, which greatly
increased his power. In particular, he granted three charters, 12th Jly
1390, to Lachlan Macgillean of Doward. Donald de Insulis, and John, his
brother, had letters of safe conduct to come into England, with 100
horse, to treat with King Henry IV., 2d June 1400; and the same monarch,
16th September 1405, issued a commission for treating with Donald de
Insulis, Chevalier, and John, his brother, concerning final peace, alliance,
and friendship, between his majesty and them; again, 8th May 1408.
Donald, Lord of the Isles, having married Lady Margaret Lesly, only
daughter of Euphemia, Countess of Ross, by Sir Walter Lesly, in her right
Earl of Ross; and her brother, Alexander, Earl of Ross, leaving an only
childe, Euphemia, Countess of Ross, who, expressing her intention to
assume the veil, Donald, as next heir to her right of his wife, asserted
her title to the earldom, and, in some measure, took possession, for the
continuator of Fordun observes, that he held the castle of Dingwall in
right of his wife. He raised an army of 10,000 men of the Hebrides and
of Ross, and advanced as far as Marr, in a desolating inroad, intending to
sack aberdeen, and to ravage the country down to the Tay. To stop his
destructive career, Alexander, Earl of Marr, hastily collected a body of
troops, and met the invader at Harlaw, ten miles from Aberdeen, 24th
July 1411. Marr''s army was inferior in number, and the battle was
obstinate and fierce, but indecisive. On the side of Donald, the chiefs of
Macintosh and Macleand fell, with about 900, and Marr lost 500 men,
among them some of rank. The Lord of the Isles was so much weakened,
that he was forced to retire; and the Regent Duke of Albany marched to
the castle of Dingwall, which he took. Next year, 1412, Albany set on
foot three armies to invade the territories of Donald, who was obliged to
abandon his pretensions to the earldom of Ross, to make a personal
submission, and to give oaths and hostages for indemnification and
future observance of peace.
Donald, Lord of the Isles, is enumerated among the allies of Henry V. in
treaties 1414, 1415, and 1416, and he died before 1427. By Lady
Margaret Lesly, his wife, he had a son, Alexander, and a daughter.