Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay
Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay (March 1591 – February 1649), known as Sir Donald Mackay, 1st Baronet, from 1627 to 1628, was a Scottish peer and soldier.
Mackay was the eldest son of Huistean Du Mackay. He was created a Baronet, of Strathnaver, in 1627 and the following year he was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Lord Reay, of Reay in the County of Caithness. In 1626 he raised a regiment under a charter from King Charles I, with which he served with distinction in Denmark under Christian IV. He was not present with the regiment when they fought at the Siege of Stralsund in 1628, command devolving to his lieutenant colonel, Alexander Seaton.[1] The regiment then fought under Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years' War.[2] He later fought as a Royalist in the Civil War.
Lord Reay was married four times. He married, firstly, Barbara Mackenzie, sister of Colin Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth, in 1610. He married, secondly, Rachel Winterfield or Harrison, sometime before 1631. This marriage was annulled. He married, thirdly, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Thomson, and fourthly, Marjorie, daughter of Francis Sinclair. Lord Reay died in February 1649, aged 57, and was succeeded in his titles by his son John.
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New Creation |
Lord Reay 1628–1649 |
Succeeded by John Mackay |
References
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
- ↑ cited in Steve Murdoch and Alexia Grosjean, Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 (London, 2014), pp.47-51
- ↑ History reconsidered MacKay’s Regiment of Foote, (1626-1634), retrieved 1 January 2014