The territory of Clan Mackay consisted of the parishes of Farr, Tongue, Durness and Eddrachillis, and was known as Strathnaver, in the north-west of the county of Sutherland.

In the 17th century the Mackay chief's territory had extended to the east to include the parish of Reay in the west of the neighbouring county of Caithness.

[9][note 2] The Blackcastle MS shows that the Mackay chiefs were related to the Farquharsons but gives a different connection to that given by Gordon.

[18] In 1426, the Battle of Harpsdale took place where Chief Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver, with his son Neil, laid waste to Caithness.

[19] In August 1428, James I of Scotland came to Inverness, intending to inflict his rule on the Highland chiefs, including Angus Du Mackay who submitted himself to the King's mercy, and gave his son Neil as a pledge of his future obedience.

[26] In 1437, a conflict known as the Sandside Chase took place where men of Caithness were overthrown by Neil Bhasse Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver after his release from the Bass Rock following the assassination of James I.

[41] In 1542, chief Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver and his followers fought against the English at the Battle of Solway Moss.

[45] In 1562, the Battle of Corrichie took place where the Mackays supported Mary, Queen of Scots against George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly.

[49] In 1588, chief Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver joined the Earl of Sutherland and married his daughter the following year.

[51] In April 1616 chief Donald Mackay went to London with his uncle, Sir Robert Gordon, and was knighted by the king.

[52] In 1626, Sir Donald Mackay embarked with 3000 men at Cromarty under Count Mansfeld for the Thirty Years' War in the service of the king of Denmark alongside their colonel, Robert Monro.

[53] In March 1627 Sir Donald Mackay was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia,[18] and in 1628 was elevated in the peerage as Lord Reay.

[18] In 1630, Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay accompanied his regiment to Germany, and was present at the capture of Stettin and Colberg.

[54] The following year in 1631 Lord Reay was empowered by Charles I of England to raise another force of men for service with Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden.

[55] He quarreled with David Ramsay at the English Court and, having challenged him to a duel, both were imprisoned in the Tower of London to preserve the peace.

[57] In 1638, James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and the Lords Home, Boyd and Loudoun invited Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay to meet them and others to consider the religious troubles of the time and to sign the Covenant, which he did unwillingly, along with his son, John Mackay, Master of Reay, because of his long attachment to Charles I.

[58] In 1645, following Montrose's victory at the Battle of Kilsyth, Lord Reay was liberated from imprisonment and returned home.

In 1815 - 1818 - The Highland Clearances began to take effect on the Mackay lands, by which the people were removed to make room for sheep.

In 1865, David Mackay won the Victoria Cross by taking the colours of the Punjabis during an attack on the fortification of Sercunderbah in India.

Later in the day David Mackay was shot while attacking a second fort at Shah Neijeef and was returned to Britain to recover.

In 1900, in South Africa, John Frederick MacKay, serving with the Gordon Highlanders at the Battle of Crow's Nest Hill, North Johannesburg, wins the highest award, the Victoria Cross.