For instance, the even more similar Latin title dominus de Inchegal ('Lord of the Hebrides'), applied to Raghnall Mac Somhairle in the mid-12th century.

[3] In fact John is actually styled Rí Innsi Gall or King of the Isles shortly after his death in a contemporary entry in the Irish Annals of Ulster.

John was the son of Aonghus Óg Mac Domhnaill, an Islay-based nobleman who had benefited from King Robert I of Scotland's attacks on the MacDougall (Mac Dhùghaill) rulers of Argyll and their Comyn allies, and had been given Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Duror and Glencoe, turning the MacDonalds from the Hebridean "poor relations" into the most powerful kindred of the north-western seaboard.

This meant that John's dominions now included all of the Hebrides except Skye, and all of the western seaboard from Morvern to Loch Hourn.

[7][8] John continued to build his power base by allying himself with Robert II of Scotland, another West Highland magnate who was the designated heir of King David.

After David went into English custody in 1346, Robert acted as the de facto ruler of Scotland north of the River Forth.

The success of John was so great that his successors could maintain a distance from the Crown that outlived the weak monarchy of the 14th century.