Leod Macgilleandrais

According to Mackenzie, the earl was naturally desirous to gain control of the fortress to aid his cause; he was also threatened by Kenneth's rise in power and prestige.

The earl demanded the castle be handed over to his control, however, Kenneth refused to do so, and was supported in his defiance by the native clans of the area: the Macbeolains, Macivors, Mactearlichs, and Macaulays.

[2] Mackenzie stated that during the time when Kenneth was captured, Eilean Donan Castle was governed by Duncan Macaulay, who possessed the lands of Loch Broom.

Mackenzie noted that although Leod's lands of Kinlochewe were situated in-between Kintail and Loch Broom, which made a convenient base of operations to harass both districts, Duncan was successful in fending off all assaults on Eilean Donan.

Later in his life, the Earl of Cromartie dictated a more detailed version of these events; he related how the Macaulay constable of Eilean Donan Castle, brought back Black Murdoch from Macdougall of Lorn, who had fostered the young chief and protected him from his bastard brothers.

In time, Black Murdoch learned that Leod planned a meeting at Kinlochewe, with the intention of marching on and laying siege to Eilean Donan Castle.

In the meantime, Leod felt quite secure, having heard nothing of the Mackenzie chief; however, when the suitable time arrived, Black Murdoch acquired two galleys and men from his uncle, and was joined by a man named Gille Riabhach[note 2] and his followers, and the total force set out for the mainland.

Through an informant, Black Murdoch was able to learn that Leod was planning to meet some people the next morning at a place called 'the ford of the heads' in Scottish Gaelic.

The next morning, Black Murdoch and his companions waited at the specified location; when the men whom Leod had planned to meet arrived, they were ambushed and many were put to death.

Black Murdoch then gave Leod's widow to Gille Riabhach as a wife, and the manuscript notes that their descendants have lived in the Kinlochewe district ever since.

The Applecross manuscript states that Macleod of Lewis outfitted Black Murdoch with men and arms, and that the force landed at Sanachan in Kishorn.

On learning this, the woman alerted Black Murdoch of this meeting place, and when Leod's men arrived they were ambushed and all had their heads cut off.

Although he managed to hold out against Black Murdoch for a while, in the end was forced to retreat, and fled towards his house, where he was captured in a mire and put to death.

[9] According to his version of events, on the death of the old Mackenzie chief, Duncan Macaulay of Loch Broom joined the men of Kintail against Leod his son.

Dixon stated that the spot where Leod is traditionally said to have met his end was located about three miles from Kinlochewe, "on the hill east of the Torridon road".