Archaeologists in Scotland have discovered the ruins of a medieval castle belonging to the MacDonald clan on the island of Islay. The castle was once the center of power for the Lords of the Isles and rivaled the royal power.
Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a medieval castle in Scotland, which likely belonged to the heads of the MacDonald clan. The discovery was made on the island of Islay, in Loch Finlaggan, the BBC reports.
The castle, built approximately in the 12th-13th centuries, occupied two islands: one was used as an administrative and ceremonial center, the other as a defensive fortress. About two hundred years later, the descendants of the MacDonalds became Lords of the Isles and turned Finlaggan into a center of power, controlling the Hebrides, Argyll, and part of the northwest Highlands.
The Lords of the Isles acted like kings, considering themselves equal to the monarchs of Scotland and England. However, in the late 16th century, King James IV curtailed their influence, and many of the fortifications were destroyed. The castle gradually fell into disrepair.
Research at Finlaggan lasted nearly 30 years. Historian David Caldwell presented the results in his book, “The Archaeology of Finlaggan: Islay.”
