was　succeeded　by　his　only　　son；　VIII。　　GERALD　　FITZ　MAURICE；　4th　Baron　Offaly；　who　died　　without　issue　in　1287；　when　he　was　succeeded　by　his　cousin　Maurice；　only　　son　of　Gerald；　second　son　of　Maurice　Fitzgerald；　second　Baron　Offaly；　as　IX。　　MAURICE　FITZGERALD；　5th　Baron　Offaly；　who　married　　Agnes　de　Valance；　daughter　of　William　Earl　of　Pembroke；　without　issue；　　when　he　was　succeeded　by　his　cousin　John；　son　of　Thomas；　third　son　of　　Maurice　Fitzgerald；　second　Baron　Offaly；　as　X。　　JOHN　　FITZ　　THOMAS　　FITZ　GERALD；　sixth　Baron　Offaly；　　and　first　Earl　of　Kildare。　　From　him；　by　his　wife　Blanche；　daughter　of　John　　Roche；　Baron　of　Fermoy；　are　descended　the　present　Duke　of　Leinster　and　　other　Irish　Fitzgeralds。　He　died　on　the　10th　November；　1316。　　Several　important　particulars　bearing　on　the　points　in　dispute　are　　noticeable　in　this　genuine　Fitzgerald　genealogy；　a　few　of　which　may　be　　remarked　upon。　　（1）　There　is　no　trace　of　a　Colin　Fitzgerald；　or　of　any　other　　Colin；　in　the　real　family　genealogy　from　beginning　to　end；　down　to　the　present　day。　　（2）　Gerald；　the　4th　Baron　Offaly；　died　in　1287。　　He　was　　succeeded　by　his　cousin　Maurice；　as　5th　Baron；　who　in　turn　war　　succeeded　by　his　cousin　John　Fitz　Thomas　Fitz　Gerald；　who　died　comparatively　young　in　1316。　　According　to　the　Colin　Fitzgerald　theory；　　this　John；　first　Earl　of　Kildare；　was　twice　married；　and　by　his　second　wife　　had　six　sons；　of　whom　Colin　Fitzgerald；　who　really　ought　to　have　been　　described　as　Colin　Fitz　Johnfor　it　will　be　observed　that　the　Chiefs　in　the　　real　genealogy　are　invariably　described　as　Fitz　or　son　of　their　fatherswas　　the　eldest。　　This　was　impossible。　　How　could　John　Fitz　Thomas　Fitzgerald；　who　died　at　a　comparatively　early　age　in　1316；　have　had　a　son　by　his　　second　marriage；　who　must　have　arrived　at　a　mature　age　before　he　〃was　driven〃　from　Ireland　to　Scotland　in　1261；　and　be　able　to　fight；　as　alleged　　by　his　supporters；　with　great　distinction；　as　a　warrior　who　had　already　an　　established　reputation；　at　the　battle　of　Largs；　in　1263？　Let　us　suppose　that　　Colin's　reputed　father　was　70　years　old　when　he　died。　　He　（the　father）　　must　thus　have　been　born　as　early　as　1246。　　Let　us　take　it　that　his　eldest　　son；　the　reputed　Colin；　by　his　second　wife；　was　born　when　his　father　was　　only　24　years　of　agesay　in　1270and　the　result　of　the　Fitzgerald　origin　theory　would　be　that　Colin　must　have　fought　at　the　battle　of　Largs　7　years　　before；　according　to　the　laws　of　nature；　he　could　have　been　born。　　In　other　　words；　he　was　not　born；　if　born　at　all；　for　seven　years　after　the　battle　of　　Largs；　four　years　after　the　reputed　charter　of　1266；　and　40　years　　subsequent　to　1230；　the　last　year　in　which　either　of　the　witnesses　whose　　names　are　upon　the　alleged　charter　itself　was　in　life。　　（3）　But　take　the　　genealogy　as　given　by　the　upholders　of　the　Colin　Fitzgerald　origin　　themselves　Maurice；　who　died　in　1257；　had；　according　to　it；　two　sonsThomas　and　Gerald。　This　Thomas；　they　say；　succeeded　his　father　as　third　　Lord　Offaly；　and　had　a　son；　John；　who；　by　his　second　wife；　had　Colin　Fitzgerald。　That　is；　Maurice；　who　died　in　1257；　had　a　great　grandson　Colin；　who；　as　a　warrior　of　mature　years　and　experience；　fought　at　the　battle　of　Largs　only　six　years　after　his　great…grandfathers　death。　But　there　was　in　　fact　no　Earl　of　Kildare　at　this　early　date。　　That　title　was；　as　already　stated；　　not　created　until　1316；　twenty…eight　years　after　his　son　Colin　Fitzgerald　was；　according　to　the　testimony　of　his　supporters；　buried　in　Icolmkill。
  It　is　　surely　unnecessary　to　add　that　such　a　consummation　is　absolutely　　impossible；　and　these　facts　alone；　though　no　other　shred　of　evidence　was　　forthcoming；　would　dispose　of　the　Colin　Fitzgerald　origin　of　the　　Mackenzies　for　ever。
  Colin's　five　brothers　are　given　by　the　upholders　of　the　Fitzgerald　origin　as　Galen；　said　to　have　been　the　same　as　Gilleon　or　Gillean；　the　ancestor　of　the　Macleans；　Gilbert；　ancestor　of　the　White　Knights；　John；　　ancestor　of　the　Knights　of　Glynn；　Maurice；　ancestor　of　the　Knights　of　　Kerry；　and　Thomas；　progenitor　of　the　Fitzgeralds　of　Limerick。　　But　it　is　　quite　unnecessary　to　deal　with　Colin's　brothers　and　their　descendants　here。
  It　will　be　sufficient　if　we　dispose　of　Colin　himself；　who；　according　to　the　　genealogy　given　to　him　by　those　who　claim　him　as　their　progenitor；　was　　really　not　Colin　Fitz…Gerald　but　Colin　Fitz…John。　He　must；　however；　be　　dealt　with　a　little　more　at　length；　for；　whoever　he　may　have　been；　and　　however　mythical　his　personal　history；　his　name　will　always　command　a　　certain　amount　of　interest　for　members　of　the　Clan　Mackenzie；　and　those　　who　have　become　allied　with　them　by　marriage　or　association。　　Most　of　us　are　acquainted　with　the　turbulent　state　of　the　West　　Highlands　and　Islands　in　the　reign　of　Alexander　II。；　when　the　Highland　　Chiefs　became　so　powerful；　and　were　so　remote　from　the　centre　of　　Government；　that　they　could　not　be　brought　under　the　King's　authority。　　　His　Majesty　determined　to　make　a　serious　effort　to　reduce　these　men　to　　obedience；　and　for　this　purpose　he　proceeded；　at　the　head　of　a　large　force；　　but　died　on　his　way　in　1249；　on　the　Island　of　Kerrera；　leaving　his　son；　Alexander　III。；　then　only　nine　years　of　age；　with　the　full　weight　and　　responsibility　of　government　on　his　shoulders。　　Shortly　after　the　King　attained　his　majority；　Colin　Fitzgerald；　　correctly　speaking　Fitz　John　is　said　to　have　been　driven　out　of　Ireland　and　　to　have　sought　refuge　at　the　Scottish　Court；　where　he　was　heartily　　welcomed　by　the　King；　by　whom　his　rank　and　prowess　well　known　to　him　　by　repute；　were　duly　recognised　and　acknowledged。
  At　this　time　Alexander　was　preparing　to　meet　Haco；　King　of　　Norway；　who；　on　the　2nd　of　October；　1262；　landed　with　a　large　force　on　　the　coast　of　Ayrshire；　where　he　was　met　by　a　gallant　force　of　fifteen　hundred　knights　splendidly　mounted　on　magnificent　chargersmany　of　　them　of　pure　Spanish　breedwearing　breastplates；　while　their　riders；　clad　　in　complete　armour；　with　a　numerous　army　of　foot　armed　with　spears；　　bows　and　arrows；　and　other　weapons　of　war；　according　to　the　usage　in　　their　respective　provinces；　the　whole　of　this　valiant　force　led　by　the　King　　in　person。　　These　splendid；　well…accoutred　armies　met　at　Largs　two　or　　three　days　after；　and　then　commenced　that　sanguinary　and　memorable　　engagement　which　was　the　first　decisive　check　to　the　arrogance　of　the　　Norsemen　who　had　so　long　held　sway　in　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；　　and　the　first　opening　up　of　the　channel　which　led　to　the　subsequent　　arrangements　between　Alexander　III。　of　Scotland　and　Magnus　IV。　of　　Norway　in　consequence　of　which　an　entirely　new　organisation　was　　introduced　into　the　Hebrides；　then　inhabited　by　a　mixed　race　composed　of　　the　natives　and　largely　of　the　descendants　of　successive　immigrant　　colonists　of　Norwegians　and　Danes　who　had　settled　in　the　country。　　In　this　memorable　engagement；　we　are　told；　the　Scots　commenced　　the　attack。　　The　right　wing；　composed　of　the　men　of　Argyle；　of　Lennox；　of　Athole；　and　Galloway；　was　commanded　by　Alexander；　Lord　High　　Steward；　while　Patrick　Dunbar；　Earl　of　March；　commanded　the　left　wing；　　composed　of　the　men　of　the　Lothians；　Berwick；　Stirling；　and　Fife。　　The　　King　placed　himself　in　the　centre；　at　the　head　of　the　choice　men　of　Ross；　Perth；　Angus；　Mearns；　Mar；　Moray；　Inverness；　and　Caithness；　where　he　　was　confronted　by　Haco　in　person；　who；　for　the　purpose　of　meeting　the　　Scottish　King；　took　post　in　the　Norwegian　centre。　The　High　Steward；　by　a　dexterous　movement；　made　the　enemy's　left　give　way；　and　instantly；　by　　another　adroit　manoeuvre；　he　wheeled　back　on　the　rear　of　Haco's　centre；　　where　he　found　the　two　warrior　Kings　desperately　engaged。　　This　induced　　Haco；　after　exhibiting　all　the　prowess　of　a　brave　King　and　an　able　　commander；　to　retreat　from　the　field；　followed　by　his　left　wing；　leaving；　as　　has　been　variously　stated；　sixteen　to　twenty…four　thousand　of　his　followers　on　the　field；　while　the　loss　on　the　Scottish　side　is　estimated　at　about　five　　thousand。　　The　men　of　Caithness　and　Sutherland　were　led　by　the　Flemish　　Freskin；　those　of　Moray　by　one　of　their　great　chiefs；　and　there　is　every　　reason　to　believe　that　the　men　of　Ross　rallied　round　one　of　their　native　　chiefs。　　Among　the　most　distinguished　warriors　who　took　part　in　this　great　　and　decisive　victory　for　the　Scots；　under　the　immediate　eye　of　their　brave　King；　was；　it　is　said；　Colin　Fitzgerald；　who　is　referred　to　in　a　fragment　of　　the　Record　of　Icolmkill　as　〃Callenus　peregrinus　Hibernus　nobilis　ex　　familia　Geraldinorum　qui　proximo　anno　ab　Hibernia　pulsus　opud　regni　　benigne　acceptus　hinc　usque　in　curta　permansit　et　in　praefacto　proelio　　strenue　pugnavit。〃　　That　is；　〃Colin；　an　Irish　stranger　and　nobleman；　of　the　　family　of　the　Geraldines　who；　in　the　previous　year；　had　been　driven　from　　Ireland；　and　had　been　well　received　by　the　King；　remained　up　to　this　time　at　Court；　and　fought　bravely　in　the　aforesaid　battle。〃　　This　extract　has　　often　been　quoted　to　prove　that　Colin　Fitzgerald　was　the　progenitor　of　the　Mackenzies；　but　it　will　be　noticed　that　it　contains　no　reference　whatever　to　the　point。　　It　merely　says　that　Colin；　an　Irishman；　was　present　at　Largs。
  After　the　defeat　of　Haco　the　King　sent　detachments　to　secure　the　West　Highlands　and　Isles；