Ian Grimble’s Chief
of Mackay is the first volume of his Strathnaver Trilogy:

…. bringing into focus
and describing in tragic detail the fate of the Mackay country –
Duthaich ‘Ic Aoidh – in the far northwest of Scotland. Because of gradual
changes in the idea of chieftainship, the people underwent a
transformation from a traditional tight-knit Gaelic-speaking community
to a down-trodden helot population to be cleared away at the will of the
landowner and replaced by sheep.

In the late 16^th
century the Chief of Mackay was forced to become a feudal vassal of
of the powerful Gordon family, becoming subject to the Earl of Sutherland.
Most of the book is about the efforts of the Gordons to obtain
direct ownership of the MacKay territories. From a letter of Sir Robert Gordon to his nephew, the Earl of Sutherland:

“Use Mackay rather as your vassal than as your companion,
and because they are usually proud and arrogant let them know that
you are their superior.” [p. 120]

The Gordon plan for the Mackay territories was cultural genocide.
They intended to eliminated the Highland dress. More from Sir Robert’s
advice to his nephew:

“Use your diligence to take away the reliques of the
Irishe barbaritie which as yet remains in your countrey, to wit,
the Irishe language and the habit, Purge your countrey peice and
peice from that unciwill kynd of cloithes, such as plaids, mantles,
truses and blew bonnets. Mak sewere acts against those that shall
weare them. Cause the inhabitants of the countrey to cloith them
selves as the most ciwill prowinces of the Kingdome do, with doublet,
cloiks and hats, which they may do with less chargs then the other.
It is no excuse which some wold pretend alledgeing that unciwill habit
to be lightest among the montanes. They may cloith them selfs (if they
list) with coats and breiches of one color, as light and handsome as
plaid and truses.” [p. 121]

As for their Gaelic language:

“The Irish [Gaelic] language cannot so soon be extinguished. To help
this, plant schools in every corner of the the country to instruct
the you to speak English”. [p. 121].

Donald Mackay, first Lord Reay, raised a regiment of his Highlanders
to fight in the 30 Year’s War, the only Highland clan regiment of
all the Scots who fought in that conflict. The regiment fought well for
King Christian IV of Denmark and King Gustavus Adolphus of of Sweden.
Unfortunately, King Christian and King Charles I of Scotland and
England (who also promised to support this venture) did not pay Mackay
the funds they promised him. This left him deeply in debt, and he was
forced to mortgage and then sell much of the ancestral Mackay country to the Gordons to
meet his obligations.

By 1649 the situation of the Mackays was getting desperate. They
were saved by the unlikely combination of Oliver Cromwell, King Charles
II, and King William III. The end of the Gaelic society of Strathnaver
was postponed for another century and a half.

See also David Reid Mackay’s review.