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Ewen Cameron, XIII Captain and Chief of Clan Cameron,
along with Macleod of Dunvegan and Maclean of Duart were the first Highland Chiefs
to join Donald Dubh of the Isles in his attempt to gain the Island Lordship.
Two years earlier, in 1501, Donald Dubh
escaped from prison, where he had been held since infancy. A strong
confederacy was formed in his favor and about Christmas 1503 an irruption of the
islanders and western clans, under Donald Dubh, was made into Badenoch, which
was plundered and wasted with fire and sword. To put down the rebellion a
grand army of the Lowlands was called out, with numerous Earls (including Argyll
and Huntly, among others) in addition to Lord Lovat and his fellow barons,
leading this force against the islanders and western clans. It was two
years before the insurrection was finally quelled.
In 1504, for his part in the rebellion, Ewen was forfeited and declared rebel,
but seems soon to have again achieved favor at Court afterwards. As for
Donald Dubh, he was again made a prisoner a few year later, and was committed to
the castle of Edinburgh, where he remained in captivity for nearly forty years.
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