Arms of Archibald Kennedy 8th Marquess Ailsa
Kennedy is one of Anton's Scottish clans. Their home territory is in southwestern Scotland,
in Ayrshire, where they were a power house. Originally they came from the western isles and are of Celtic-Norse stock. They were also known as The Kings of Carrick.
Gaelic Name: Ceannaideach
in Ayrshire, where they were a power house. Originally they came from the western isles and are of Celtic-Norse stock. They were also known as The Kings of Carrick.
Gaelic Name: Ceannaideach
Anton, Lord of Hartforth with cousin
Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 8th Marquess of Ailsa, 19th Earl of Cassilis, 21st Lord Kennedy, & 8th Baron Ailsa
Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 8th Marquess of Ailsa, 19th Earl of Cassilis, 21st Lord Kennedy, & 8th Baron Ailsa
The Kennedy Clan was strong and powerful, dominating southwestern Scotland for centuries. They were astute enough to support the strong Scottish kings and to oppose the weak ones. This support enabled them to retain their lands and position and to expand them, sometimes at the expense of their neighboring clans. At the time of the Reformation in the 1500s, a schism developed within the Kennedys when one faction (Bargany) favored Henry VIII’s Reformation and the other side of the clan (Cassillis) favored remaining loyal to Rome. Long after the Cassillis branch embraced John Knox and Protestantism, the split remained, resulting in disputes after every clan chief’s death over who should succeed and lead the clan. The issue finally was resolved in favor of the Cassillis branch, and the title of Marquess of Ailsa is passed down through that side of the family today.
