it is possible that alan had hoped that his illegitimate son, thomas, would be able succeed to the lordship. celtic custom would not have barred the latter from the succession. according to feudal practice, however, alan's nearest heirs were his three daughters. as it turned out, the gallovidian succession was quickly seized upon by the scottish crown. the prospect of alan's illegitimate son succeeding to the lordship threatened to reignite gallovdian interests in the isles, and thereby threatened the welfare of the scottish realm. on the other hand, the husbands of alan's daughters were prominent men of anglo-norman descent, and the prospect of bringing about the demise of the semi-autonomous lordship, through its division between such eminent englishmen, was an advantageous opportunity that alexander could not pass up.