Robert Munro

Notes:

Robert was born out of wedlock. His wife was the daughter of Dingwall of Kildin.

Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - P & P/2

Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - P

"...he is said to have 3 natural sons Hugh Robert and John..."

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.

Family/Spouse: Dingwall. was born about 1518; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Murdow Munro was born about 1541; and died.
2. Alexander Munro was born about 1543; and died.
3. John Munro was born est 1545; and died.

Notes:

Hector succeeded his father when he was still a child. His estates were managed by some of his relatives until he reached majority in about 1514. At that time, Hector and John Mackenzie of Kintail were temporarily appointed by an act of the Privy Council, Lieutenants of Wester Ross to protect that district from the incursion of Sir Donald Macdonald of Lochalsh, who had proclaimed himself Lord of the Isles.

Donald Macdonald of Lochalsh died before August 1519, and on 2 October 1524, his sister, Margaret Macdonald of the Isles issued a charter granting Hector Munro several pieces of land in Breachatt. These grants were given with the consent of Margaret's husband, Alexander Macdonald of Glengarry and were confirmend by King James V by charter dated at Stirling on 20 Apr 1541.

On 30 Apr 1527, at Inverness, Hector entered into a bond of friendship and mutual defense with the Knight of Cawdor Castle and others. A similar contract was signed by Hector and Hugh, fifth Lord Lovat on 19 Mar 1529.

Hector was married twice, but had children only by his first wife. He also had three illegitimate sons who became heads of large families, and to whom were granted portions of land in Ross-shire.

Hector died at Carbisdale (later called Culrain), in the parish of Kincardine in 1541, when he was about 50 years old. He was buried in the ancestral burying-ground in the Chanonry of Ross.

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The following is from «u»The Monroe Book«/u» p. 6:

«i»William's son Hector had extensive lands confirmed to him as thirteenth Baron by James V a Stirling in 1541 and died in the same year.
«/i»**********

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Died:
Carbisdale was later renamed Culrain.

Buried:
Hector was buried at the Chanonry of Ross.

Notes:

William may have been named after his maternal grandfather. He is the only Munro Chief named William.

He may have been knighted by King James IV for his faithful services to the Crown. He appears as Sir William in a local document of 1503, but not in later national records. He was appointed Justiciar within the sheriffdom of Inverness during the early part of the reign of King James IV, and was present at a Court held at Inverness on 11 Feb 1499.

In the execution of his duties as Justiciar, Sir William came into collision with Hector Roy Mackenzie of Gairloch, resulting in the disastrous battle of Druim-a-chait.

Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail married Margaret, daughter of Macdonald of Isla, by whom he had a son Kenneth. In consequence of a quarrel with her relatives, he sent her away and took as his second wife, Agnes, daughter of Lord Lovat, by whom he had four sons and two daughters. There was no regular marriage ceremony between the two, and had there been, it would have made no difference, as Margaret of Isla, from whom he had not been lawfully divorced was still alive.

Kenneth, the younger, succeeded his father in 1491, but was killed in 1497 in the Torwood by the Laird of Buchanan. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his half-brother, John, eldest son of his father by Agnes Fraser. The great body of the clan, knowing that Agnes was not regularly married, did not look upon John as the legitimate heir. His uncle, Hector Roy Mackenzie, of Gairloch, also objected to John's succession on the ground that he was the illegitimate sone of Lord Lovat's daughter, "with whom his father Kenneth at first did so irregularly and unlawfully cohabit."

Hugh Lord Lovat took up the cause of his nephew, John, and procured from James Stewart, Duke of Ross and Archbishop of St. Andrews, a precept of clare constat in favor of John as heir to the estates. The document is dated "the last day of April, 1500." However, Hector Roy kept possession of the estates and treated them as his own.

Sir William Munro of Foulis, the Duke of Ross' lieutenant for the forfeited Earldom of Ross, was dissatisfied with Hector Roy's conduct and in 1501, resolved to punish him. Sir William was in the habit of doing things with a high hand, and on this occasion, during Hector's absence from home, he and his Sheriff, Alexander Vass, went to Kinellan, where Hector usually resided, held a court at the place, and as a fine, took away the couples of one of Hector's barns to show his power.

When Hector Roy discovered what had taken place during his absence, he became furious and sent a message to Sir William to the effect that if he were a man of courage he would come and take away the couples of the other barn when their owner was at home.

Sir William, highly incensed at this message, determined to accept the challenge. He promptly collected 900 of his followers, including the Dingwalls and the MacCullochs, who were then his dependents. With this force, he set out for Kinellan, where he arrived much sooner than expected by Hector Roy, who hurriedly collected all the men he could in the neighborhood. Mackenzie had no time to advise his Kintail men, nor those at a distance from Kinellan, and was consequently unable to muster more than a hundred and forty men.

With this small force, Hector wisely deemed it imprudent to venture on a regular battle, but decided on a different stratagem. Having supplied his little but resolute band with provisions for twenty hours, he led them secretly during the night to the top of Knock Farrel, a place where Sir William must pass in his march to and from Kinellan.

Early the next morning, Foulis marched past, quite ignorant of Hector's position, as he expected him to be waiting at Kinellan. Sir William was allowed to pass unmolested. On arriving at Kinellan he found the place deserted, and, supposing Hector had fled, he proceeded to demolish the barn, ordered its couples to be carried away, broke all the utensils about the place, and drove away all the cattle as trophies of his visit.

In the evening, he returned, as Hector had conjectured, carring the plunder in front of his party, accompanied by a strong guard, while he placed the rest of his picked men in the rear, fearing that Hector might pursue him, little imagining that he was waiting ahead.

Hector Roy, from the top of the hill, watched them as they rounded the curve where the highway touched the shoulder of the hill. He allowed them to pass him until the rear was within musket shot. He then ordered his men to charge, which they did with such impetuosity that most of the enemy were cut to pieces before they were fully aware of what was happening.

The groans of the dying in the twilight, the uncertainty as well as the unexpectedness of the attack, frightened the survivors so much that they fled in confusion, in spite of every attempt on the part of Sir William, who was in front in charge of the spoil and its guard, to stop them. Those flying in disorder from the rear soon confused those in front, and the result was a complete rout. Hector Mackenzie's men followed the fugitives, killing everyone they overtook, for it was ordered that no quarter should be given to such a number, who might turn around, attack and defeat their pursuers.

In the retreat almost all the men of the Clans Dingwall and MacCulloch, were slain as well as many Munros. A large number of men were killed at one spot on the edge of the hill where Hector Roy's men were armed with claymores and battle axes. Many heads of the slain tumbled down the hill and into a well, where nineteen heads were later counted. For many decades, the well was called "Tobar nan Ceann," or the Fountain of the heads.

This conflict, which was fought in 1501, became known as the Battle of Druim-a-Chait, or the Battle of Cat Ridge.

Sir William is said to have been killed in the prime of life, in 1505, at a place called Achnashellach or Achnaskellach, in Lochaber, by Ewen "MacAlein Mhic Dhomh'uill Duibh" of Lochiel. The raid is described in "Lochiel's Memoirs" as follows:

"Besides the other wars wherein Lochiel was engaged, he had also a ruffle with the Baron of Reay, Chief of the Mackays, a people living many miles north of Lochaber. What the quarrel was I know not, but it drew on an invasion from the Camerons, and that an engagement wherein the Mackays were defeated and the Laird of Fowlis, Chief of the Munros, who assisted them, was killed upon the spot."

In 1502, a Royal commission had been given to the Earl of Huntly, Thomas fourth Lord Lovat, and Sir William Munro of Foulis to "proceed to Lochaber and let the King's lands of Lochaber and Mamore for the space of five years to true men." This is what probably led to the raid and the collision with the Camerons in which Sir William was slain.

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The following is from «u»The Monroe Book«/u» p. 6:

«i»He «/i»[John Munro, XI of Foulis] «i»died in 1490 and was succeeded by Sir William, knighted by James IV, who is said to have married Anna MacLean (Anna, daughter of Laird of McLean) and to have been killed in 1505 in a raid assisting the Chief of the MacKays. He had also been in the unfortunate battle of Druim-a-chat in 1501.
«/i»**********

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Fowlis

William married Anne McLean in 1479 in , , , Scotland. Anne (daughter of Lachlan Og MacLean and Catherine Campbell) was born in 1460; died in 1495. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - O

"Sir William Munro of Fowlis married Anne daughter to the Laird of McLean by whom he had Hector William and Margaret being Justiciary and Lieutenant of Inverness and Earldom of Ross he was killed at Achnaselach by Locheal 1505."

"...Martine A 37 & B 6 agrees in calling his Maclean wife Anna but she is on public record as Christian (ER xii 662)..."

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Notes:

Married:
Fowlis

Notes:

It is said that John was a child in the cradle when his father was killed at the Battle of Bealach-nam-Broig, but he was probably actually a teenager at the time he succeeded. Since John was still a minor his uncle, John Munro of Milntown served with distinction as Tutor of Foulis until he came of age. He had reached his majority by 20 Mar 1457.

John, the last Earl of Ross, maintained an almost regal state at his castle of Dingwall. In the early years of his rule, John Munro served as Chamberlain to his Lordship. The Munros were vassals of the Earls of Ross and held Ferrindonald from them.

On 10 Jul 1476, King James III forfeited the Earldom of Ross because of the continued turbulence of its possessors, their many acts of treason and persistent rebellions. From that time on, the Munros held their land directly from the Crown. The rental for these lands was to furnish the Sovereign with a snowball from the slopes of Ben Wyvis at midsummer. This was easily accomplished because the snow never completely melts from the hollows and crevices of that noble mountain.

John served as Crown chamberlain of the confiscated estates.

In 1478, he had a Crown charter granting him the lands of Findon in the Earldom of Ormond.

John seems to have died in 1490, and certainly by 5 Jun 1491, and not in 1496 as some references state.

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The following is from «u»The Monroe Book«/u»:

«i»The tenth Baron of Foulis was George who married a daughter of McCulloch of Plaids. He was killed in 1452 at the Battle of Beallachnam-Brog as was his eldest son. He married, second, Christian McCulloch by whom he had son Hugh of Coul who succeeded to the Barony. It is with George that two lines separate to account for William of Lexington through Hugh, George's third son, and to John of Bristol, Rhode Island and Hugh of Long Island, presumed brothers, through John, his second son.

John Munro, second son of George, is considered by the Munros to be the eleventh Baron of Foulis. He was a minor when he inherited the title and was under his uncle John Munro of Milntown who led the Clan at Clachnaharry in 1454. He married a daughter of Knight of Calder and a Crown charter regranted him lands of Findon in the Earldom of Ormond in 1478. He died in 1490 and was succeeded by Sir William, knighted by James IV.
«/i»**********

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Buried:
John was buried at the Chanonry of Ross.

John married Finvola Calder. Finvola (daughter of William Calder) was born in 1433 in , , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 28

"John Married Finvola, daughter of William Calder, Thane of Cawdor, 1442-1468, and Crown-Chamberlain "beyond the Spey," with issue--"

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Foulis

Notes:

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Lachlan married Catherine Campbell in 1460. Catherine (daughter of Isabel Stewart) was born about 1434; died in 1482. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.