John Munro

Notes:

John answered the call when his brother, the Chief, raised the clan to oppose Edward III's invasion of Scotland to aid Edward Balliol, Edward's puppet King. He fought in the disasterous Battle of Halidon Hill, but fortunately escaped unhurt to lead the remaining Munros back to Ferrindonald. Because his brother, George, Chief of Clan Munro, fell in battle, John returned to become guardian of his nephew, George's heir.

John managed the estates carefully and redeemed portions of the ancestral possessions which had been morgaged by his ancestors.

Ref: "History of the Munros" by Alexander Mackenzie - p. 10-11

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 10

"John, who became guardian to his nephew...

"At the battle of Halidon Hill...The Chief of the Munros [George Munro] was killed, fighting bravely at the head of his clan, many of whom fell on that fatal field, and the survivors, a sadly attenuated band, were led home by the Chief's brother, John, who fortunately escaped unhurt, and on his return took charge of his young nephew's affairs, and continued to do so during Robert's minority."

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

Notes:

George married a daughter of Kenneth, Earl of Sutherland.

George was killed at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 as he fought beside Robert Bruce of Scotland against King Edward II of England.

The following is from "The Munro Tree (1734)":

"George Munro of Fowlis married a Daughter of Kenneth Earle of Sutherland by whom he had a son George who succeeded he was killed in Defence of his King and Countire at the Battle of Bannockburn 1314."

"Individual casualties at Bannockburn are unattested, and lists purporting to name the 'clans' who fought there are quite unreliable."

The following is from "History of the Munros of Fowlis":

"...he [Robert Munro] raised his clan and accompanied the Earls of Ross and Sutherland to Bannockburn. In that memorable battle his eldest and apparently only son, George, was slain along with many more of Robert's followers...His only son George, who fell at Banockburn, had married a year before his death a daughter of the Earl of Sutherland, with issue--"

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

Birth:
Foulis Castle

George married Agnes Sutherland in 1313. Agnes (daughter of Kenneth Sutherland, Earl Of Sutherland) was born in 1286 in , , , Scotland; died in in Foulis Easter, , , Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

"George Munro of Fowlis married a Daughter of Kenneth Earle of Sutherland by whom he had a son George who succeeded..."

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 9

"...George, who fell at Bannockburn, had married a year before his death a daughter of the Earl of Sutherland, with issue--."

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

Notes:

Robert succeeded to Foulis while still a minor, and was placed under the guardianship of the Earls of Ross and Sutherland. He attained his majority in 1282.

During the confusion that reigned after the death of the Maid Of Norway in 1290, Robert joined with the Bruce household in their claim to the throne. Because of his loyalty to Robert the Bruce, Robert Munro suffered much from Bruce's enemies, the Comyns. Munro of Foulis continued steadfast in his support and though advanced in years, in 1314, he raised his clan and accompanied the Earls of Ross and Sutherland to Bannockburn. In that memorable battle, Robert lost his eldest and apparently only son, George, slain along with many of Robert's followers.

Robert escaped unhurt and returned home in safety, though much bereaved by the loss of his son and other relatives. He lived for another nine years and died in 1323, when he was succeeded by his grandson, George.

A charter granted by King Robert I (reigned 1306 - 1329) to Robert de Monro, of Counetis in Strathspeya, the lands of Cupermakcultis or Conneis Cuper McCulty. If correct, this would be the earliest surviving record of the name Munro, but the place-names are too uncertain to do more than speculate on its meaning.

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

Buried:
Robert was buried at the Chanonry of Ross.

Robert married Lady Anne. Anne was born in 1254 in , , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland; died in in Foulis Easter, , , Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Notes:

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

Birth:
Estimate: Kenneth's birth date is an estimate based on the birth date of his daughter.

Notes:

On a charter granted by William Earle of Sutherland to the Archdean of Murray, George, as a witness, is styled "clarissimo (or carissimo or charissimo) et fidelissimo consanguineo Georgio Munro de Foules"

He succeeded in 1239 as the fifth Baron of Foulis.

He had all his Ross-shire lands confirmed to him by a charter from King Alexander II before 1249. The charter states that the lands were held of old by his ancestor, Donald.

Mackenzie says this is the first Munro Chief who can be confirmed by contemporary records, but R.W. Munro says no trace has been found of the charters that Mackenzie cites.

The Eyre-Todd reference relates a story about George that sounds very like one that Mackenzie tells about George X of Foulis. The two stories could have been mixed up.

Eyre-Todd says:

The friendship that the Munros had with the Earl of Ross got the Munros into serious trouble. "In 1282 the clans Iver, Talvigh, and Laiwe, and others, had rebelled against the Earl, the latter seized their leader and imprisoned him at Dingwall, and the rebels, to safeguard their chief, carried off the Earl's second son from Balnagown, and held him as a hostage. Thereupon, according to Sir Robert Gordon, 'The Munroes and the Dingwalls, with some others, gathered their forces and pursued the Highlanders wthl all diligence, so overtaking them at Beallach na Croig, betwixt Ferrindonnel and Loch Broom. There ensued a cruell fight, well foughten on either side. The clan Iver, clan Talvighe, and clan Laiwe were almost utterlie extinguished and slain, but the Munros had a sorrowful victory, with great loss of their men, yet carried back again the Earl of Ross his son.

"'The Laird of Kindun was there slain, with seven score of the surname of Dingwall. Divers of the Munroes were slain in this conflict, and there were killed eleven of the house of Foulis, that were to succeed one another, so that the succession fell unto a child then lying in his cradle.'"

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

Buried:
George was buried at the Chanonry of Ross.

George married Katherine Stewart. Katherine was born in 1229 in , , , Scotland; died in in , , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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