Munro

Notes:

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

"George's first wife is thought to be Isobel dr of Alexander Ross of Balnagown who fell at Allt Charrais...they are said to have had a dr who m Neil 'Vass' Mackay.

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: Neil Vass MacKay. Neil was born about 1432; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

George is said to have been served heir on 17 Oct 1410 to Isobeth Keith, his mother, in certain Caithness lands. He succeeded as Baron of Foulis in 1425 and had a charter from King James I of all his lands dated at St. Andrews on 22 Jul 1426. This charter greatly extended the lands of the Munro Clan. The extension was granted by charters from Euphemia, daughter of William, Earl of Ross, who on her father's death inherited the Earldom.

George's death at the battle of Beallach-nam-Brog, was brought about by a strange series of events. Euphemia Leslie, Countess Dowager of Ross, lived at Dingwall. She wanted to marry Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail, but Alexander was not willing for several reasons. (1) She was not able to add to his estates. (2) She was a turbulent woman and had been in prison. (3) Alexander had already planned to marry Macdougall's daughter.

Euphemia invited Alexander to her court in Dingwall to try one more time to get him to marry her and when he refused, she "converted her love to hatred" and made him her prisoner. She also, somehow, got possession of a gold ring that was to serve as a token between Alexander and Macaulay, the Governor of Ellandonnan. Macaulay had strict orders not to allow anyone to enter the castle without showing the gold ring. Euphemia sent the ring by messanger to Macaulay saying that Alexander was about to marry Euphemia and that he should come to Dingwall. Macaulay, seeing the ring, believed the story and left the castle which was immediately occupied by Euphemia's men.

Macaulay was able to communicate with Alexander, who told Macaulay that to secure his release, he should capture Walter Ross of Balnagown, who was one of Euphemia's close relatives, and then make an exchange. Macaulay returned to Kintail, collected a band of men and made the capture.

The Earl of Ross immediately advised Hugh, Lord Lovat, of the illegal seizure of his relative, and his Lordship promptly dispatched to the north two hundred men who were joined by Ross's vassals, the Munros of Fowlis, and the Dingwalls of Kildun. They immediately went in pursuit of Macaulay to rescue Balnagown.

Macaulay sent Balnagown away under guard and resolved to fight his pursuers in a spot that was between Ferrindonald and Lochbroom. A sanguinary conflict ensued, more than usually aggravated and exasperated by a keen and bitter recollection of previous feuds and ancient animosities. The Kinlochewe men were almost extirpated in the fight. The manhood of the race of Dingwall was literally extinguished, one hundred and forty of their men having fallen, while there were slain eleven Munros of the house of Fowlis that were to succeed one after another; so that the succession fell to a child then lying in his cradle. George Munro of Foulis was found among the dead.

During the battle, the Highlanders defended themselves from the arrows of their enemies by tying their shoes to their chests with their belts. Because of that, the place was named Bealach-nam-Brog, or the Pass of the Shoes.

After his success at Bealach-nam-Brog, Macaulay moved toward Ellandonnan and discovered a detail of men bringing provisions to the castle. He captured the detail and had his own men put on their clothes and carry the provisions. Using this trick, they were allowed into the castle where they easily retook it from the defenders.

In time, Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail and Walter Ross of Balnagown were exchanged and both released.

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«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...

George Munro, heir to his mother, 17 Oct. 1410; killed at Beallachnam-Brog, 1452. Tenth Baron of Foulis in the traditional numbering, possibly actually fifth Baron.

«/i»("The Monroe Book" - by Dr. J. S. Guilford)«i»
«/i»**********

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

Birth:
Foulis

George married Isobel Ross. Isobel was born about 1412; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Error alert: «u»The Monroe Book«/u» p. 6 says George's first wife was a daughter of McCulloch of Plaids, but «u»The Munro Tree (1734)«/u» M says his first wife was Isobel Ross. Both women are entered here as wives of George Munro, but the children are attributed to Isobel Ross.

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

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 21

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.

Notes:

Hugh had charters from William, Earl of Ross, of the lands of Katewell in 1369 and of lands in Lochbroom, Strathcarron and Strathoykell including Carbisdale in 1371. He also had charters from Euphame, Countess of Ross, of the lands of Contulich in 1379, and of the lands of Wester Foulis in 1394.

Hugh appears to have joined Donald, Lord of the Isles, in his contest with the Duke of Albany in the beginning of the fifteenth century concerning the Earldom of Ross. Donald claimed the Earldom in right of his wife, Lady Mary Leslie, daughter of Sir Walter Leslie and Euphemia Countess of Ross. In the course of this contest, the battle of Harlaw was fought on 24 Jul 1411.

After this battle, the Duke of Albany collected an army and marched north determined to bring Donald to obedience. He took the castle of Dingwall in 1412 and then proceeded to recover the whole of Ross. Donald was ultimately compelled to give up his claim to the Earldom of Ross.

Hugh and his father lived during the time of the capture and 18-year imprisonment of James I (1406-1426) and the 1411 invasion by Donald, Lord of the Isles, Chief of the great Clan Donald. The final upshot of these years, as far as the Munro Clan was concerned, was the demise of the Earldom of Ross in Jun 1476, it being declared forfeit to the Crown. Historically, the Munros had operated more or less at the bidding of the Ross Clan, but by 1476 the clan may be said to have come of age. Before 1476, all Munros who were not servants of the Church were vassals of successive Earls of Ross. The Munro Chiefs held their land "for faithful service rendered or to be rendered". At times it was not easy to reconcile this service with the wider loyalty they owed to the Scottish Crown. When the Earldom of Ross became forfeit, the Munro Chief held his lands directly from the Crown.

The Boggs reference adds a generation between Hugh IX and Robert VIII. She says the father of Hugh IX was also named Hugh but he fled from Scotland and never succeeded to the Barony. This Hugh that fled Scotland was supposedly the son of Robert Munro VIII of Foulis.

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«i»Hugh Munro, called "well-beloved cousin" by William, Earl of Ross, 1369. Married, first, Isabella Keith, mother of his son George, daughter of John de Keith and Mariot de Cheyne, descended from the Murrays, Lords of Duffus and apparently from the Earls of Orkney. Married, second, Margaret Murray, daughter of Nicholas, son of Kenneth, 4th Earl of Sutherland.«/i»

("The Munro Book" - by Dr. J. S. Guilford)
**********

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

Birth:
Foulis Castle

Died:
Katewell

Buried:
Hugh was buried at the Chanonry of Ross.

Hugh married Isabella Keith. Isabella (daughter of John de Keith and Mary de Cheyne) was born about 1371; died about 1410. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Daughter of Nicholas (son of Kenneth, fourth Earl of Sutherland, and brother of William, the fifth Earl) by his wife Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Reginald de Cheyne and Mary, Lady of Duffus.

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.

Notes:

Robert was just a child when his father was killed at the Battle of Halidon Hill. His estates were carefully managed by his uncle, John, until Robert attained majority. John was able to redeem portions of the estate that had previously been mortgaged.

Robert is described as being "a man of abilities and economical habits of life."

He had a charter from William, Earl of Ross, of the lands of Pitlundie and others in which the rental was a pair of white gloves or three pennies Scots, if required, alternately.

In 1364, Robert obtained from William, Earl of Ross (and confirmed by King David II), a charter of confirmation of Easter Fowlis and other lands. Mackenzie claims that this charter mentions that these lands had belonged to his predecessors since the time of Donald, the founder of the family. R.W. Munro says the charter contains no such allusion to Robert's predecessors. This charter was confirmed by King David II later in the same year.

Some evidence suggests that Robert served as one of the Baron Bailies of the Earldom of Ross, a very important office in those feudal times. He was killed in an obscure skirmish in defense of the Earl, probably while acting as his Baron Bailie in the north. He was said to have been pursuing fugitives. Strangely and incongruously, he appears as Robert de Munro in Balnagowan charters of 1341, 1362, 1398 and 1372, despite his death date.

Robert is the first Munro chief for whom there is contemporary genealogical evidence.

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«i»Robert de Munro, appears in charters of the Rosses of Balnagowan, 1341, 1362, 1368. Said to have married, first, Jean, daughter of Hugh Ross of Balnagowan, but chronologically more likely to have been a sister of this Hugh, and daughter of Hugh, Earl of Ross.«/i»

("The Monroe Book" - by Dr. Jean Guilford)
**********

(1) "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - Edinburgh (1978) - K

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

(Medical):Robert was killed while assisting William, Earl of Ross in an obscure clan fight while in pursuit of a band of fugitives.

Birth:
Foulis Castle

Robert married Lady Jean Ross in 1350 in Dingwall, , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. Jean (daughter of Hugh Ross, I of Balnagowan and Margaret Barclay) was born on 29 Nov 1329 in , , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland; died in 1366 in , , , Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Because of the marriage og Robert Munro VIII of Foulis and Lady Jean Ross, who was a niece of Queen Euphemia of Scotland, the Munro coat of arms was changed from a lion rampant to a red eagle's head on a golden shield.

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 12

"He [Robert Munro] married, first, Jean, daughter of Hugh Ross, I. of Balnagowan, on record in 1350 and 1366, by his wife, Margaret Barclay, niece of Queen Euphemia, the second wife of Robert II., King of Scotland, with issue--"

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

Notes:

Married:
Foulis Castle

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.

John married Mary de Cheyne. Mary (daughter of Reginald de Cheyne and Mary, Lady Of Duffus) was born about 1335; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Birth:
Estimate: Mary's birth date is an estimate based on the birth date of her daughter, Isabella.