John Monro, I of Milntown

Notes:

John Munro of Milntown was appointed tutor to his nephew John Munro XI of Foulis, in which capacity he distinguished himself.

During his service as tutor of Foulis, the Battle of Clachnaharry was fought. There are a number of conflicting accounts of this battle and some historians, including Eyre-Todd place the battle in 1341 when another John [20714] was tutor of Foulis. The battle was most probably fought in 1454, however. The main points of agreement about the battle are as follows:

John of Milntown had gone to Edinburgh to take care of some business for his nephew, John of Foulis, and on the way back he and his servants fell asleep while resting in a meadow in Strathardale, between Perth and Athole. When they awoke, they found that someone had cut off the tails of their horses.

John was very much angered by this. He returned home and assembled 350 men (other accounts say 200 men) and returned to Strathardale and wasted the area killing some of the people and taking their cattle.

On the way home, the raiding party, with their booty, passed through Mackintosh land and the Mackintosh Chief asked John for a share of the booty, or road-collop which was traditionally paid to a chief for traversing his domain. John offered Mackintosh part of the booty. One reference says he offered 24 cows and a bull, but Mackintosh wanted a third of the booty. John treated his demand with scorn and continued on his way, giving Mackintosh no road-collop at all.

Mackintosh was incensed and rounded up a group of his friends asking them to delay the Munros until he could assemble his fighting men and confront Munro. The Munros were overtaken beyond the river Ness at a place called Clachnaharry. John sent 40 (or 50) of his men on with the booty while the rest of the band stood and fought Mackintosh's men.

A fierce conflict ensued, but different versions disagree on how many were killed. They all agree that John was badly wounded and left for dead. Eventually he was taken to Lord Lovat who helped him back to health. Apparently John lost his hand or arm in the battle and because of that was thereafter called John Baichlich (or Bacilach, or Baclamhach, or Baccalach, or bac-lamhach) which means lame-handed or maimed.

Most versions of this tale say that the Mackintosh Chief was killed in the battle, but this is almost certainly not true. He probably did not even participate in the fight.

The Munros immediately retaliated and sent a force in the dead of night to the Isle of Moy where the chief of the Mackintoshes lived. Using planks which they had carried with them, they put together a make-shift bridge, crossed to the Isle and took their revenge on those living there.

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

«i»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.
«/i»**********

Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/1
Clan Munro files - Stroud, Anna Margaret

Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/1

Ref: "History of the Munros" by A. Mackenzie - p. 16, 21-27

Ref: "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie (1898) - p. 264

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Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - Edinburgh (1978) - frontispiece,
p. i, iii-iv

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Hall, Barry Earl - Ahnentafel Chart - dated 19 Aug 1997
- p. 2

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

Birth:
Foulis Castle

Family/Spouse: Margaret. Margaret was born about 1402; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Andrew Moir Monro, Of Milntown was born in 1440 in Milntown, , Ross And Cromarty, Scotland; died in 1501 in Milntown, , Ross And Cromarty, Scotland.
2. John Munro, Of Kilmorack was born about 1442 in Of, Kilmorack; and died.

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 Margaret Murray. Margaret (daughter of Nicholas Murray) was born in 1362 in , , Moray, Scotland; died in 1425 in , , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Hall, Barry Earl - Ahnentafel Chart - dated 19 Aug 1997
- p. 2

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

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: Nicholas' birth date is an estimate based on the birth date of his daughter, Isabella.

Notes:

Error alert: Guilford says George was the son of Robert De Munro "supposed to have married a daughter of the Earl of Sutherland." She also says that George was the grandson of Domnall Abunro, or Donald Munro, the founder ot the ancient Scottish Clan Munro.

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«i»George de Munro, evidently divided into several individuals in the later tradition, killed at the Battle of halidon Hill, 20 July 1333.
«/i»
("The Monroe Book" - by Dr. Joan Guilford)
**********

George was a steadfast supporter of the Bruce dynasty, and a firm upholder of the true interests of his native country, in opposition to the Balliol faction and their followers.

When King Edward III of England invaded Scotland in 1333, George Munro raised his clan and marched to Northumberland where he joined the Scottish army under the Regent Douglas. At the battle of Halidon Hill on 20 Jul 1333, the Munros formed part of the fourth division, or reserve, commanded by Hugh, Earl of Ross, who, while leading an attack on the wing of the English army commanded by Edward Balliol, was driven back and slain.

This repulse which proved so disastrous terminated in total defeat of the Scots, chiefly owing to the difficulties of the ground and their rash advance against the English troops. The Scottish army lost at the lowest computation fourteen thousand men, among whom, besides the Earl of Ross, were the Earls of Sutherlnd, Lennox, Atholl, and Carrick, and many other Scottish nobles. The Regent was mortally wounded and taken prisoner.

The Chief of the Munros 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, upon his return, took charge of his houng nephew's affairs and continued to do so during Robert's minority.

Ref. (1) says that Munro of Foulis is not named in surviving lists of the Scottish muster or casualties in the battle of Halidon Hill.

The Rohe reference says George was the son of Robert Munro VI of Foulis.

Error alert: The Paula Monroe reference incorrectly confuses the Battle of Pinkie with the Battle of Halidon Hill.

References:

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

(2) "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie - Inverness (1898) - p. 10

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

Died:
George died at the Battle Of Halidon Hill.

George married Lady Euphame Ross. Euphame (daughter of Hugh Ross, Earl Of Ross) was born in 1305 in , , , Scotland; died in 1334 in , , , 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

Hugh married Margaret Barclay. Margaret was born in 1300 in , , , Scotland; died in 1343 in , , , 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 son, Nicholas.