Sir Robert Munro, XXIII of Foulis, 5th Baronet

Abt 1661 - 1729  (~ 68 years)

• Name	Robert Munro
  Prefix	Sir
  Suffix	XXIII of Foulis, 5th Baronet
  Born	Abt 1661
  	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.
  Gender	Male
  Died	11 Sep 1729
  Buried	Kiltearn, , Ross-Shire, Scotland
  Person ID	I26	Munro
  Last Modified	18 May 2012

  
  

  Father	Sir John Munro, XXII of Foulis, 4th Baronet,   b. Abt 1639,   d. 29 Sep 1697, Dingwall, , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland  (Age ~ 58 years)
  Mother	Anne MacKenzie,   b. Abt 1641,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	Abt 1660
  Family ID	F1591	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Jean Forbes,   b. Abt 1661,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	Abt 1684
  Children	+ 1. Col. Sir Robert Munro, XXIV of Foulis, 6th Baronet,   b. 24 Aug 1684,   d. 17 Jan 1746, Falkirk, , Stirling, Scotland  (Age 61 years) + 2. George Munro, Of Culcairn,   b. 18 Sep 1685, Of, Culcairn, Scotland ,   d. 31 Aug 1746, Locharkaigside, Scotland  (Age 60 years)   3. Dr. Duncan Munro,   b. 19 Sep 1687, Of, Obsdale, Scotland ,   d. 17 Jan 1746, Battle Of, Falkirk  (Age 58 years) + 4. Anne Munro,   b. 1693,   d. 1768  (Age 75 years)
  Last Modified	20 Jan 2009
  Family ID	F1596	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Sir Robert succeeded his father becoming the 23rd Baron of Foulis and the 5th Baronet. King William III granted him a charter of confirmation of the lands and Barony of Foulis and all his other estates on 22 Jan 1698. Like his father, Sir Robert was a strenuous upholder of the Protestant succession, and a zealous supporter of the Presbyterian system of church government and its principles. He represented the County of Ross in Parliament from 1697 to 1702. He apparently lost his sight at a fairly early age and so became known as the Blind Baron. Sir Robert, his son, Robert Munro, yr. of Foulis, the heads and eldest sons of almost all of the major Munro families, and other important people of the shires of Ross and Sutherland, signed an address to King George I in Dec 1714, imploring his Royal mercy for Simon Lord Lovat on his return from France at the instigation of Major James Fraser of Castleleathers. A letter written by Sir Robert to John Forbes of Culloden on 17 Feb 1715 shows exactly where his loyalties lay as the rising of 1715 approached. It says in part: "I find the Jacobites are very uppish, both in Edinburgh and in England, so that if you go to Parliament, as I hope you will, recommend to some trusty, faithful friend to take care of your house of Culloden,...The vanity, insolence, arrogance, and madness of the Jacobites is beyond all measure insupportable. I believe they must be let blood. They still have a trick of presuming upon the levity of a moderate Government. It seems God either destines them for destruction, or infatuates others to allow them to be pricks in our sides and thorns in our eyes. I have account from very good hands from Edinburgh, that to their certain knowledge saddles were making in that city for Dragoons to serve the Pretender, and that all the popish Lords and very many popish and Jacobite gentlemen are assembled there now; so that all friends and loyal subjects to his present Magesty are advised to be upon their guard from thence against an invasion or insurrection which is certainly expected, which the Jacobites pretend will interrupt the meeting of Parliament." On 26 May 1715, the Earl of Seaforth, in the Chevalier's name, requested Sir Robert to deliver up to him all his defensive weapons. This Sir Robert refused to do. Instead, he garrisoned his house and sent the remainder of his men with his son, Captain George Munro at their head, to the general rendezvous called at Alness, and sent a message to Lord Strathnaver that he had done so. On 18 Jul 1715, two days before the 1715 rising was formally announced to Parliament, Sir Robert wrote to Lord Strathnaver asking for assistance in case he should be attacked by the Jacobite clans. In the letter, he reminded Lord Strathnaver that in the past, the Munros had always responded in times of danger and had sent assistance whenever asked. He briefed his Lordship of the precautions that he had already taken in defense of his own territories and clan, and asked that a number of fighting men be made ready in case he needed them. His request was honored, and at the same time, the Munros, the Grants, and the Rosses were mustered by their respective Chiefs. On 13 Oct 1715, the Earl of Sutherland was informaed that the enemy intended to invade Sutherland with 2000 men. He dispatched his son at the head of an opposing force to reinforce the passes and gathered his fighting men to defend the territory. But the rebels did nothing but plunder and destroy the goods and estate of Sir Robert Munro of Foulis and other Munros in the area. In the meantime, Lord Duffus, with Loard Seaforth and his main body of men in support, marched into Tain with about 400 or 500 men of the Mackenzies, Chisolms and Macdonalds, and proclaimed the Pretender there. Duffus found it impractical to penetrate further, and Seaforth was under great pressure to march to Perth to releive the Earl of Mar, so Duffus marched back to Inverness taking Foulis Castle on his way with about 200 stands of arms. He remained for two days at Inverness and then on 22 Oct, he continued his march to Perth. Seaforth levied heavy fines on the Munro territories before he left the area and the Munros retaliated with interest within the Mackenzie borders at every opportunity. At one point, Sir Robert and the Earl of Sutherland were encamped near Seaforth's house. That night they vented their vengance by destroying everything they could. The force of 1500 men ate well from Seaforth's stock for dwo days, and took as much booty and supplies with them as they could carry when they left. On 9 Jun 1725, King George I rewarded Sir Robert for his family's loyalty to the House of Hanover by appointing him Sheriff-Principal of Ross-shire, a high and important office. He held that post until his death four years later. He also served for a time as a Captain in the army. Sir Robert was a pious and benevolent man. He was an earnest and active elder in the Kiltearn Parish Church and his name appears regularly in the Session records of the parish. He regularly addended the Session meetings and when not present, as on 6 Dec 1709, his absence is noted as an unusual incident in the minutes of the meeting. Sir Robert's name also appears frequently in the Dingwall Presbytery records. He was repeatedly appointed by that Presbytery as one of their Commisioners to the General Assembly, the last occasion on which he represented them being at the Assembly of 1724. On 14 Apr 1726, the Synod of Ross wrote to him as Sheriff-Principal of the county, asking him to interpose his authority in order to give Mr. James Fraser access to the church and manse of Alness. He had been assigned as Minister of Alness, but most of the heritors opposed his assignment. Sir Robert summoned all parties to appear before him on 22 Apr, and after hearing their arguments, he ordered the heritors to give Mr. Fraser the keys to the church and manse, which they did. Sir Robert, the Blind Baron, died in 1729, and was buried at Kiltearn Churchyard. At the time of his death, his character and funeral were described as follows: "The Baron of Fowlis was a very ancient gentleman, and chief of a considerable clan, who died in the enjoyment of general esteem. Four counties turned out to show their respect at his funeral. There were six hundred horsemen, tolerably mounted and apparelled. The corpse was carried on a bier betwixt two horses, fully harnessed in deepest mourning. A gentleman rode in deep mourning before the corpese uncovered, attended by two grooms and four running footmen all in deep mourning. The friends followed immediately behind the corpse, and the gentlemen (strangers) in the rear. The scutcheon were the handsomest I ever saw; the entertainment magnificent and full." References: (1) "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - Edinburgh (1978) - Y (2) "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie - Inverness (1898) - p. 96-103, 113, 117 Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA