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Clan Munro

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Munro Crest: Dread God (Fear God) and a Golden Eagle
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Munro Crest: Dread God (Fear God) and a Golden Eagle

Clan Munro is a Highland Scottish clan. The name of the Munro (Rothach or Mac an Rothaich in Gaelic) clan is derived from the area in which they came from, the 'Mountains of Ross-shire', Highlands, Scotland.

Origins of the clan

Clan map showing two areas of Munro territory
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Clan map showing two areas of Munro territory

Other people believe that the Munro's came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th Century. Another theory is that they were originally from Scotland and moved to Ireland to escape Roman rule and then returned to Scotland 300 years later to expel Viking invaders. Non of these theories can be fully substantiated.

Hugh Munro was the first Munro recorded to be authentically designated of Foulis, he died in 1126. He is believed to have been the son of Donald Munro who in turn was the son of O'Ceann.

By tradition it is believed that during the 11th Century the Munro's fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross. It was during this time the Munros defeated and expelled Viking invaders who had invaded Rosshire. As a reward the clan under Chief Donald Munro were granted lands in Foulis, Rosshire and a seat at the Castle of Foulis by a greatful King. The clan soon spread into Sutherlandshire and were also given a charter for lands in Strathspey in 1309. However there is not much evidence of this until 1336 when we do find the Munros being granted lands by the Earls of Ross. Within the Munro's lands is the mountain Ben Wyvis.

The Scottish-Norwegian War

The Battle of Largs, 2nd of October 1263; The Clan Munro fought at this battle which was the most important military engagement of the Scottish-Norwegian war. The Norwegian forces were led by king Håkon Håkonsson and the Scottish forces by king Alexander III. It was at this time that the clan under Chief George Munro had all their lands in Ross-shire confirmed to them by King Allexander III.[link]

The Wars of Scottish Independence

The Munro Clan played an important part during The Wars of Scottish Independence firstly alongside William Wallace in battles such as the Battle of Dunbar (1296), Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297), Battle of Falkirk (1298) and later alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314) and the Battle of Halidon Hill (1333). Clan Chief Robert Munro and son George Munro held command under Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn 1314.

Clan Conflicts

Clanchnaharry Monument destroyed by lightning
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Clanchnaharry Monument destroyed by lightning

The Continental Thirty Years' War

During the 17th Century the Munros continued their strong military traditions, fighting in the continental Thirty Years' War. Most notably Robert, the 18th chief and 700 members of Clan Munro joined the army of Gustavs Adolphus, in defence of protestantism in Scandinavia. Many men from Clan MacKay were also placed under Robert Munro's command. In his own words:"When cannons are roaring, and bullets are flying, If one would have honour, he must not fear dying". Robert and his men served with distinction and received the name of the "Invincibles" in recognition of their prowess. While fighting in Germany one Scott is actually stated to have slain eighteen men in succession, with his own hand, during an attack on Frankfort-on-the-Oder. [link]

United Kingdom and British Highland Regiments

After Queen Elizabeth I of England died without a hier, King James VI of Scotland also became King of England in the Union of the Crowns in 1603. A century later in 1707 England and Scotland were officially united to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

In May 1740, when the Independent Black Watch companies were formed into the 43d Highland regiment (now the 42d Royal Highlanders), Sir Robert Munro was appointed lieutenant-colonel. Among the captains were his next brother, George Munro of Culcairn, and John Munro, promoted to be lieutenant-colonel in 1745. The surgeon of the regiment was his younger brother, Dr James Munro.

Jacobite Uprisings & The French War

The first Jacobite Uprising of 1715 to 1716

Inverness 1715, During the early attempted Jacobite Uprising Simon Fraser of Lovat (who had been outlawed and in exile), put pressure on the Jacobite garrison in Inverness, which was delivered upon the very day when the Battle of Sheriffmuir was fought and another Jacobite force was defeated at the Battle of Preston. Soon after this 31 year old Chief Colonel Robert Munro of Foulis marched into the town of Inverness with 400 Munros and took over control as governor from Fraser. Government troops arrived in Inverness towards the end of February, and for some months the process of disarming the rebels went on, helped by a Munro detachment under Culcairn. With the rising suppressed, and the Hanoverian succession firmly established, Colonel Robert's interest with the Government and his own compassionate nature prompted him to mediate on behalf of some of the defeated leaders (including Alexander Macdonell of Glengarry) and their wives and children.

The clan rivalries which had erupted in rebellion were finding an outlet in local politics. The MacKenzie's Earl of Seaforth came to an end in 1716, and it seems to have been arranged that while the Rosses held the county seat the Munros would represent the Tain Burghs. To secure the burghs, control of three out of the five was necessary, and the manoeuvrings by which the councils were persuaded to send the "right" delegate to vote in parliamentary elections were often exciting, and even a show of force was likely. Ross ascendancy was secure in Tain, and from 1716 to 1745 the Munros controlled Dingwall, with one of Robert Munro's brothers as provost --but not without something like two armed Munro "invasions" of the county town in 1721 and 1740, when opposing councillors were abducted to secure a favourable result (for the first incident Colonel Robert and his brother were fined £200 each, and after the second his parliamentary career came to an abrupt end with defeat at the 1741 election).

Jacobite Uprising of 1745 to 1746 & War against the French

The Clan Munro fought for the British Army against the French. Their first action against the French came on 11th May 1745, at the Battle of Fontenoy. Allowed "their own way of fighting" by the young Commander-in-Chief, each time they received the French fire Col. Sir Robert Munro ordered his men to "clap to the ground" (while he himself, because of his corpulence, stood alone with the colours behind him), and then springing up and closing with the enemy, they several times drove them back, and finished with a successful rear-guard action.

In June 1745, a little more than a month after the battle of Fontenoy, Col. Sir Robert Munro was "rewarded" by an appointment to succeed General Ponsonby as Colonel of the British 37th Regiment of Foot. When the Jacobite Rising broke out, his friends in the Highlands hoped for his presence among them. One wrote that it would have been "the greatest service to His Majesty and the common cause", but it was not to be. The Munro clan fought on the side of the British government during the Jacobite uprisings.

In 1745 the Jacobites were lead by Charles Edward Stuart who was the exiled claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland, commonly known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie". Charles was the son of James Francis Edward Stuart who was in turn the son of King James II of England, Scotland and Ireland, who had been deposed in 1688. After his father's death Charles was recognised as "King Charles III" by his supporters but his opponents referred to him as "The Young Pretender".

Col. Sir Robert Munro was put in command of an English regiment at the Battle of Falkirk (1746) and the Munro Clan themselves fought at the Battle of Culloden. In the northern shires the Earl of Sutherland was the King's Lieutenant, and the Sutherlanders, MacKays, Rosses, Munros, Gunns, Campbells, and Grants could be counted on to support the British Government, but the Menzies, Macdonalds, MacKenzies, MacKintoshes and Chisholms were Jacobites, and the Frasers were divided owing to a disputed chiefship but they later joined the Jacobites. Many other clans both highland and lowland joined either side of this conflict. Lowland clan Agnew held Blair Castle, seat of the Duke of Atholl, against the Jacobites who laid siege to the castle. Also lowland clan Hay supported the Jacobite uprising by assisting in financing the rebellion.

Sir Robert Munro

Clan Chief Col. Sir Robert Munro had been fighting at the front at the second Battle of Falkirk (1746) when, by account of the rebels, the British regiment he was in command of ran away and he was surrounded by six Jacobites, he killed at least two with his pike before being shot by a Jacobite commander with a flint lock pistol, he was 62 years old. The Jacobites wished to do special honour to their opponent: They opened the grave of Sir John Graham, the hero of the Wars of Scottish Independence, who rescued Wallace at Queensberry and who died at the first Battle of Falkirk (1298). They then buried Sir Robert Munro beside the dust of the hero John Graham. The graves can be seen in Falkirk churchyard (right).

It was at this time when the Munro clan was away and Foulis Castle was left temporarily unattended and undefended that the Jacobites set fire to it and left much of the castle destroyed and in ruin. Robert's brother Sir Harry Munro returned from the Battle of Falkirk (1746) to find the castle partially destroyed and set about rebuilding it as it is today incorporating what he could of the original castle. The Munros took revenge just a few months later with a victory over the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden. The Castle Foulis now appears as more of a mansion house built in a more formal Georgian style rather than the defensive fort it once was.

Foulis Castle

Munro Foulis Castle as seen from the air
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Munro Foulis Castle as seen from the air

Munro Foulis Castle, front view
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Munro Foulis Castle, front view

Certainly the foundations of Foulis Castle are of mammoth proportions , as has been found by the late Chief during the three stages of Restoration that he and his wife have carried out -- in 1957-59 , 1977-79 , and most recently , in 1985-86. The Tower was obviously a "fortification ," as its walls at the ground level are a massive five feet six inches thick. In May 1985 , while repairs were being carried out in part to the Courtyard building, an interesting discovery was made. Four "cannon loops of an inverted key hole type," dating from the early part of the 16th century, were discovered behind four wedge - shaped, blocked - up apertures facing north, south, east and west in a five foot six inch thick wall. Above them is a barrel vaulted stone ceiling. This building, at one time separate from the Castle, had certainly been constructed as a small defensive fort with an all-round "field of fire" to guard against possible attack.

At some later date, perhaps after 1746 and when the Chief felt that the chances of attack had lessened, the use of this building had changed. Three of the apertures had been completely blocked while the fourth had been partially blocked, leaving a narrow slit six inches wide and three feet long, into which a three-quarter inch iron bar was strongly built, giving light, some air and access through which food could be passed to the unfortunate prisoner.

Unfortunately no records survive of what the fortifications at Foulis Castle looked like before 1746. However a lot has been learnt about the castle and what the fortifications might have looked before 1746 by Captain and Mrs. Munro in their various stages of restoration. They believe that it was probably surrounded by a series of smaller dwellings, of possibly a fortified nature. They found in 1957-59, much evidence to suggest that in the courtyard area horses and cattle were kept, and that it was a self-contained community able to withstand a siege, when attacked. The castle is mentioned briefly in records that date back as early as the 14th century, being described in an old Gaelic poem as "castle gaunt-peaked, the eagle's nest" (or in "Gailic caisteal biorach, nead na h-iolair").

On a separate site within the Foulis Castle grounds there are also the remains of an 11th century Mott (manmade mound topped by a wooden palisade), believed to be the very first fortification at Foulis.

In times of clan warfare a signal beacon was lit on the highest tower of Foulis castle to gather the clan under arms. Hence the Munro slogan or gathering cry of "Casteal Foulais na theine," meaning Castle Foulis ablaze. The clan were then to gather around the castle.

Other Achievements

The Munros made a significant early contribution to Scottish traditional arts in the fifteenth century with what is probably the earliest piece of pipe music written for the Pibroch. This piece, entitled Bealach na Broige has been attributed to one of the early Munro family and is the pipe music for the clan.

The Munros were also prominent members of the Scottish clergy in the north of Scotland and clan members became justices of the peace in Caithness and its environs. Dr. John Hay Munro, Senior Pastor of Calvary Church in Charlotte North Carolina, as well as Canadian author Alice Munro, are notable descendants.

Clan Chiefs

Name Died Comments
Finnian Munro - The younger of Foulis, eldest son of the present chief.
Hector W. Munro - The Present Chief
Capt. Patrick Munro 1995 son of Eva Marion, took the name of his maternal grandfather to become clan chief
Eva Marion 1976 eldest daughter of 11th baronet married Col C. H. Gascoigne
Col. Sir Hector Munro 1935 11th baronet, Seaforth highlanders ADC to Edward VII & George V - end of male line
Sir Charles Munro 1888 10th baronet, D.L. & J.P. for Ross-shire
Sir Charles Munro 1886 9th baronet, cousin
Sir Hugh Munro 1848 8th baronet - end of direct line
Sir Harry Munro 1781 7th baronet, rebuilt Foulis Castle after a fire destroyed it - MP for Ross-shire 1746 - 47
Col. Sir Robert Munro 1746 6th baronet, the Black Watch - killed at Falkirk, interred in the Churchyard of Falkirk next to John Graham.
Sir Robert Munro 1729 5th baronet, the blind baron
Sir John Munro 1696 4th baronet, a zealous promoter of Presbyterian
Sir Robert Munro 1668 3rd baronet, son of Col John Munro of Obsdale, grandson of Chief Robert-Mor Munro, d.1588.
Sir Hector Munro 1651 2nd baronet, died age 17 - ending direct male line
Sir Hector Munro 1635 made 1st baronet by Charles I - died in Hamburg, Germany
Robert Munro 1633 the black baron served in the 30 years war - died at Ulm, Germany
Hector Munro 1603 brother of Robert
Robert Munro 1589 died 8 months after his father#
Robert-Mor Munro 1588 added to the estate of Foulis, a loyal protector of Queen Mary- first Protestant and 1st to be buried at Kiltearn Church
Robert Munro 1547 loyal supporter of Scotland against invasion of Protector, Duke of Somerset - killed at Pinkie
Hector Munro 1541 extensive lands confirmed to him by James V at Stirling 1541
William Munro 1505 killed in a raid assisting Chief of the Mackays
John Munro 1490 in minority was under his uncle John who led the Clan at Clachnaharry 1454
George Munro 1452 under the Great Seal of James I, dated at St. Andrews 1426 - lands of great extent confirmed to him, killed at Bealach-nam-Brog
Hugh Munro 1425 joined the Lord of the Isles in contest with Duke of Albany 1411
Robert de Munro 1369 a charter confirmed by David II of Scotland 1364
George Munro 1333 succeeded his grandfather - continued his support of Bruce - killed at Halidon Hill
George Munro - only son of Robert - predeceased his father - killed at Bannockburn 1314
Robert Munro 1323 joined the party of Bruce in his claim to the throne of Scotland
George Munro 1282 had all his Ross-shire lands confirmed to him by charter from Alexander II before 1249
Robert Munro 1239 married daughter of Earl of Sutherland
Donald Munro 1195 said to have built the old Tower of Foulis 1154. Assisted Wm the Lion in repressing rebellion
Robert Munro 1164 loyal subject of David I and Malcolm IV - Interred in Church of Chanonry of Ross - burial place of Munros for 400 years
Hugh Munro 1126 first member of the line "Baron of Foulis"
George Munro 1101 said to have assisted Malcolm III in contention with Macbeth for Crown of Scotland
Donald Munro 1039 founder of the ancient House of Munro

Septs of Clan Munro

The Septs were smaller clans or Scottish families who lived within Munro territory. They would pay tax to the chief in order to live within his territory. The Chief's clan in return could give septs protection. Taxes would normally be paid in the form of food such as crops and livestock rather than money. Some septs would sometimes fight alongside the ruling clan, for example the Clan of Dingwall were known to have fought in battles in support of Munro. However other septs were sometimes just normal Scottish families who worked on the land. The spelling variations of Munro, Munroe, Monroe, Monro and even Monroo may not have always indicated a sept family and sometimes were the names used by a branch of the Chief's family. This was sometimes the case because firstly during the days of the clan few people could write and spelling would not have always been accurate by those who could. Also some branches of the Chief's family, occasionally, may also have changed the spelling of their surname as more generations increased the distance between themselves and the Chief's line. However Munro is the most frequent and spelling variations are mostly those of sept families.
The proposed improved tomb for Col. Sir Robert Munro
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The proposed improved tomb for Col. Sir Robert Munro

Notable Munros and See also

External links

 


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