Clan Munro
Clan Munro is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Scotland in the eleventh century, though its true founder may have lived much later. It is also a strong tradition that the Munro chiefs supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The first proven clan chief on record however is Robert de Munro who died in 1369; his father is mentioned but not named in a number of charters. The clan chiefs originally held land principally at Findon on the Black Isle but exchanged it in 1350 for Estirfowlys. Robert's son Hugh who died in 1425 was the first of the family to be styled "of Foulis", despite which clan genealogies describe him as 9th baron.
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the Munros feuded with their neighbors the Clan Mackenzie, and during the seventeenth century many Munros fought in the Thirty Years' War in support of Protestantism. During the Scottish Civil War of the seventeenth century different members of the clan supported the Royalists and Covenanters at different times. The Munro chiefs supported the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and during the Jacobite risings of the eighteenth century the clan and the chiefs were staunchly anti-Jacobite, supporting the Hanoverian-British Government.
History
Origins
Traditional origins
Traditionally the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century under chief Donald Munro, son of Ó Catháin or O'Kain, an Irish chief. Donald Munro was granted lands for services rendered to Malcolm II of Scotland in defeating the Danes. From this Donald Munro the clan lands have since been known as Ferindonald, meaning Donald's lands. Ferindonald is a narrow strip of land running for eight miles along the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth from Dingwall to Alness. There were also small pockets of Munros in Sutherland in the far north, and some Munros established themselves south of the Cromarty Firth on the Black Isle.According to the same traditional sources Donald Munro's grandson, Hugh Munro, was the first Munro to be authentically designated Baron of Foulis; he died in 1126. A reliable scholar, Alexander Nisbet, stated that George Munro, 5th Baron of Foulis received a charter from the Earl of Sutherland during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland, but this charter cannot be traced. However, George Martine of Clermont reported that the founder was a brother of Áine Ni Catháin, known to have married Aonghus Óg Mac Domhnaill of Islay about 1300, both being children of Cú Maighe na nGall Ó Catháin. Áine is said to have been accompanied, as part of her tocher, by many men of different surnames. The genealogist and lexicographer David Kelley argues that if a brother of Àine, this places "Donald" in the late 13th century. Kelley also speculates that the "Donald le fiz Kan" granted £10 per annum by the Treasury of Scotland in 1305, is the same man, with a Norman-Scots rendition of Domnall O'Cathain.
DNA studies show that about a fifth of contemporary Munro men tested have a common patrilineal ancestor of Y chromosome Haplogroup I2a-P37.2, but this minority includes documented descendants of two sons of Hugh Munro of Foulis, "9th baron": George Munro 10th baron, and John Munro of Milntown. Hence Hugh, who died in 1425, must also have borne this Y chromosome. While these findings do not exclude a much earlier founder, the degree of subsequent variation in male Munros of this haplogroup suggests a common ancestor in about the 14th century. DNA studies also indicate shared patrilineal ancestry in the first millennium with several families whose documented ancestry is from South West Ireland, most notably the Driscolls of Cork, consistent with the Munro tradition of Irish origins.
Wars of Scottish Independence
By tradition, during the Wars of Scottish Independence, chief Robert Munro, 6th Baron of Foulis led the clan in support of Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Robert Munro survived the battle but his son, George, was killed. George however had already had a son of his own, also called George, who succeeded his grandfather Robert as chief and led the clan at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333 where he died.Recorded origins
The clan name Munro, which in Gaelic is Rothach, Roich, or Mac an Rothaich, means Ro - Man or Man from Ro, and supports the traditional origin of the clan in the River Roe area in Ireland. However this tradition only exists in writing from the late 17th century. The first chief of Clan Munro documented by contemporary evidence is Robert de Munro who died in 1369. He was married to a relative of the Earl of Ross and had many charters confirmed to him under David II of Scotland including one in 1350 for the "Tower of Strathskehech" and "Estirfowlys". The "de" particle was Norman for "of", and thus suggests some Norman influence. The Normans introduced the feudal system to Scotland and the Clan Munro Association states that the Munros made the transition from Celtic chiefs to feudal lords, but it is not clear when this occurred. Robert de Munro was killed in an obscure skirmish fighting in defence of Uilleam III, Earl of Ross in 1369. His son, Hugh Munro, was also granted many charters including one in respect of the "Tower of Strathschech" and "Wesstir Fowlys" by Euphemia I, Countess of Ross in 1394.It is a common misconception that every person who bears a clan's name is a lineal descendant of the chiefs. Many clansmen although not related to the chief took the chief's surname or a variant of it as their own to show solidarity, for basic protection or for much needed sustenance.
15th century and clan conflicts
In 1411 a major feud broke out between Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles over the Earldom of Ross. This resulted in the Battle of Harlaw where chief Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis rose up in support of the Lord of the Isles. The Munros are said to have fought in the Lord of the Isles 'host' against an army of Scottish Lowlanders led by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. In 1428 a group of Munros were granted remission by King James I of Scotland for past offences when he came to Inverness to assert his authority in the Highlands.In 1452, there was a rebellion by a force of tribes loyal to Mackenzie of Kintail who had taken as hostage the Earl of Ross's nephew. This resulted in the Battle of Bealach nam Broig, fought north-west of Ben Wyvis, where the Munros and Dingwalls rescued the Ross hostage and exterminated their enemies but with a great loss of their own men. Two years later in 1454 John Munro, 1st of Milntown, uncle of the next chief, led the Clan Munro on a raid into Perthshire; on their return, they were ambushed by the Clan Mackintosh which resulted in the Battle of Clachnaharry.
In 1495, King James of Scotland assembled an army at Glasgow and many of the Highland chiefs made their submissions to him, including the Munro and Mackenzie chiefs. In 1497, MacDonald of Lochalsh rebelled against the king, invading the lands of Ross-shire where, according to early 19th-century historian Donald Gregory, he was defeated at the Battle of Drumchatt by the Munros and Mackenzies. However late 19th-century historian Alexander Mackenzie disputes the Munros' presence at the battle of 1497, quoting 17th-century historian Sir Robert Gordon whose account does not include the Munros. Alexander Mackenzie states that the Munros and Mackenzies actually fought each other at Drumchatt in 1501.
In 1500, the Munros of Milntown began construction of Milntown Castle, which was opposed by the Rosses as being too close to their Balnagown Castle.
16th century and clan conflicts
In the early 16th century a rebellion broke out by Domhnall Dubh, chief of Clan MacDonald, against the king. The MacDonalds were no longer Lords of the Isles or Earls of Ross. Cameron of Lochiel supported the rebel Domhnall Dubh. In 1502, a commission was given to the Earl of Huntly, the Lord Lovat, and William Munro of Foulis to proceed to Lochaber against the rebels. There in 1505 William Munro of Foulis, whilst on "the King's business" was killed by Cameron of Lochiel. It is Clan Cameron tradition that they defeated a joint force of Munros and Mackays at the Battle of Achnashellach in 1505. Domhnall Dubh was captured in 1506 and Ewen Cameron was later executed.On 30 April 1527, a bond of friendship was signed at Inverness between: Chief Hector Munro of Foulis; John Campbell of Cawdor, the Knight of Calder; Hector Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Chief of Clan Mackintosh, captain of Clanchattan; Hugh Rose of Kilravock, Chief of Clan Rose; and "Donald Ilis of Sleat". In 1529 a charter was signed between chief Hector Munro, 13th Baron of Foulis and Lord Fraser of Lovat to assist and defend each other.
In 1544 Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis signed a bond of kindness and alliance with the chief of Clan Ross of Balnagowan. The Foulis Writs hint that in 1534 James V of Scotland was aware of the Munros as a fighting force. A little later in 1547, Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis "with his friends and followers having gone to resist the English who invaded Scotland", was killed at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh. In 1549, Donald Monro, Dean of the Isles, visited Finlaggan Castle, seat of the chiefs of Clan Donald.
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis was a staunch supporter and faithful friend of Mary, Queen of Scots, and consequently was treated favourably by her son James VI of Scotland. When Mary went to Inverness Castle in 1562 the gates of the castle were shut against her. The Frasers and Munros, esteemed the "bravest" clans in the north took the castle for the Queen in the Siege of Inverness.
Between 1569 and 1573 Andrew Munro, 5th of Milntown defended and held, for three years, Chanonry Castle, which he had received from the Regent Moray who died in 1569, against the Clan MacKenzie, at the expense of many lives on both sides. The feud was settled when the castle was handed over to the Mackenzies by an "act of pacification". In 1587, Foulis Castle's "tower and fortalice" are mentioned in a charter from the Crown. In 1597, the Battle of Logiebride took place between clansmen from the Clan Munro and the Bain of Tulloch family against clansmen from the Clan Mackenzie and the MacLeods of Raasay.