Sir William Munro of Foulis (died 1505) was a Scottish

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

and

Scottish clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard c ...

of the highland

Clan Munro Clan Munro (; gd, Clann an Rothaich ) 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 ...

. He is by tradition the 12th Baron of Foulis and 15th overall chief of the clan. However, he is actually only the 5th chief of the Clan Munro who can be proved by contemporary evidence.

Early life

William Munro was the eldest son of John Munro, 11th Baron of Foulis, a Crown Chamberlain. As heir to his father, he was given

sasine Sasine in Scots law is the delivery of feudal property, typically land. Feudal property means immovable property, and includes everything that naturally goes with the property. For land, that would include such things as buildings, trees, and unde ...

of his lands in 1491 as recorded by contemporary documents, the Munro Writs of Foulis. William Munro is said to have been knighted by king

James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauchi ...

and appears in a document as "Sir" William in 1503. Sir William Munro was the king’s Lieutenant and Justicary of Inverness and the Earldom Ross.

Clan battles

There are two traditional stories of clan battles involving the Clan Munro during William's chieftaincy. Both are called the Battle of Drumchatt but there does not appear to be any contemporary evidence for either of the battles. The first is said to have taken place in 1497 when Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh rebelled against the king. He invaded Rosshire and was defeated in battle at Drumchatt by the Munros and Mackenzies, who were the king's allies. This version of events is recorded by early 19th-century historian

Donald Gregory Donald Gregory (1803–1836) was a Scottish historian and antiquarian, who published a valuable history of the Western Scottish Highlands, Highlands and Isles of Scotland. Origins Gregory was a younger son of James Gregory (physician), Dr James ...

and seems to be accepted by modern historians. However, late 19th-century historian Alexander Mackenzie disputes the Munro’s presence at the battle. The second battle at Drumchatt is said to have taken place in 1501 and was fought between the Munros and Mackenzies. According to Alexander Mackenzie, Sir William Munro led a force of 900 men to attack the Mackenzies but were defeated by just 140 Mackenzies. However, there is no historical evidence for this story.

Rebellion of Donald Dubh

In the early 16th century

Donald Dubh Domhnall Dubh (died 1545) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Aonghas Óg, chief of Clan Donald (Clann Domhnaill), and claimant to the Lordship of the Isles, which had been held by his grandfather John of Islay, Earl of Ross (Eoin MacD ...

, chief of

Clan Donald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald ( gd, Clann Dòmhnaill; Mac Dòmhnaill ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...

rebelled against the king. The Clan Donald chiefs were no longer

Earls of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th ...

Lords of the Isles The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title w ...

. Sir William Munro of Foulis was commissioned to let the King's lands of

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation ...

and Mamore to "true men," as recorded in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, 21 March 1501/02. The

Earl of Huntly Marquess of Huntly (traditionally spelled Marquis in Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: ''Coileach Strath Bhalgaidh'') is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing ...

, chief of

Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...

and

Lord Lovat Lord Lovat ( gd, Mac Shimidh) is a title of the rank Lord of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat, Hugh Fraser by summoning him to the Scottish Parliament as Lord Fraser of Lovat, altho ...

, chief of

Clan Fraser of Lovat Clan Fraser of Lovat ( gd, Friseal french: link=yes, Fraiser) is a Highland Scottish clan and the principal branch of Clan Fraser. The Frasers of Lovat are strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gaine ...

were also ordered to proceed against the rebels. Cameron of Lochiel, chief of

Clan Cameron Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands lies Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The Chief ...

supported the rebel Donald Dubh. Sir William Munro was slain by Cameron of Lochiel at Achnashellach in 1505. Clan Cameron tradition is that they defeated a joint force from the Clan Munro and

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; gd, Clann Mhic Aoidh ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I ...

at the

Battle of Achnashellach The Battle of Achnashellach was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1505, in the Scottish Highlands at Achnashellach. It was fought by the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackay and the Clan Munro. Historical evidence Littl ...

. One 17th-century account states that William was killed by treachery: ''William Munro of Foulis, a knight most valiant for leading an army at the command of the King against certain factious northern men, he perished by treachery.'' Another historian from the early 18th century states that Munro was killed by Cameron, adding that: "the house was surrounded and refused to surrender".

Family

Sir William Munro of Foulis had married Anne, daughter of

Lachlan Og Maclean Lachlan Óg Maclean, was the 8th Chief of Maclean. Biography He was the son of Lachlan Bronneach Maclean. Lachlan Og was called Lachlan the Younger to distinguish him from his father. He was Lord of Duart and Chief of Clan MacLean when politi ...

Duart Castle Duart Castle, or ''Caisteal Dhubhairt'' in Scottish Gaelic, is a castle on the Isle of Mull, beside the Sound of Mull off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and is ...

, chief of Clan Maclean. They had three children: #

Hector Munro, 13th Baron of Foulis In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

(heir and successor as chief of the Clan Munro). #William Munro, Vicar of Dingwall. #Margaret Munro.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Munro, William, 12th Baron Of Foulis

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

Scottish knights People from Ross and Cromarty 1505 deaths Year of birth unknown