Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis was a 14th – 15th century Scottish soldier and said to be 12th chief of the

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 i ...

in the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...

. He was seated at

Foulis Castle Foulis Castle is situated two miles south-west of Evanton in the parish of Kiltearn, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It is a white washed mansion that incorporates an old tower house with gun loops. The castle was held by the Clan Munro from t ...

Ross-shire Ross-shire (; ), or the County of Ross, was a county in the Scottish Highlands. It bordered Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire, a county consisting of numerous enc ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. Although he is traditionally the 9th Baron and 12th overall chief of the clan, he is only the 2nd Munro chief that can be proved by contemporary evidence.

Lands and Charters

Hugh Munro was the eldest son of

Robert de Munro, 8th Baron of Foulis Robert de Munro (died 1369) is the first chief of the Scottish Clan Munro who can be proved by contemporary evidence.Munro, R. W. (1978). ''The Munro Tree 1734''. Published in Edinburgh. pp. 2–3 – on opposite unnumbered page – paragraph K. . ...

(d.1369). Upon his father's death Hugh succeeded as chief of the clan and he was granted from his cousin,

Uilleam III, Earl of Ross William (or Uilleam) III, 5th Earl of Ross (d. 1372) was a fourteenth-century Scotland, Scottish nobleman. He was the fifth O’Beolan earl of Ross, descending from the founder of the line, Fearchar, Earl of Ross, Fearchar of Ross (or Fearchar Ma ...

, charters for the lands of Katewell and the Tower of Badgarvie in the parish of

Kiltearn Kiltearn (Gaelic: ''Cill Tighearna'') is a parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It is in the Presbytery of Ross. The local landowners since the 11th century reign of Malcolm II have been the Clan Munro. The principal settlement is the villag ...

. The following year in 1370 Hugh was granted more lands from the same Earl including Inverlael in Loch Broom, Kilmachalmack in Strath-Oykel, Carbisdale in Strathcarron, lands in the parish of

Kincardine, Sutherland Kincardine () is a small hamlet in Sutherland, situated on the west end of the south shore of the Dornoch Firth. The village of Ardgay is less than 1 mile north west of Kincardine along the A836 coast road. It lies within the civil parish of K ...

and was also reserved the salmon fishing in the Kyle of Oykel for himself and his heirs. In 1379

Euphemia I, Countess of Ross Euphemia I (d. 1394 x 1398), also called Euphemia of Ross and Euphemia Ross, and sometimes incorrectly styled ''Euphemia Leslie'' and ''Euphemia Stewart'' (Scottish women in this period did not abandon natal names for married names), was a Countes ...

confirmed the lands of Contullich and the Tower of Ardoch ''(

Contullich Castle Contullich Castle was a castle located a few miles north-west of the town of Alness, on the eastern side of the county of Ross-shire, Scotland. The castle is believed to date back until at least the 11th century. In 1379, Euphemia I, Countess of ...

)'' to her cousin Hugh Munro of Foulis and in 1394 she granted Hugh two charters, one in respect of the " Tower of Strathschech" and "Wesstir Fowlys".

Harlaw and the Lord of the Isles

In 1411, Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis joined

Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles Donald, Lord of the Isles (; died 1423), was the son and successor of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald. The Lordship of the Isles was based in and around the Scottish west-coast island of Islay, but under Donald's fath ...

, the chief of

Clan Donald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald or Clan McDonald ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs a ...

, to prosecute his rightful claim to Ross. It was opposed by

Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany ...

and his agent and nephew,

Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar Alexander Stewart (c. 13751435) was a Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish nobleman and warlord. An illegitimate grandson of Robert II of Scotland, he was originally the Earl of Moray, becoming the Earl of Mar from 1405. He acquired the earldom throug ...

. This resulted in the

Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw () was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the wes ...

where the Munros fought in the Lord of the Isles 'host' of 10,000 man against a lesser army of armed knights led by the Earl of Mar, agent for the Duke of Albany, who wanted Ross for his son.

Family

Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis married Isabelle Keith daughter of William Keith, 1st

Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held ...

, also known as the Great Marishchal of Scotland. They had 4 children: #

George Munro, 10th Baron of Foulis George Munro of Foulis (died 1452) is traditionally the 10th Baron and 13th successive chief of the Clan Munro. However, he is only the third successive chief of the clan who can be proved by contemporary evidence. He was the eldest son of Hugh M ...

. Hugh's heir and successor as chief of the

. #John Munro, 1st of Milntown. Progenitor of the Munro of Milntown branch of the clan. #Janet Munro. Married Malcolm Og MacKintosh, grandson of Malcolm Beg Mackintosh, 10th of Mackintosh. #Elizabeth Munro. Married Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver. Hugh Munro died in 1425 and was buried at

Chanonry Chanonry Point (Scottish Gaelic: ''Rubha na Cananaich'') lies at the end of Chanonry Ness, a spit of land extending into the Moray Firth between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, Scotland. Lighthouse An active lighthouse situated at ...

. In the years following his death, during the chiefship of his eldest son George Munro, King

James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III of Scotland, Robert III and ...

returned from captivity in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and took strong measures to restore order in the Highlands. He came to

Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...

in 1427 and seized

Mariota, Countess of Ross Mariota, Countess of Ross (Mairead, also called Mary and Margaret; died 1440) was the daughter of Euphemia I, Countess of Ross and her husband, the crusading war-hero Walter Leslie, Lord of Ross. Upon the death of her brother, Alexander Leslie ...

and her son, Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles, as well as many other prominent Highlanders who were punished in various ways. Among these no Munros are named. However, there is a "letter of remission", signed under the

Great Seal of Scotland The Great Seal of Scotland (; also the Scottish Seal; formally the Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in place of the Great Seal of Scotland) is a seal used by the first minister of Scotland to seal letters pate ...

and dated 24 August 1428, in which twenty eight named individuals are freed for crimes they had committed in the past and the first five names on the list are all Munros.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Munro, Hugh Year of birth unknown 1425 deaths Nobility from Highland (council area) People from Ross and Cromarty Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis 14th-century Scottish nobility 15th-century Scottish nobility