9TH BARON Of FOWLIS

Hugh Munro, the ninth Baron of Fowlis, obtained several charters, some of which are still preserved in the Fowlis charter chest. In 1369, William Earl of Ross, granted "to his well-beloved cousin, Hugh Munro, the lands of Keatwell, and Tower of Badgarvie, and others" in the parish of Kiltearn. In 1370, the same Earl granted him the half davoch lands of Daan-more in Edderton; the davoch lands of Inverlael in Lochbroom; the lands of Kilmachalmack in Strath-Oykel; Carbisdale, in Strathcarron; and others in the parish of Kincardine, reserving the salmon fishing of the Kyle of Oykel to himself and his heirs. Nine years later, Euphemia, Countess of Ross, vonveyed the lands of Contullich and the Tower of Ardoch "to her dearest cusin, Hew Munro" and by another charter, she granted him the davoch lands of Wester-Fowlis and Tower of Strathskiach, in the parish of Kiltearn. The Countess of Ross, who granted these charters, succeeded to the title on the death of her father in 1372. Her first husband, Sir Walter Leslie, who in her right became Earl of Ross, died on the 27th of February, 1382, and before the 22nd of July ensuing, she married, as her second husband, Alexander Stewart the Seneschal, Earl of Buchan, better known as the "Wolf of Badenoch", fourth son of Robert II, without issue, but in right of his wife, he became Earl of Ross. He, however, soon afterwards deserted her for Mariotta, daughter of Athyn. The Chartulary of Moray shows that the Bishops of Moray and Ross -- both of whom were named Alexander -- at Inverness, on the 2nd of November, 1389, recorded a judgment, ordering him, under a heavy fine penalty, to return to the Countess and to refrain from maltreating her. But the Wolf ignored the judgment. Alexander died on the 20th of February, 1394. She granted a charter of the lands of Wester-Fowlis, dated the 4th of August following, to Hugh Munro. To this charter, she obtained the consent of Alexander, her son and heir, who succeeded to the Earldom of Ross. She died Abbess of Elcho in 1398 and was buried in Fortrose Cathedral. The Fowlis Chief is mentioned as "Hugh de Munro" in one of the Balnagowan charters in the last named year.

He appears to have joined Donald, Lord of the Isles, in his contest with the Duke of Albany in the beginning of the fifteenth century, concerning the Earldom of Ross, a possession and title which Donald claimed in right of his wife, Lady Mary Leslie, daughter of Sir Walter Leslie and Euphemia, Countess of Ross. In the course of this contest, the battle of Harlaw was fought on the 24th of July, 1411, and its immediate results and ultimate consequences are so well known that they need no detailed mention here.

With the darkness, the battle ended, and when morning dawned, it was found that Donald, Lord of the Isles, had withdrawn during the night. When the news of the disaster of Harlaw reached the Duke of Albany, he at once collected a large army, with which he marched to the North, determined to bring Donald to obedience. Having taken the castle of Dingwall next year, in 1412, he appointed a governor of it, and then proceeded to recover the whole of Ross. Donald was ultimately compelled to give up his claim to the Earldom of Ross, to become a vassal of the Scottish Crown, and to provide hostages for his future good behaviour. This he did by a treaty signed at Port-Gilp, Argyleshire, in 1416.

The connection of the Munros with the family of the Isles continued after Hugh's death and during their temporary restoration to the title in 1430 by James I - whose policy was in every respect opposed to that of the house of Albany - and was interrupted until, on the 10th of July, 1476, James III again forfeited the Earldom because of the continued turbulence of its possessors, their many acts of treason and persistent rebellions.

This forfeiture took place in the time of this Hugh's grandson, Baron John, but is introduced here because in consequence of it, the Munros and other vassals in the North were made independent of any superior but the Crown. In the charters which the family of Fowlis at various times obtained from the Scottish Kings, they were declared to hold their lands as direct Crown vassals on the singular tenure, at last in some instances, of furnishing the Sovereign when required at midsummer with a snow ball from the hill of Fowlis in the forest of Wyvis, a condition which was easily accomplished; for the snow never wholly disappears from the hollows and crevices of that noble mountain. In this connection, it is related that when the Duke of Cumberland arrived at Inverness in 1746, after the battle of Culloden, a party of Munros sent him, as the Royal reprsentative, some snow from Ben Wyvis to cool his wine.

Hugh married, first, Isabella, daughter of John Keith, second son of Sir Edward Keith, Great Marischal of Scotland, by his wife, Mariotta, daughter of Sir Reginal Cheyne of Inverugie, with issue.....

1. George, his heir and successor.

Hugh married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Nicholas (son of Kenneth, fourth Earl of Sutherland, and brother of William, the fifth Earl), by his wife Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Reginald le Cheyne and Mary, Lady of Duffus, with issue ....

2. John, progenitor of the Munros of Miltown, now New Tarbat, of whom are descended the families of Kilmorack, Allen, Culnauld, Tarlogie, Pitlundie and Bearcrofts, Auchenbowie, Craiglockhart, and Cockburn, and Edmonsham, of all of whome in their order. He was known as the "Tutor of Fowlis" and fought the battle of Clachnabarry in 1454.

3. Janet. It is uncertain, however, whether she was the issue of the first or second marriage. She is not mentioned in the MS. of 1716, but is elsewhere said to have married Mallcolm Og, a cadet of the Mackintoshes of Dunachton, with issue.

4. Elizabeth, who married Neil Mackay, eighth Chief of the Mackays, to whome she bore two sons - Angus, who succeeded his father, and John Roy, from whom descended the "Sliochd-Ean-Roy". From this John Roy, the late Captain Robert Mackay of Hedgefield, Inverness, who has several representatives now living, was lineally descended.

Hugh Munro died in 1425 and was buried at Chanonry, when he was succeeded by his eldest son, George Munro.

Child of HUGH FOWLIS) and ISABELLA KEITH is:

14. i. GEORGE MONRO (10TH BARON OF14 FOWLIS), b. Bef. October 17, 1410, Fowlis, Ross, Scotland; d. 1452, Battle of Bealach-nam-Brog, Scotland.

Children of HUGH FOWLIS) and MARGARET ?? are:

15. ii. JOHN14 MUNRO, b. Bef. 1425, Ross-shire, Scotland; d. Abt. 1475.

iii. JANET MUNRO, m. MALCOMB OG (CADET OF MACKINTOSHES).

16. iv. ELIZABETH MUNRO.

MUNRO
They were anciently vassals of the Earls of Ross. Their chief seat is at Foulis. Origin is from the Siol o' Cain of North Moray. The first chief, Hugh, lived in the twelfth century.77