Robert Munro (d. 1680)
Encyclopedia
Robert Monro of the Munro of Obsdale
family (died 1680), was a famous Scottish
General, from the Clan Munro
of Ross-shire
. He was a grandson of chief Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
, through his third son George Munro, 1st of Obsdale. However Robert's older brother John Munro retained the title as 2nd of Obsdale. Robert Monro was seated at Contullich Castle
. He was the author of a diary recounting his military experiences, published as Monro, His Expedition With the Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keys. It is one of the first military histories ever published, certainly the first in the English language.
where he fought in the Swedish army, under Gustavus Adolphus, along with 700 other members of the Clan Muno, including his cousin, Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis
and his nephew, George Munro, 1st of Newmore
. Together they made up part of the "MacKay Highlanders Regiment". On the 10th July 1627, a division of the regiment was sent to join their comrades, then stationed at a fortification in Boitzenberg, near Hamburg
, where Captain Monro had his first brush with the enemy. The Scots after a desperate struggle gained a victory over an overwhelming force of their assailants, though they themselves also had to retire, carrying with them their guns and ammunition.
Robert Monro next comes into notice at a severe engagement at the Pass in Oldenburg, where he was wounded, receiving a wound to his own account, a "favourable mark" to the inside of the knee, while his bartisan was broken in his hand by a cannon ball. Robert's elder brother John Munro, 2nd of Obsdale, distinguished himself highly on this occasion and escaped unhurt. The Danes were defeated and had to retire and the Scots also retired, as they did so the Danes returned, this time mounted on cavalry. Robert realising the gravity of the situation reolved a plan to bring his men to safety. Monro ordered his pike-men to advance steadily and charge the horsemen, whom they quickly forced over the shelving edges of the pier. Monro and his men then escaped via ship to escape the Imperialists who had been reinforced by more cavalry.
Robert and his men were involved in many more battles and skirmishes, in one incident Monro was saved when a bullet was blocked by the hilt of his sword.
both led their men at the Siege of Stralsund
, fighting of which started on the 25th May 1628 and lasted for eleven weeks. The Munros were amongst the defenders of the city. One such assault on the city was made on the 26th June when Imperialist General, Albrecht von Wallenstein
arrived on the scene. The defenders having heard of his arrival, expected a severe attack on their position. The assault was made that night between ten and eleven o'clock, directed chiefly against the post guarded by the Highlanders under Major Monro. The enemy advanced with above one thousand men. The Highlanders were immediately called to arms, and after a severe battle which lasted for an hour and a half the Imperialists were driven back. However the Imperialists returned and continued to attack until the next morning when they finally forced open the gate. They got inside the "outworks" but were finally beaten back by the Highlanders with great loss, with swords, pikes and butts of muskets. The Imperialists retired having lost over a thousand men, while the Highlanders lost nearly two hundred. After the siege Major Robert Monro was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
, known as Schivelbein Castle, in order to obstruct the passage of the Austrians
, who were advancing for the relief of Colberg
. They were commanded to hold the town as long as possible and to defend the castle or fort to the last man. How well they fulfilled this task an eloquent Latin Ode tells us, printed in front of Monro’s Memoirs and bearing the title: "Schiefelbeinum urbs et arx Marchiae Brandenburgicae a generoso Domino Roberto Munro bene defensae." The five hundred Highlanders under Munro are said to have withstood a siege from an enemy of 8000 Imperialists
(New Brandenburg). The Highlanders soon stormed the palace and forced the defenders to retire from the town. The defending Austrians then sent a messenger to ask for a truce, which was granted. The garrison which according to Monro was a "brave little band of five hundred horse, and twelve hundred foot, being as complete to look at as you wish", allowed to "march out with bag and baggage, horse and foot, with full arms and a convoy to Havelburgh. The Swedish King left a small garrison in the town and the army proceeded on its way.
in Leipzig in 1631, where the Scots and Swedes took victory on both occasions. However the Swedish army was later defeated at the Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
, Robert survived and returned to Scotland.
in service of the Scottish Covenanters. During the Bishops' Wars, in 1638 Dalkeith was won by Monro with 500 men, and in 1639 Monro was with Alexander Leslie when he captured Edinburgh Castle
. General Robert Monro laid siege to the fortified Spynie Palace
forcing Bishop John Guthrie
to surrender to his forces. This marked the end of Spynie Palace as a seat of power, which had been home to the Bishops of Moray
for over 500 years. Also in 1640 General Monro laid siege to Drum Castle
of the royalist Clan Irvine
which was surrendered after two days and also occupied Huntly Castle
of the Clan Gordon
, along with a Captain called James Wallace.
, nominally as second in command under Alexander Leslie, but in fact in chief command of the Scottish army sent to put down the Catholic
Irish rebels who had massacred Scottish settlers in Ulster
during the Irish Rebellion of 1641
. Monro's campaign in Ireland was largely confined to the northern province of Ulster. After taking and plundering Newry
in April 1642, and ineffectually attempting to subdue Sir Phelim O'Neill, Monro succeeded in taking prisoner the Earl of Antrim
who was Randal MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim at Dunluce Castle
.
The arrival of Owen Roe O'Neill
in Ireland strengthened the cause of the rebels, now organised in Confederate Ireland
, and Monro, who was poorly supplied with provisions and war materials, showed little activity. Moreover, the English Civil War
was now creating confusion among parties in Ireland, and the king was anxious to come to terms with the Catholic rebels, and to enlist them on his own behalf against the parliament. The Earl of Ormonde
, Charles's lieutenant-general in Ireland, acting on the king's orders, signed a cessation of hostilities with the Catholic Confederates on 15 September 1643, and exerted himself to despatch aid to Charles
in England.
was particularly barbaric. Many of the raised troops were undisciplined and atrocity was being matched by atrocity. Monro's strategy was just as ruthless and no measure was spared in his campaign against O'Neil. The conflict led to thousands of innocent people being killed on both sides. O'Neil waged a guerilla type offensive in Ulster, whereas Monro, superior in numbers systematically destroyed castles and villages throughout the land. Some accounts tell of him laying waste to Antrim and Down in what we would now call a "scorched earth policy". Monro attacked and took Newry
in 1642 and took Belfast
in 1644. After taking Newry Robert Monro then raised the Siege of Coleraine, a town which later became the centre of military activities and the headquarters of Major Daniel Munro during the coming years.
, holding his commission from the Parliament of Scotland
dominated by the Covenanters, did not recognize the armistice, and his troops accepted the Solemn League and Covenant
, in which they were joined by many English soldiers who left Ormonde to join him. In April 1644 the English parliament entrusted Monro with the command of all the forces in Ulster, both English and Scots. He thereupon seized Belfast
, made a raid into the Pale
, and unsuccessfully attempted to gain possession of Dundalk
and Drogheda
. In response, the Irish confederates sent an armed expedition to Scotland to join the Scottish Royalists there under James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
.
. While Owen Roe O'Neill was strengthened by receiving supplies from the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Giovanni Battista Rinuccini
. On 5 June 1646 was fought the Battle of Benburb
, on the Blackwater, where O'Neill routed Monro, inflicting over 2000 dead on the Scottish force but allowing him to withdraw in safety to Carrickfergus
.
" movement and sent men under the command of his nephew George Munro, 1st of Newmore
back to Scotland to support the Engagers against the English Parliamentrians. Meanwhile the Scots under Monro held out stubbornly at Carrickfergus
and refused to surrender Carrickfergus Castle
and Belfast. They were besieged by the forces of George Monck. In September 1648 Carrickfergus was delivered over to Monck by treachery: a number of Monro's officers were divided and some aided the parliamentry commander Monck, and as a result Monro was taken prisoner. He was committed to the Tower of London
, where he remained a prisoner for five years. In 1654 he was permitted by Oliver Cromwell
to reside in Ireland, where he had estates in right of his wife, who was the widow of Viscount Montgomery of Ardes. Monro continued to live quietly near Comber, County Down
, for many years, and probably died there about 1680.
Munro of Obsdale
The Munros of Obsdale were a a Scottish family and a cadet branch of the Clan Munro, a Highland Scottish clan. Their base was at Obsdale House, situated just north of the town of Alness in the Scottish Highlands...
family (died 1680), was a famous Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
General, from the Clan Munro
Clan Munro
-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
of Ross-shire
Ross-shire
Ross-shire is an area in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. The name is now used as a geographic or cultural term, equivalent to Ross. Until 1889 the term denoted a county of Scotland, also known as the County of Ross...
. He was a grandson of chief Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis and 18th chief of the Clan Munro was a 16th century Scottish chief. He was known as Robert Mor on account of his large stature. He was the eldest son of Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis...
, through his third son George Munro, 1st of Obsdale. However Robert's older brother John Munro retained the title as 2nd of Obsdale. Robert Monro was seated at Contullich Castle
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....
. He was the author of a diary recounting his military experiences, published as Monro, His Expedition With the Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keys. It is one of the first military histories ever published, certainly the first in the English language.
Early Skirmishes
Sir Robert Monro's first notable military service was during the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
where he fought in the Swedish army, under Gustavus Adolphus, along with 700 other members of the Clan Muno, including his cousin, Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis
Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis
Colonel Robert Munro of Foulis , also known as the Black Baron, was traditionally the 18th Baron of Foulis in Scotland. He was a soldier of fortune, who served in Germany under the banners of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden...
and his nephew, George Munro, 1st of Newmore
George Munro, 1st of Newmore
Sir George Munro, 1st of Newmore was a 17th century Scottish soldier and member of parliament from the Clan Munro, Ross-shire, Scotland. He was seated at Newmore Castle.-Lineage:...
. Together they made up part of the "MacKay Highlanders Regiment". On the 10th July 1627, a division of the regiment was sent to join their comrades, then stationed at a fortification in Boitzenberg, near Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, where Captain Monro had his first brush with the enemy. The Scots after a desperate struggle gained a victory over an overwhelming force of their assailants, though they themselves also had to retire, carrying with them their guns and ammunition.
Robert Monro next comes into notice at a severe engagement at the Pass in Oldenburg, where he was wounded, receiving a wound to his own account, a "favourable mark" to the inside of the knee, while his bartisan was broken in his hand by a cannon ball. Robert's elder brother John Munro, 2nd of Obsdale, distinguished himself highly on this occasion and escaped unhurt. The Danes were defeated and had to retire and the Scots also retired, as they did so the Danes returned, this time mounted on cavalry. Robert realising the gravity of the situation reolved a plan to bring his men to safety. Monro ordered his pike-men to advance steadily and charge the horsemen, whom they quickly forced over the shelving edges of the pier. Monro and his men then escaped via ship to escape the Imperialists who had been reinforced by more cavalry.
Robert and his men were involved in many more battles and skirmishes, in one incident Monro was saved when a bullet was blocked by the hilt of his sword.
Siege of Stralsund
Robert Monro, then a Major, along with his cousin Robert Munro, 18th Baron of FoulisRobert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis
Colonel Robert Munro of Foulis , also known as the Black Baron, was traditionally the 18th Baron of Foulis in Scotland. He was a soldier of fortune, who served in Germany under the banners of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden...
both led their men at the Siege of Stralsund
Battle of Stralsund (1628)
The Siege of Stralsund was a siege laid on Stralsund by Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War, from May to 4 August 1628. Stralsund was aided by Denmark and Sweden, with considerable Scottish participation. The siege ended Wallenstein's series of victories, and...
, fighting of which started on the 25th May 1628 and lasted for eleven weeks. The Munros were amongst the defenders of the city. One such assault on the city was made on the 26th June when Imperialist General, Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
arrived on the scene. The defenders having heard of his arrival, expected a severe attack on their position. The assault was made that night between ten and eleven o'clock, directed chiefly against the post guarded by the Highlanders under Major Monro. The enemy advanced with above one thousand men. The Highlanders were immediately called to arms, and after a severe battle which lasted for an hour and a half the Imperialists were driven back. However the Imperialists returned and continued to attack until the next morning when they finally forced open the gate. They got inside the "outworks" but were finally beaten back by the Highlanders with great loss, with swords, pikes and butts of muskets. The Imperialists retired having lost over a thousand men, while the Highlanders lost nearly two hundred. After the siege Major Robert Monro was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
Siege of Schivelbein
In 1630 the MacKay and Munro Highlanders had marched to Schivelbein (Schiefelbein, now Świdwin) a small fortified place in BrandenburgBrandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, known as Schivelbein Castle, in order to obstruct the passage of the Austrians
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
, who were advancing for the relief of Colberg
Colberg
Colberg is a surname, and may refer to:* Abdiel Colberg , Puerto Rican rollerblader* Frederick Colberg , an American welterweight and Olympic boxer...
. They were commanded to hold the town as long as possible and to defend the castle or fort to the last man. How well they fulfilled this task an eloquent Latin Ode tells us, printed in front of Monro’s Memoirs and bearing the title: "Schiefelbeinum urbs et arx Marchiae Brandenburgicae a generoso Domino Roberto Munro bene defensae." The five hundred Highlanders under Munro are said to have withstood a siege from an enemy of 8000 Imperialists
Siege of Neubrandenburg
In January 1631, the King accompanied by Colonel Monro, proceeded to besiege NeubrandenburgNeubrandenburg
Neubrandenburg is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, on the shore of a lake called the Tollensesee ....
(New Brandenburg). The Highlanders soon stormed the palace and forced the defenders to retire from the town. The defending Austrians then sent a messenger to ask for a truce, which was granted. The garrison which according to Monro was a "brave little band of five hundred horse, and twelve hundred foot, being as complete to look at as you wish", allowed to "march out with bag and baggage, horse and foot, with full arms and a convoy to Havelburgh. The Swedish King left a small garrison in the town and the army proceeded on its way.
Frankfurt and Leipzig
Robert Monro later fought at the Battle of Frankfurt on the Oder and the Battle of BreitenfeldBattle of Breitenfeld (1631)
The Battle of Breitenfeld or First Battle of Breitenfeld , was fought at the crossroads villages of Breitenfeld , Podelwitz , and Seehausen , approximately five miles northwest of the walled city of Leipzig on September 17 , or September 7 The Battle of Breitenfeld or First Battle of Breitenfeld...
in Leipzig in 1631, where the Scots and Swedes took victory on both occasions. However the Swedish army was later defeated at the Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on 27 August or 6 September , 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. The Roman Catholic Imperial army, bolstered by 18,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers, won a crushing victory over the combined Protestant armies of Sweden and their German-Protestant allies .After...
, Robert survived and returned to Scotland.
Bishops Wars
Robert returned to Scotland about 1638, and took part in some of the early incidents of the Bishops Wars against Charles I and also in the Wars of the Three KingdomsWars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
in service of the Scottish Covenanters. During the Bishops' Wars, in 1638 Dalkeith was won by Monro with 500 men, and in 1639 Monro was with Alexander Leslie when he captured Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
. General Robert Monro laid siege to the fortified Spynie Palace
Spynie Palace
Spynie Palace, also known as Spynie Castle, was the fortified seat of the Bishops of Moray for about 500 years. The founding of the palace dates back to the late 12th Century. It is situated about 500m from the location of the first officially settled Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Moray, in...
forcing Bishop John Guthrie
John Guthrie (Bishop of Moray)
John Guthrie was a Scottish prelate active in the first half of the 17th century. The son of the goldsmith Patrick Guthrie and Margaret née Rait, in 1597 he completed an MA at the University of St Andrews, becoming a Reader at the church of Arbroath in the same year...
to surrender to his forces. This marked the end of Spynie Palace as a seat of power, which had been home to the Bishops of Moray
Bishop of Moray
The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics...
for over 500 years. Also in 1640 General Monro laid siege to Drum Castle
Drum Castle
Drum Castle is a castle near Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. For centuries it was the seat of the chief of Clan Irvine. The place-name Drum is derived from Gaelic druim, 'ridge'....
of the royalist Clan Irvine
Clan Irvine
-Origins of the clan:As a surname Irvine is of territorial origins from one of two places of the same name. Firstly from Irving, an old parish in Dumfriesshire and from Irvine in Ayrshire....
which was surrendered after two days and also occupied Huntly Castle
Huntly Castle
Huntly Castle is a ruined castle in Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly.-History:...
of the Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
, along with a Captain called James Wallace.
Rebellion in Ulster
In 1642 he went to IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, nominally as second in command under Alexander Leslie, but in fact in chief command of the Scottish army sent to put down the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Irish rebels who had massacred Scottish settlers in Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
during the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
. Monro's campaign in Ireland was largely confined to the northern province of Ulster. After taking and plundering Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
in April 1642, and ineffectually attempting to subdue Sir Phelim O'Neill, Monro succeeded in taking prisoner the Earl of Antrim
Earl of Antrim
Earl of Antrim is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of Ireland and both times for members of the MacDonnell family, originally of Scottish origins. This family descends from Sorley Boy MacDonnell, who established the family in County Antrim...
who was Randal MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim at Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim , and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland...
.
The arrival of Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill
Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
in Ireland strengthened the cause of the rebels, now organised in Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
, and Monro, who was poorly supplied with provisions and war materials, showed little activity. Moreover, the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
was now creating confusion among parties in Ireland, and the king was anxious to come to terms with the Catholic rebels, and to enlist them on his own behalf against the parliament. The Earl of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
, Charles's lieutenant-general in Ireland, acting on the king's orders, signed a cessation of hostilities with the Catholic Confederates on 15 September 1643, and exerted himself to despatch aid to Charles
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in England.
Conflict in Ulster
The conflict that took place in UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
was particularly barbaric. Many of the raised troops were undisciplined and atrocity was being matched by atrocity. Monro's strategy was just as ruthless and no measure was spared in his campaign against O'Neil. The conflict led to thousands of innocent people being killed on both sides. O'Neil waged a guerilla type offensive in Ulster, whereas Monro, superior in numbers systematically destroyed castles and villages throughout the land. Some accounts tell of him laying waste to Antrim and Down in what we would now call a "scorched earth policy". Monro attacked and took Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
in 1642 and took Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1644. After taking Newry Robert Monro then raised the Siege of Coleraine, a town which later became the centre of military activities and the headquarters of Major Daniel Munro during the coming years.
Belfast is seized
Monro in UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, holding his commission from the Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
dominated by the Covenanters, did not recognize the armistice, and his troops accepted the Solemn League and Covenant
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
, in which they were joined by many English soldiers who left Ormonde to join him. In April 1644 the English parliament entrusted Monro with the command of all the forces in Ulster, both English and Scots. He thereupon seized Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, made a raid into the Pale
The Pale
The Pale or the English Pale , was the part of Ireland that was directly under the control of the English government in the late Middle Ages. It had reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast stretching from Dalkey, south of Dublin, to the garrison town of Dundalk...
, and unsuccessfully attempted to gain possession of Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
and Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
. In response, the Irish confederates sent an armed expedition to Scotland to join the Scottish Royalists there under James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
.
Battle of Benburb
Monro's force was weakened by the necessity for sending troops to Scotland to withstand Montrose; clansmen were sent back under Monro's nephew, George Munro, 1st of NewmoreGeorge Munro, 1st of Newmore
Sir George Munro, 1st of Newmore was a 17th century Scottish soldier and member of parliament from the Clan Munro, Ross-shire, Scotland. He was seated at Newmore Castle.-Lineage:...
. While Owen Roe O'Neill was strengthened by receiving supplies from the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Giovanni Battista Rinuccini
Giovanni Battista Rinuccini
Giovanni Battista Rinuccini was a Roman Catholic archbishop in the mid seventeenth century. He was a noted legal scholar who became chamberlain to Pope Gregory XV, who made him the Archbishop of Fermo in Italy...
. On 5 June 1646 was fought the Battle of Benburb
Battle of Benburb
The Battle of Benburb took place in 1646 during the Irish Confederate Wars, the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought between the forces of Confederate Ireland under Owen Roe O'Neill and a Scottish Covenanter and Anglo-Irish army under Robert Monro...
, on the Blackwater, where O'Neill routed Monro, inflicting over 2000 dead on the Scottish force but allowing him to withdraw in safety to Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
.
Conflict at Carrickfergus
In 1647 Ormonde was compelled to come to terms with the English parliament, who sent commissioners to Dublin in June of that year. Monro supported the royalist "EngagerEngagers
The Engagers were a faction of the Scottish Covenanters, who made "The Engagement" with King Charles I in December 1647 while he was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle by the English Parliamenterians after his defeat in the First Civil War....
" movement and sent men under the command of his nephew George Munro, 1st of Newmore
George Munro, 1st of Newmore
Sir George Munro, 1st of Newmore was a 17th century Scottish soldier and member of parliament from the Clan Munro, Ross-shire, Scotland. He was seated at Newmore Castle.-Lineage:...
back to Scotland to support the Engagers against the English Parliamentrians. Meanwhile the Scots under Monro held out stubbornly at Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
and refused to surrender Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best...
and Belfast. They were besieged by the forces of George Monck. In September 1648 Carrickfergus was delivered over to Monck by treachery: a number of Monro's officers were divided and some aided the parliamentry commander Monck, and as a result Monro was taken prisoner. He was committed to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, where he remained a prisoner for five years. In 1654 he was permitted by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
to reside in Ireland, where he had estates in right of his wife, who was the widow of Viscount Montgomery of Ardes. Monro continued to live quietly near Comber, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, for many years, and probably died there about 1680.
Family
Robert Monro is known to have at least two children:- Andrew Monroe, a Colonel who was killed at the Siege of Limerick (1690)Siege of Limerick (1690)Limerick, a city in western Ireland, was besieged twice in the Williamite War in Ireland, 1689-1691. On the first of these occasions, in August to September 1690, its Jacobite defenders retreated to the city after their defeat at the Battle of the Boyne...
- Ann Monro, who married Robert's nephew Sir George Munro, 1st of Newmore.