MONRO, GEORGE [SSNE 3119]

Surname

MONRO, MUNRO

First name

GEORGE

Title/rank

SIR GEORGE MONRO OF CULRAIN AND NEWMORE

Nationality

SCOT

Region

CULRAIN, SUTHERLAND

Social status

NOBILITY

Text source

Sir George Monro was the son of John Monro of Obsdale. In October 1635, George intended to ‘hawe quatt his buick [quit his book] and to hawe followit warres’, but his friends opposed it. His uncle, Colonel Robert Monro [SSNE 94], sent George to Leiden ‘to pass his course in the lawes, and to be acquaintit with the qveenes schildreine’. He began his Swedish service as an ensign in David Drummond's [SSNE 2396] recruited infantry regiment in 1637. He quickly became promoted to be a captain in Robert Monro's[SSNE 94] recruited infantry regiment in 1638. Thereafter he served as a lieutenant colonel by 1639. According to the Swedish Riksrad, Monro received two months salary from the Swedes as a parting gift in August 1640. He moved to Hamburg where, with Colonels David Leslie [SSNE 2920] and James Lumsden [SSNE 3003] and another 23 Scottish officers, he determined to leave for Scotland. The Stuart agent in Hamburg, Sir Thomas Roe[SSNE 4421], got wind of their plans to leave Hamburg by 1 November and sought to inform London, declaring the ease with which the men could be intercepted. He was wrong and the men arrived safely in Scotland. By 1644 George Monro commanded troops in Ireland and was sometime governor of Coleraine. He acquired the lands of Newmore from his uncle, Robert Monro, in 1646. He was recalled to Scotland in 1648. In July 1648, George received the barony of Foulis, then re-erected in his favour, but in 1652 resigned it to Sir Robert Monro of Foulis. George then followed the Marquis of Hamilton into England with the Engager Army. He disbanded his troops after the defeat of that army. In January 1649, George was knighted by Ormond at Kilkenny as Lord Lieutenant and then left for Holland. On his return to Scotland he was appointed lieutenant general under John Middleton in 1654 on behalf of Charles II. Monro became MP for Ross-shire in 1661-3, 1680-6, and 1689-93, and for Sutherland in 1669-74. He also sat in the Privy Council from 1674. In 1670, he had the new barony of Culrain created for himself made up of lands detached from the barony of Foulis. In 1674-7, he was commander-in-chief in Scotland and in 1688 major-general of a militia. The date of his date is variously ascribed to between 11 January 1693 and 26 February 1694.

Swedish Riksarkiv, P. Sondén, Militärachefer I svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; N.A. Kullberg, et. al., (eds.), Svenska Riksrådets Protokoll, 1621-1658, (vols. 1-18, Stockholm, 1878-1959), VIII, pp.220 and 229, discussions 19 and 25 August 1640; Stockholm Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1637/16; 1638/27; 1639/15; CSPD, 1640-1641, letter Sir Thomas Roe to Secretary Windebank, 26 September 1640; DNB. The Munro Tree: A Genealogy and Chronology of the Munros of Foulis and Other Families of the Clan, ed. R. W. Munro (Edinburgh, 1978), R/6; The Sutherland Book, ed. W. Fraser, 3 vols. (Edinburgh, 1892), II, 160.

This record was kindly updated by Dr Thomas Brochard

Service record

SWEDEN, DAVID DRUMMOND

Arrived 1637-01-01, as ENSIGN

Departed 1637-12-31, as ENSIGN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

SWEDEN, ROBERT MONRO

Arrived 1638-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1640-08-31, as LT. COLONEL

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

STUART KINGDOMS, IRELAND

Arrived 1644-01-01, as COMMANDER

Departed 1644-12-31, as COMMANDER

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

STUART KINGDOMS, THE DUTCH REPUBLIC

Arrived 1654-01-01, as LIEUT GENERAL

Departed 1654-12-31, as LT. GENERAL

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY