the events of 1715–1716 brought him another and a more vital role. Jacobite risings of 1715–1719 During the Jacobite rising of 1715, the standard of rebellion was raised by John Erskine, Earl of Mar, now out of office and out of favour with the new sovereign. In the northern shires John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland was the King's Lieutenant, and the clans Sutherland, Mackay, Ross and Munro could be counted on to support the Government, but the Mackenzies, Macdonalds and Chisholms were Jacobites, and the Frasers of Lovat were divided owing to a disputed chiefship. The old Laird of Foulis, who lived until 1729, had lost his eyesight in early life, and the leadership of the Munros therefore devolved on his sons. Robert was in London when rumours first gained ground that a rising was intended, but his brother George Munro, 1st of Culcairn put the clan in a state of readiness at the beginning of August, and this example was followed by others, in spite of a great shortage of arms, ammunition and money. About a week after Erskine raised the standard on 6 September, the Jacobites occupied Inverness, where William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth put in a Mackenzie governor. Young Robert Munro of Foulis made a move in that direction, but was stopped before he had crossed the River Conon. Calling on those well disposed to the Government to support him, he then formed an encampment at the bridge of Alness, where he was joined on 5 October by clans Sutherland and Mackay and detachments from further north. Seaforth advanced-with a larger force by way of Dingwall, Clare and Boath, and after some parleying between the two sides and a council of war, the Earl of Sutherland and chief of Mackays withdrew northwards, while the Munros who had been for fighting instead had their country overrun and plundered by the massive Jacobite force. Even the manses were looted and the ministers" libraries scattered (the Presbyterian clergy were anti-Jacobite to a man), and some worse excesses were reported. It was not until 22 October that Seaforth marched south to Perth, and his enemies believed that but for this "diversion" some 4,000 Jacobites from the north would have joined Mar three or four weeks earlier than they did, before Argyll had gathered a sufficient force to oppose them at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. In November, the Whig lairds