bene defensae". The five hundred Highlanders under Monro 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 Neubrandenburg (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 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), Robert Monro survived and returned to Scotland. He returned to Swedish service in May 1637 with fresh recruits. 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 Kingdoms 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. Monro also led the forces that left Inchdrewer Castle, the family seat of George Ogilvy, 1st Lord Banff, in ruins. Irish Confederate Wars Rebellion in Ulster In 1642 he went to Ireland, nominally as second in command under Alexander Leslie, but in fact, in chief command of the Scottish army sent to put down the