Lord Dunmore, born John Murray in 1732, was the last royal governor of Virginia. He served from 1771 until 1775, during a time of rising tensions between the American colonies and the British crown. His tenure was marked by conflicts with colonial leaders and increasing unrest among the colonists, which ultimately led to his departure from the colony. In 1775, Lord Dunmore issued the Dunmore's Proclamation, which promised freedom to enslaved people who joined the British forces. This controversial move aimed to undermine the colonial economy and bolster British troops. His actions contributed to the growing divide between loyalists and revolutionaries during the American Revolutionary War.