Robert the Bruce

**Robert I**, fur ordinar cried **Robert the Bruce**, (11 Julie 1274 – 7 Juin 1329) wis Keeng o Scots frae 1306 till his daith in 1329. He led Scotland durin the Weirs o Unthirldom agin Ingland.

## Youthheid
He wis the first son o Robert de Brus an Marjorie, Countess o Carrick. Nae ower muckle is kent aboot his bairnheid, but it is trewed that he cud spik the Gaelic, the French an a wee bit o the Laitin. He see'd the affcome o the Great Cause as wrangous, he thocht that his faimly shoud hae haed the throne.

In 1295, he mairit on Isabella o Mar.

## The Wars o Unthirldom

In 1296, Robert an his faither swuire lealty tae Edward I o Ingland, but Robert than supportit the revolt agin him the neist year. Efter a while, he swuire anither aith o lealty tae Edward. Houaniver shortlins efter the Battle o Stirlin Brig, he again stairtit supportin the Scots.

Whan William Wallace resigned as Gairdian o Scotland, Robert an John Comyn becam jynt Gairdians, but thay war faes an didna lik ilk anither. William Lamberton appyntit as a thrid jynt Gairdian, an the neist year Robert resigned as Guardian o Scotland.

In aboot 1302, Robert decidit tae, again, uphaud King Edward I o Ingland. Forby, he mairit his seicont wife, Elizabeth de Burgh that he haed fower bairns wi. In 1303, King Edward invadit Scotland an the leadin Scots aw surrendert, cep William Wallace, but he wis fangit an kilt in 1305. Efter this, Edward stairtit absorbin Scotland intae his kinrick.

## Keeng o Scots

Robert trewed he haed a richt tae the throne o Scotland. Houaniver, as he haed uphaudit Scotland an Ingland durin the Wars o Unthirldom, he wisna verra weel trustit. His auld fae John Comyn haed a strang claim tae the throne an aw. Robert trystit him tae a meetin in Dumfries. He syne attackit John Comyn in the kirk o the Greyfriars monastery. Whan he fand oot Comyn haed survived, twa o Robert's supporters gaed back an kilt him. Robert wis excommunicate for this. Efter this, Robert threapit his richt tae the throne, an than wis crount King o Scotland. He wis nou King, but he didna hae a kinrick.

Efter bein bate at the Battle o Methven, he gaed tae Rathlin Island, aff the nothren coast o Ireland. Than Edward I dee'd an his son Edward II becam king. Robert than retourt tae Scotland, an begoud a war agin Edward II, wi smaw victories agin the Inglis at a twa-three battles. He syne follaed this wi mair victories, includin defeatin John Comyn, 3rd Earl o Buchan (his fae's son) an a victory ower the Inglis at Aiberdeen. He than wan again at the Battle o the Pass o Brander, an he teuk Dunstaffnage Castle. In Mairch 1309, he haud his first Pairlament, an bi August, he haed owerins o aw o Scotland benorth the River Tay. The neist year, the kirk recogneesed Robert as king o Scotland, this wis verra poleetically important, as the kirk haed excommunicate him afore. He syne teuk three mair Inglis castles, Linlithgow, Dumbarton an Perth. Efter this he fangit Stirlin Castle, Roxburgh an Edinburgh Castle. He secured unthirldom at the Battle o Bannockburn in 1314.

## Daith

It's no kent whit exactly caused his daith on 7 Juin 1329, but it is tradeetionally thocht that it wis leprosy, but this is disputit. His corpse is birriet in Dunfaurlin Aibey, but his hert is birriet in Melrose Abbey, as he wantit.

## Notes an references