Robert the Bruce I, King Robert the Good of Scotland. Robert the Bruce I, King of Scotland Robert the Good Founder of the dynasty and famous family name

Participation in wars: War of Scottish Independence.
Participation in battles: Under Bannockburn

(Robert the Bruce) King of Scotland, hero of the war for the liberation of the Scottish people

Robert Bruce VIII was born in 1274. His father, Robert Bruce VII (died 1304), gave his son the title and County Carrick in 1292, but very little is known about Bruce's life before 1306. In chaotic performances against the British from 1295 to 1304. he occasionally appeared among supporters William Wallace, but later, obviously, he regained his confidence Edward I.

Scotland's path to freedom was difficult, long and bloody. The death of the fearless Wallace, who raised the banner of struggle against the English occupation, did not mean that the Scottish people had come to terms with their lot. The banner of national liberation passed to Robert the Bruce. His clan was closely related to one of the oldest dynasties of the Scots, which ended in 1286 with death Alexandra III.

Bruce was distinguished by his determination and strong will; he quickly became a national leader. In 1306, having personally eliminated his predecessor, who had defected to the service of the English, Robert was solemnly crowned in Scone.

This turn of events did not suit the British. King Edward I Longshanks, already known as the “Crusher of the Scots,” set out on a campaign in the summer of 1306 at the head of a huge army. The Scots were defeated, and Bruce was forced to seek refuge on the island of Rathlin, where he spent more than a year. There is a legend that there he spent hours strengthening his will, watching the work of the spider.

In the spring of 1307 the fugitive returned to Scotland with calls to take up arms. Now Robert the Bruce had no worthy opponent: Edward I went to his grave, and the weak-willed Edward II ascended the throne. A protracted Anglo-Scottish war began.

In the summer of 1314, an army of English (three thousand knights and twenty-five thousand foot soldiers), led by the king himself, crossed the Tweed. Bruce with his army of ten thousand, consisting mostly of foot spearmen, met the enemy at Bannockburn.

The battle began on June 24. By that time, Bruce had already glorified his name with his courage and ability to masterfully wield a sword and an ax. Before the battle at Sterlin Castle, Bruce and his several companions clashed with a detachment of Welsh infantry led by a knight Henry de Bohen. The Scottish king, armed with only one ax, fought in a duel with a heavily armed horseman, wounding Henry to death.

The Scottish king, as an experienced military leader, excellently placed his army on the battlefield. Its flanks were securely covered by dense forest. In front of their formation, his soldiers dug many holes, covering them with turf and branches. A detachment of thousands of the most fearless mountaineers took refuge behind the neighboring hills. Scottish light cavalry was used to suppress forays of enemy archers.

The British began the battle in a knightly manner - sending forward heavily armed cavalry. But in front of her an insurmountable barrier stood a strip of pits and traps: the horses fell, breaking their legs and throwing clumsy men-at-arms to the ground. But still, some of the knights, happily avoiding such an unexpected obstacle, crashed into the lines of spearmen standing on the hill.

Hand-to-hand combat began. The English archers decided to support their own, but thereby caused damage to their knights, since the opponents were mixed up in the battle. When they attempted to fire at the Scots from the left flank, Bruce ordered his cavalry to attack them. The archers retreated from the hill with considerable losses.

The battle had been in full swing for several hours, but neither side was able to gain the upper hand over the enemy. Then Robert the Bruce ordered his last reserve to join the battle: a thousand highlanders hiding in ambush behind the hill. They attacked the startled British in a crowd. Unable to withstand such a decisive onslaught, the English army wavered.

Battle of Bannockburn became decisive in the war. In 1328, the British had to sign the “shameful” Treaty of Northampton. London recognized Robert the Bruce as king of Scotland north of the Tweed. Thus, Scotland gained independence. But the following year its national hero, the legendary Robert the Bruce, died.

ROBERT I(Robert I, Robert the Bruce) (1274–1329), king of Scotland (the traditional name for Scottish kings is the king of Scots), better known as Robert the Bruce - after the name of the castle in Normandy, where his family came from. Robert was born on July 11, 1274 (place of birth unknown), his father was Robert de Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and his mother was named Marjorie. The family's possessions were partly in Yorkshire, and partly in the south-west of Scotland, where the Bruces had been living since the beginning of the 12th century. became known as the Lords of Annandale. As descendants of the brother of Kings Malcolm IV of Scotland and William the Lion in the female line, the Bruces were related to the ancient Scottish royal house. When the Scottish queen Margaret of Norway died in 1290, they put forward claims to the throne, and their candidate was Robert I's grandfather Robert de Bruce (due to the complete coincidence of their names, they are often confused).

In 1292, the future king Robert I inherited the title of Earl of Carrick, and in the same year John Baliol became king of Scotland, who successfully defeated other contenders, including Bruce the grandfather. In 1296, a war broke out between Baliol and King Edward I of England. Obviously, at first Robert took the side of Edward I, but then went over to the camp of his opponents, although information about the events of the period 1297–1302 is extremely scarce. In 1301 or 1302 Bruce again received favor from Edward, and the terms on which this was done testified to the king's real generosity. Apparently, from this time until 1306, Robert enjoyed the full confidence of Edward, as is clear from a letter dated March 3, 1304, in which the king of England discusses the possibility of conquering all of Scotland with his help. Indeed, in 1296 Edward removed the king of Scotland and then tried to subjugate the country to his rule.

A radical change in the relationship between Edward and Robert occurred after Robert killed John Comyn, nephew of John Baliol and a possible rival, on February 10, 1306 in Dumfries, after which he was crowned on March 25 at Scone (the historical site of the coronation of Scottish kings). But success turned into defeat: Robert’s army was twice defeated by the British, his family and brothers fell into their hands (three of whom were executed), his possessions were confiscated, and a hunt was launched against him. The history of his wanderings at this time is colored by legends, which are unlikely to be unconditionally trusted. The greatest luck for him was the death of Edward I in July 1307 and the accession to the throne of Edward II.

For many years, Robert was too weak to defeat the English army in a decisive battle, and so wisely limited himself to gradually recapturing Scottish castles in English hands. Usually, having captured the castle, Robert destroyed it so that the enemy could no longer use it. Finally, on June 24, 1314, Robert’s military skill and the complete mediocrity of Edward II allowed the Scots to inflict a crushing defeat on the English at Bannockburn. Scotland has never known a greater victory in the entire history of its confrontation with England. From this time on, Robert felt completely safe in Scotland and at the same time posed an even greater threat to England.

One thing was missing - recognition of Robert as king by the English. This happened in March 1328 in accordance with an agreement reached in Edinburgh and confirmed shortly after in Northampton (which is why it is usually called the Northampton Agreement). Robert died at Cardross Castle on the banks of the Firth of Clyde on June 7, 1329. However, the question of succession to the throne remained as confusing after him as before, so Robert’s son David II (he was only 5 years old at the time of his father’s death) was able establish himself on the throne only in 1357, after many wars and unrest.

Scottish national hero Robert the Bruce truly deserves the honorary title. His real pride was his difficult victory in the fierce battle of Bannockburn. Only thanks to this event did Scotland gain its long-awaited independence, although this path was difficult to overcome.

Robert raised the same Banner of National Liberation and gave his own people freedom and freedom. The history of Scotland is closely connected with the famous ruler, whose life to this day does not reveal all the real facts.

His merits cannot be described in a few words, but only one thing can be said for sure: the people of Scotland truly respect their king and show him a lot of gratitude for all his works. In addition to freedom and independence from England, Bruce gave Scotland many improvements for life. Despite the fact that during his entire reign he tried to protect his own lands from the enemy English, Robert also managed to do other things to help the Scots fight.

Founder of the dynasty and famous surname

Robert 1 was born in 1274, on July 11, at Turnsberry Castle. He became the founder of the dynasty and rightfully took possession of the ruler's crown. Bruce spent his youth at the court of Edward 1, King of England.

The origin of the surname is due to the fact that the Bruce family descended from the Normans who took possession of the lands of Normandy.

The great Bruce dynasty can truly be proud of such a ruler and military leader who did everything exclusively for the sake of the people, and not for his own benefit.

Baron Robert de Bruce took part, or rather, was the leader of the uprising in the fight against England. For this he was solemnly rewarded with considerable lands in Yorkshire. Thanks to all his merits, the Bruce family became closely associated with Scottish history.

All the eldest sons in the family had the same name - Robert. Of course, all this was in honor of the founder of the dynasty. The first wife was Isabella (the middle daughter of David of Huntingdon). It was thanks to his marriage to her that Robert was given the right to claim the Scottish throne by law, and then to make a valid claim to the throne. But soon their marriage was dissolved for unknown reasons. There are several sources that tell a variety of reasons, but modern people never know the truth.

The king's life is truly full of interesting facts, events and small stories. Modern youth can safely follow the example of such a ruler. His character deserves respect first of all, and then all his skills and abilities.

On the way to the crown

After the death of the ruler of Scotland, there were many contenders for the crown, but Robert the Bruce's father refused to resolve this dispute, and therefore entrusted it to his own son.

The year 1292 was significant for Robert, because he was given the title of Earl of Carrick. Then, after the death of his father, Robert the Bruce became the seventh Lord of Annandale. The clan opposed John Balliol, who subsequently entered into an alliance with France.

During all this confusion and the loss of a large amount of land, the clan was simply forced to reunite with the rebels, as many lords of Scotland did.

Return of Edward 1 from the campaign

At this point in time, the history of Scotland loses some facts, but still there is only one official version.

Edward 1 invades Scotland and fighting begins. In these battles, English archers and cavalry defeated enemy troops, and many rulers were dethroned. The Bruce clan has to endure difficult battles, and as a result they have been in conflict with the Comyn clan for a long time.

Robert the Bruce brutally murdered John Comyn, and only then was the dispute between the clans resolved. With this murder, Bruce successfully cleared his way to the crown. A meeting of the Lords of Scotland then proclaimed him the new king, and the coronation itself took place in Scone on March 10, 1306. The “Stone of Destiny,” which was the sacred coronation stone of the Scots, was kept in that place.

Coronation

On the significant day of the coronation, many local residents sincerely rejoiced. The signing of the coronation document meant only one thing - Scotland did not want to see Edward 1 as its own ruler. Therefore, on the same day the War of Independence began.

Robert suffered a couple of defeats and then his family was captured by the British. Bruce himself sought refuge in many places. The Pope personally excommunicated him from the church, but even this fact did not stop the Scots, and their rebellion only increased in scale. Robert the Bruce returned to his own homeland in February and led all the rebel forces there.

Way North

Due to the increase in the number of rebels, Edward 1 had to take more stringent measures, and he decided to lead the army to the north, and only there to implement his own plans.

Unfortunately, all his dreams were shattered because he died suddenly. This happened not far from the border with Scotland, and his son decided to continue everything planned.

Edward 1 died suddenly, so his son had to take drastic measures and somehow take the situation into his own hands until his troops suffered a severe defeat.

At the same time, the Scots had more strength and power, so they were gradually pushed out of Scotland.

Recognition by the King

The King of Scotland convened the first Parliament in 1309. And after that, despite the fact that he was excommunicated, he was duly recognized by the Scottish clergy as king.

The troops of Robert the Bruce took control of most of the lands, and the British already had few territories left.

The town of Bannockburn itself suffered a massive defeat, since it was there that the Scots defeated the English army, the number of soldiers in which was significantly greater than that of Bruce’s army.

In addition to Scotland, the Irish also fought with the English, since Scotland and Ireland had an alliance. According to this document, Ireland did not have the right to leave its allies to be torn to pieces by the enemy, so the additional forces were useful to the Scots.

In 1315 Robert's younger brother was recognized as king of Ireland. The union of Ireland and Scotland brought many successes, but the British were not so simple. Their counter-offensive was a failure for the allied countries. A huge defeat was inflicted on the troops of Scotland and Ireland, and the ruler of the Irish was killed.

Fight with the British

Even despite all these failures and the loss of the king's brother, the War of Independence continued. Robert and his army were not going to give up. Some more lands came under Scots control. The British tried to launch a second large-scale counteroffensive, hoping for the same success, but their plans were again destroyed. The Scottish troops invaded before their opponents, so they managed to block all their passages and defeat them.

Robert the Bruce negotiated a military treaty with France with little difficulty. A year later, his first son was born, to whom, accordingly, the crown subsequently passed.

The final attempt by the British was made in 1327, but fortunately their campaign ended in failure. Scottish troops completely devastated Northumberland and again landed on the lands of Ireland.

A year later, England was simply forced to sign an agreement that stated the independence of Scotland. Now Scotland has rightfully become a sovereign state, and Robert the Bruce is recognized as its king.

All the terms of peace were ultimately secured by the single marriage of David Bruce (the four-year-old son of Robert the Bruce) and Joan Plantagenet (the seven-year-old sister of Edward III).

After death

The famous king of Scotland achieved many foreign policy, as well as military successes. But, despite all his merits and victories, he still could not achieve his cherished goal. Robert wanted to create a strong foundation for Scottish power, something he had never been able to build.

In recent years, he fell ill with a terrible disease - leprosy (leprosy). Unfortunately, at that time there was no equipment available to isolate and treat a person, so he had to endure all this live and endure until the last. He lived at that time in Cardross, on the very shore, and died there.

The body, at the request of the Scots, was buried in Dunfermline, and the heart was transferred to Melrose. Some time after the terrible event, many legends spread throughout Scotland, people composed and wrote poems, verses, tales, etc. In all these manuscripts, the king was credited with the powers of a wizard or some extraterrestrial ruler who gave his people freedom by sacrificing on your own.

After the death of his son, the line of the dynasty ended. The crown passed to the grandson through the female line - Robert Stewart.

Second wife

Elizabeth de Burgh is best known as the second wife of the King of Scotland. There were many legends about her among local residents and the Scottish troops, where she became famous.

She was born in Dunfermline, where, as you know, Robert spent the last years of his life. She was the daughter of the almighty Richard de Burgh, so being a noble family gave her quite a bit of status.

Elizabeth de Burgh met Robert Bruce at the English court, and in 1302 they got married.

Years of life: 11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329
Years of reign: 25 March 1306 - 7 June 1329
Father: Robert Bruce
Mother: Margaret Carrick
Wives: Isabella Mar, Elisabeth de Burgh
Sons: David II, John
Daughters: Marjorie, Margarita, Matilda

Robert the Bruce, one of the greatest kings of Scotland, was a descendant of two noble Scottish families. His paternal ancestors were Normans and were called de Brieux, but from the timeWilliam the Conqueror settled in Scotland and changed their surname to Bruce. His grandfather Robert, fifth Lord Annandale, claimed the throne during the Great Cause of Scotland, being the maternal grandson of Prince David of Huntingdon. Robert inherited the Gaelic earldom of Carrick from his mother.

After an unsuccessful attempt to take the throne, the Bruces swore allegianceEdward I of England . Once, after one of the skirmishes with the Scots, Robert sat down at the table without washing his hands from the blood. The British began to mock him that he was drinking his own blood. Bruce realized that his hands were in the blood of his fellow tribesmen fighting for the independence of Scotland. Feeling horror and disgust, he jumped out from the table and prayed for a long time in the church, where he vowed to devote all his strength to the liberation of Scotland from the English yoke.

From a young age, Bruce was known for his extraordinary courage and strength and was considered the best warrior in Scotland afterWilliam Wallace . He was an outstanding commander, famous for his generosity and courtesy, but at the same time he was extremely ardent and passionate. Because of this, Bruce once committed a vile act, for which he was forced to pay for the rest of his life. After Wallace's resignation as Protector, Robert the Bruce and John Comyn the Red, who also claimed the throne as a descendant of David Huntingdon, were appointed regents of Scotland. In 1300, Bruce resigned, but did not withdraw his claims to the throne. A few years later he met Red Comyn in the church of Greyfriars Priory. The competitors quarreled about something, and Bruce stabbed Comyn with a dagger, his friends John Lindsay and Roger Kirkpatrick finished off the poor guy, finishing off his uncle Robert at the same time.

Before the coronation, Bruce and his sister.

After this crime, Bruce could become either a king or an exile. And he chose the first path. Gathering his supporters, he organized his own coronation in Scone on March 25, 1306. Instead of the Scottish crown taken away by Edward, a light crown was hastily forged. The Earl of Fife, who traditionally placed the crown on the king's brow, did not attend the ceremony, and King Robert I was crowned by his sister, the Countess of Bahan.

Coronation of Robert Bruce I

Immediately, Bruce began making daring attacks against the British. At first, he kept only his closest people with him and sometimes experienced difficulties with food due to the hostility of local residents, who even hunted him with dogs. But following his successes, fame began to come to Bruce, and his army began to grow by leaps and bounds. Soon the British calmed down and did not stick their noses out of the castles they had captured. But the occupiers no longer had enough strength to hold them. Linlithgow fell in 1310, Dumbarton in 1311, and Perth in January 1312. In the spring of 1314, Roxborough and Edinburgh were captured and Stirling was besieged. Robert even raided the English border territories and captured the Isle of Man. It is curious that during all this time there was not a single major battle with the British. Bruce actually fought a guerrilla war.

Edward I Ithe king of England, was cowardly, stubborn and subject to the influence of numerous favorites. Having ascended to the throne in the midst of another Scottish campaign, he missed the opportunity to finish off Bruce before he gained strength. In the spring of 1314, Philip Mowbray came to him and said that he would surrender Stirling on June 25 if help did not arrive by then. Having assembled a huge army of at least one hundred thousand people,Edward II moved towards the borders of Scotland. Bruce had no more than thirty thousand men, much worse armed, but he placed his army so that on one side he was covered by a quagmire, and on the other by the river Bannockburn with steep banks.The battle that broke out on June 24 , was scary. Bruce managed to neutralize the formidable English archers, repulse the cavalry attack and launch a counteroffensive.

He continued his campaigns against England. In 1317, Berwick was taken, and in 1319, at Mytton, the army of the Archbishop of York was defeated. Subsequently, the Scots made successful raids on Lancashire and Yorkshire more than once. In 1327, after the overthrowEdward II , the English made one last attempt to bring Scotland back into submission. But the campaign of Roger Mortimer and the minorEdward III ended in failure. In response, Robert I's troops again ravaged Northumberland and landed in Ireland. As a result, England was forced to sign the Treaty of Northampton in 1328, according to which Scotland was recognized as an independent sovereign state, and Robert I was recognized as King of Scotland. The Isle of Man and Berwick were also returned to Scotland.

On June 7, 1329, Robert the Bruce died at Cardross Castle, as is commonly believed, from leprosy, which he contracted during his wild youth. He was buried in Dunfermline Abbey, but according to his will, his heart was to be transported to Palestine. The king's friend James Douglas volunteered to carry out this mission. He set out with the bravest Scottish knights, but along the way he stopped in Spain to help Alfonso IX in the battle against the Emir of Cordoba. The Moors used their favorite tactic: they began to feign retreat, luring into a trap the Scots, unfamiliar with this style of fighting. Very quickly, Douglas and his comrades were surrounded. They say that in the midst of the battle, Douglas took the amulet with Bruce's heart from his neck and threw it into the crowd of Moors, and then began to make his way to the place of the fall, thereby showing his comrades that it was as if King Robert himself had led them into battle. Douglas's body was found lying on an amulet, as if he had covered it with himself in a last effort to protect his friend's heart. After this, the Douglass began to depict a bloody heart topped with a crown on their shields. The few surviving Scots decided to return to their homeland. Sir Simon Lockhart was entrusted with carrying the amulet with Bruce's heart, who after this incident changed his surname Lockhart ("Strong Constipation") to Lockhart ("Locked Heart"). The Scots are safe reached their native land, and Bruce's heart was buried under the altar of Melrose Abbey.

Here lies the heart of a great king.

Coat of arms of King Robert the Bruce I

The Anglo-Norman Bruce family, who arrived in Scotland at the beginning of the 12th century, had family connections with the royal house of Scotland, thanks to which the sixth Robert de Bruce (died 1295), grandfather of the future king, laid claim to the throne when it became vacant in 1290 year. However, King Edward I of England asserted his feudal dominance over the Scots and awarded the crown to John Balliol.

The eighth Robert de Bruce was born on July 11, 1274. His father, the seventh Robert de Bruce (died 1304), renounced the Earldom of Carrick in his favor in 1292. However, little is known about his life before 1306. During the period of revolts against the English in 1296-1304, he once appears among those who supported William Wallace, but later apparently regained the confidence of Edward I. There is nothing in this period that could make him seen as the future leader of the Scots in the war of independence against Edward I's attempt to impose his direct rule in Scotland.

An important event was the murder of John (Red) Comyn in the Franciscan church in Dumfries on 10 February 1306, by Bruce or his supporters. Comyn, John Balliol's nephew, was a possible contender for the crown, and Bruce's actions perhaps show that he had already decided to seize the throne. He hurried to Scone and was crowned on March 25th.

King of Scotland.

The position of the new king was difficult. Edward I., whose garrisons occupied many of the most important castles in Scotland, declared him a traitor and made every possible effort to destroy the movement, which he considered a rebellion. King Robert was defeated twice in 1306 - on 19 June at Methven, near Perth, and on 11 August at Dalry, near Tyndrum in the county of Perth. His wife and many of his supporters were captured, and his three brothers were executed. The king himself became a fugitive, hiding on the remote island of Rathlin off the northern coast of Ireland. In February 1307 he returned to County Eyre. At first, his main support was only his surviving brother Edward, however, over the next few years his number of supporters increased. The king himself defeated John Comyn, Earl of Buchan (cousin of the murdered John the Red), and in 1313 captured Perth, which was in the hands of the English garrison. But most of the battles were fought by his supporters, who successively conquered Galloway, Douglasdale, Selkirk Forest and most of the eastern borders, and finally Edinburgh. During these years the king was helped by the support of some leading representatives of the Scottish Church, as well as the death in 1307 of Edward I and the incapacity of his heir Edward II. The test came in 1314, when a large English army attempted to rescue the garrison of Stirling. Her defeat at Bannockburn was a triumph for Robert I.

Strengthening power.

Almost the majority of his reign passed before he forced the English to recognize his position. Berwick was captured in 1318 and raids were launched into northern England, causing enormous damage. Finally, after the deposition of Edward II in 1327, the regency council under Edward III decided to bring peace by concluding the Treaty of Northampton in 1328, on terms that included recognizing Robert I as king and renouncing England's claim to sovereignty. However, the king's main efforts were aimed at the internal affairs of the kingdom. Until the birth of the future King David II in 1324, he had no heir, and two laws, 1315 and 1318, were dedicated to succession. Also, in 1314, Parliament specified that all those who remained loyal to the English were to be deprived of their lands; this act allowed the king's supporters to be rewarded with confiscated lands. Sometimes these rewards proved dangerous because they made some of the king's supporters too powerful. James Douglas, knighted at Bannockburn, received the main lands in the counties of Selkirk and Roxbrough, which became the core of the subsequent power of the Douglas family. Robert I also restored the process of royal rule, since the administration had been virtually inactive since 1296. By the end of his reign, the treasury system was again functioning, and the earliest example of a state seal dates back to this time.

Best of the day

In the last years of his life, Robert I suffered from illness (probably leprosy) and spent most of his time in Cardross, Dumbarton, where he died on 7 June 1329. His body was buried in Dumfernline Abbey, but at his command the heart was separated and taken by Sir James Douglas on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Douglas was killed along the way in 1330, however, according to one very dubious legend, the royal heart was saved and returned back to Melrose Abbey.

Question
Anna 28.12.2006 10:04:08

Maybe not an opinion but a question? While digging up the biography of Robert of Huntington, I came across an article that suggested that he and Robert the Bruce were related on the female side. Could this be possible? This, by the way, was found by the author of that article in Scottish chronicles. I am afraid to mistake a myth for reality and would like, if possible, to hear a more detailed explanation.