Robert Bruce was born at Turnberry Castle on July 11, 1274. Turnberry Castle was the family estate of his mother, The Countess of Carrick. Bruce became Earl of Carrick when he was 18. His grandfather, also Robert Bruce, had a claim to the Scottish throne. Edward I named John Balliol, King of Scotland but the Bruce family never did accept it. Balliol had accepted Edward I's claim of overlordship of Scotland and was basically just a figurehead.
In 1295, Robert Bruce married Isabella of Mar, who was the daughter of the Earl of Mar.
When Bruce became a supporter of William Wallace, his Scottish lands were confiscated by John Balliol. He did hold onto his holdings in England and Ireland. In 1296, John Balliol abdicated leaving Scotland again without a king. Edward I went as far as stealing the Stone of Scone so that no future king could be crowned. In 1298, Robert Bruce became guardian of Scotland with John Comyn. He resigned in 1300.
After the death of his first wife, Bruce married Elizabeth de Burgh in 1302 with whom he had four children, one being the future King David II.
It is not known what led Robert Bruce to argue with John Comyn in Greyfriars Church in 1306. It's been said he felt Comyn had betrayed him. The conflict ended in John Comyn being stabbed to death by Bruce. Bruce fled to Scone and had himself crowned king. One result of this was that Bruce was excommunicated by the Catholic Church and was declared an outlaw by the English causing civil war in Scotland. The next year Edward I deposed Bruce and he went into hiding. It has been said he fled to Ireland. Three of his brothers were executed and his wife, his daughters, and his sister became prisoners of the English.
Bruce came out of hiding when the Scots faced the English at Bannockburn in 1314. The small Scottish band defeated Edward II and Bruce officially became king of Scotland. In 1324, his excommunication was finally rescinded and his kingship was official recognized by the pope. His rule was not accepted by the British until 1327, after Edward II had been deposed. However, after Bannockburn, his wife and daughter were allowed to return to Scotland to be with him.
Robert Bruce died on June 7, 1329 of leprosy. His body was buried at Dunfermline Abbey, while his heart was buried at Melrose Abbey. Before its burial, his heart was taken on a Crusade to the Holy Land by a friend of Bruce's. Unfortunately, it only got as far as Spain where the friend was killed. The heart was rescued and returned to Scotland for burial.
Robert the Bruce is loved by the Scottish because of his never-ending belief that Scotland must have its own king and its own autonomy. Without him, Scotland may have been absorbed completely by England. He is a true Scottish hero.
