_Adam DE BRUIS _______________________+
| (1051 - ....)
_Robert DE BRUS, FIRST LORD OF ANNANDALE AND SKELTON _|_Emma DE RAMSEY ______________________
| (1070 - 1141) m 1089 (.... - 1081)
_Robert DE BRUS, _______________________|
| (1105 - 1190) |
| | _Geoffrey DE BAINARD _________________
| | | (1046 - 1095)
| |_Agnès DE BAINARD ___________________________________|______________________________________
| (1076 - ....) m 1089
_William DE BRUS ____________________________________|
| (1158 - 1215) m 1185 |
| | _John de CROSEBI _____________________+
| | | (1050 - 1100)
| | _Adam LE GROS DE CROSEBI _____________________________|______________________________________
| | | (1089 - 1179) m 1170
| |_Euphemia DE CROSEBI ___________________|
| (1104 - ....) |
| | ______________________________________
| | |
| |_Matilda de HEREIS ___________________________________|______________________________________
| (1090 - ....) m 1170
_Robert DE BRUS _________________|
| (1195 - 1226) m 1209 |
| | ______________________________________
| | |
| | _Fergus ______________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | (1090 - 1161) m 1117
| | _Uchtred MAC FERGUS, LORD OF GALLOWAY __|
| | | (1120 - 1174) m 1150 |
| | | | _Henry _______________________________+
| | | | | (1068 - 1135)
| | | |_Elizabeth FITZ HENRY ________________________________|_Nest FERCH RHYS _____________________
| | | (1097 - 1166) m 1117 (1085 - 1163)
| |_Christina MAC UCHTRED ______________________________|
| (1158 - 1238) m 1185 |
| | _Gospatric ___________________________+
| | | (1040 - 1075)
| | _Waltheof ____________________________________________|_Aethelreda __________________________
| | | (1062 - 1138) m 1108 (1042 - ....)
| |_Gunhilde OF DUNBAR ____________________|
| (1124 - 1166) m 1150 |
| | ______________________________________
| | |
| |_Sigrid ______________________________________________|______________________________________
| (1075 - ....) m 1108
_Robert DE BRUS _____|
| (1210 - 1295) m 1240|
| | _Malcolm III RìGH NA H-ALBA _________+
| | | (1031 - 1093) m 1069
| | _David I, King of Scotland ___________________________|_Margaret QUEEN CONSORT OF SCOTLAND __
| | | (1082 - 1153) m 1113 (1045 - 1093)
| | _Henry OF SCOTLAND _____________________|
| | | (1114 - 1152) m 1139 |
| | | | _Waltheof, ___________________________+
| | | | | (1045 - 1076) m 1070
| | | |_Matilda Maud of Huntingdon __________________________|_Judith DE LENS ______________________
| | | (1072 - 1131) m 1113 (1054 - 1086)
| | _David Earl de Huntingdon DUNKELD ___________________|
| | | (1144 - 1219) m 1190 |
| | | | _William _____________________________+
| | | | | (1055 - 1088) m 1078
| | | | _William II __________________________________________|_Gundred _____________________________
| | | | | (1080 - 1138) m 1109 (1060 - 1085)
| | | |_Ada ___________________________________|
| | | (1114 - ....) m 1139 |
| | | | _Hugues ______________________________+
| | | | | (1057 - 1102) m 1080
| | | |_Isabel ______________________________________________|_Adelle ______________________________
| | | (1081 - 1131) m 1109 (1060 - 1120)
| |_Isobel OF HUNTINGDON ___________|
| (1199 - 1251) m 1209 |
| | _Ranulf LE MESCHIN ___________________+
| | | (1070 - 1129) m 1093
| | _Ranulph _____________________________________________|_Lucy ________________________________
| | | (1109 - 1153) m 1141 (1070 - 1136)
| | _Hugh DE GERNON ________________________|
| | | (1135 - 1181) m 1169 |
| | | | ______________________________________
| | | | |
| | | |_Maud ________________________________________________|_Maud ________________________________
| | | (1120 - 1189) m 1141 (1094 - 1157)
| |_Maud of Chester ____________________________________|
| (1171 - 1233) m 1190 |
| | _Amaury III DE MONTFORT ______________+
| | | (1070 - 1137) m 1110
| | _Simon II ____________________________________________|_Agnes _______________________________
| | | (1121 - 1181) (1075 - 1181)
| |_Bertrade DE MONTFORT __________________|
| (1155 - 1227) m 1169 |
| | ______________________________________
| | |
| |_Maud Comtesse de EVREUX _____________________________|______________________________________
| (1130 - 1169)
_Robert DE BRUCE ____|
| (1243 - 1304) |
| | _Gilbert FITZRICHARD DE CLARE ________+
| | | (1067 - 1114) m 1088
| | _Richard FITZ GILBERT DE CLARE _______________________|_Adeliza DE CLERMONT _________________
| | | (1090 - 1136) m 1113 (1058 - 1117)
| | _Roger DE CLARE ________________________|
| | | (1116 - 1173) m 1150 |
| | | | _Ranulf LE MESCHIN ___________________+
| | | | | (1070 - 1129) m 1098
| | | |_Alice DE GERNON _____________________________________|_Lucy OF BOLINGBROKE _________________
| | | (1094 - 1128) m 1113 (1074 - 1144)
| | _Richard DE CLARE ___________________________________|
| | | (1153 - 1217) m 1180 |
| | | | _Richard De Clare DE ST HILLARY ______+
| | | | | (1094 - 1136)
| | | | _James DE SAINT-HILAIRE-DU-HARCOUëT _________________|_Adeliza DE MESCHINES ________________
| | | | | (1097 - 1154) m 1120 (1094 - 1136)
| | | |_Matilda DE ST. HILARY _________________|
| | | (1132 - 1193) m 1150 |
| | | | _Alexander I, King of Scotland _______+
| | | | | (1077 - 1124) m 1107
| | | |_Aveline BOULERS _____________________________________|_Sybilla FITZHENRY DE NORMANDY _______
| | | (1109 - 1180) m 1120 (1092 - 1122)
| | _Gilbert DE CLARE _______________|
| | | (1180 - 1230) m 1217 |
| | | | ______________________________________
| | | | |
| | | | ______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | | |
| | | | _William FITZROBERT ____________________|
| | | | | (1112 - 1183) m 1149 |
| | | | | | _Robert ______________________________+
| | | | | | | (1060 - 1107) m 1084
| | | | | |_Maud ________________________________________________|_Sibyl _______________________________
| | | | | (1094 - 1157) (1066 - ....)
| | | |_Amice FITZWILLIAM __________________________________|
| | | (1154 - 1225) m 1180 |
| | | | _Robert DE BEAUMONT __________________+
| | | | | (1046 - 1118)
| | | | _Robert II "Le Bossu" DE BEAUMONT ____________________|_Elizabeth DE VERMANDOIS _____________
| | | | | (1104 - 1168) m 1120 (1085 - 1131)
| | | |_Hawise DE BEAUMONT ____________________|
| | | (1129 - 1197) m 1149 |
| | | | _Ralph _______________________________+
| | | | | (1078 - ....)
| | | |_Amice DE GAEL _______________________________________|_Emma ________________________________
| | | (1094 - 1168) m 1120 (1075 - ....)
| |_Isabella DE CLARE __|
| (1226 - 1264) m 1240|
| | _Richard Tonbridge Clare FITZGILBERT _+
| | | (1024 - 1090)
| | _Gilbert FITZRICHARD DE CLARE ________________________|_Rohese GIFFORD ______________________
| | | (1065 - 1114) (1034 - 1133)
| | _John FITZGILBERT MARSHALL PLANTAGENET _|
| | | (1105 - 1164) m 1143 |
| | | | ______________________________________
| | | | |
| | | |_Adeliza CLERMONT ____________________________________|______________________________________
| | | (1074 - 1117)
| | _William MARSHAL ____________________________________|
| | | (1146 - 1219) |
| | | | _Edward ______________________________+
| | | | | (1060 - 1130) m 1090
| | | | _Walter FITZEDWARD DE EVREUX _________________________|_Maud ________________________________
| | | | | (1100 - 1147) m 1122 (1070 - ....)
| | | |_Sibilla DEVEREAUX _____________________|
| | | (1123 - 1155) m 1143 |
| | | | _Patrick _____________________________+
| | | | | (1062 - ....) m 1100
| | | |_Sibyl DE CHAWORTH ___________________________________|_Matilda _____________________________
| | | (1102 - 1147) m 1122 (1074 - ....)
| |_Isabel MARSHAL _________________|
| (1200 - 1240) m 1217 |
| | _Gilbert FITZRICHARD DE CLARE ________+
| | | (1067 - 1114) m 1088
| | _Gilbert FitzGilbert DE CLARE ________________________|_Adeliza DE CLERMONT _________________
| | | (1100 - 1148) m 1116 (1058 - 1117)
| | _Richard " Strongbow" DE CLARE _________|
| | | (1125 - 1176) m 1170 |
| | | | _Robert DE BEAUMONT __________________+
| | | | | (1046 - 1118)
| | | |_Isabel DE BEAUMONT __________________________________|_Elizabeth DE VERMANDOIS _____________
| | | (1102 - 1172) m 1116 (1085 - 1131)
| |_Isabel FitzGilbert Countess Strigoil Heiress CLARE _|
| (1172 - 1220) |
| | _Enna Edna of LEINSTER _______________+
| | | (1085 - 1115) m 1108
| | _Dermot MACMURROUGH __________________________________|_Orlaith Ingen O'BRAENAIN ____________
| | | (1110 - 1171) (1078 - 1115)
| |_Aoife Eva MCMURROUGH __________________|
| (1145 - 1188) m 1170 |
| | _Murcertac ___________________________+
| | | (1089 - ....)
| |_Dermot MACMURROUGH __________________________________|_Inghin ______________________________
| (1114 - 1191) (1094 - ....)
|
|--Robert THE BRUCE, KING OF SCOTLAND
| (1274 - 1329)
| ______________________________________
| |
| _Fergus ______________________________________________|______________________________________
| | (1090 - 1161) m 1117
| _Gille Brigte MAC FERGUS _______________|
| | (1126 - 1185) m 1173 |
| | | _Henry _______________________________+
| | | | (1068 - 1135)
| | |_Elizabeth FITZ HENRY ________________________________|_Nest FERCH RHYS _____________________
| | (1097 - 1166) m 1117 (1085 - 1163)
| _Donnchad MAC GILLE BRIGTE __________________________|
| | (1173 - 1250) m 1200 |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | | ______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | |_Mrs. Gilbert __________________________|
| | (1126 - ....) m 1173 |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | |______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| |
| _Cailean MACDHONNCHAD ___________|
| | (1200 - 1250) |
| | | _Alan FITZFLAALD _____________________
| | | | (1078 - 1114) m 1114
| | | _Walter FITZALAN, ____________________________________|_Avelina DE HESDIN ___________________
| | | | (1106 - 1177) m 1125 (1077 - 1126)
| | | _Alan FITZ WALTER ______________________|
| | | | (1126 - 1204) m 1175 |
| | | | | _Thomas DE LONDONIIS _________________+
| | | | | | (1081 - 1191) m 1107
| | | | |_Eschyna DE LONDONIIS ________________________________|_Eschelyn DE MOLLE ___________________
| | | | (1107 - 1186) m 1125 (1085 - 1147)
| | |_Avelina FITZALAN ___________________________________|
| | (1179 - 1250) m 1200 |
| | | _Gylocher CHERLIG OF DUNFERMLINE _____+
| | | | (1082 - 1131) m 1110
| | | _Morgund MACGYLOCHE __________________________________|_Agnes DE MAR ________________________
| | | | (1115 - 1182) m 1149 (1090 - 1125)
| | |_Alesta NIC MORGGAN ____________________|
| | (1150 - 1182) m 1175 |
| | | _Philip DE BRAOSE ____________________+
| | | | (1070 - 1131) m 1101
| | |_Agnes DE BRAOSE _____________________________________|_Ænor OF TOTINAIS ___________________
| | (1130 - 1170) m 1149 (1084 - 1153)
| _Niall MACDHONNCHAD _|
| | (1215 - 1256) m 1234|
| | | _Tadgh Glinne O'NEILL ________________+
| | | | (1090 - 1140)
| | | _Muircheartach Muighe O'NEILL ________________________|_Tadgh Glinne O'NEILL ________________
| | | | (1110 - 1160)
| | | _Áed in Macáem Tóinlesc _____________|
| | | | (1130 - 1177) |
| | | | | _Lachlan MACRORY _____________________
| | | | | |
| | | | |_Daughter of O'Floinn ________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | | _Niall Ruadh the red O'NEIL _________________________|
| | | | (1180 - 1226) |
| | | | | ______________________________________
| | | | | |
| | | | | ______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | | | |
| | | | |_Osybd O'NEILL _________________________|
| | | | (1130 - 1152) |
| | | | | ______________________________________
| | | | | |
| | | | |______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | |_Naula Verch Niall Ruadh O'NEIL _|
| | (1205 - 1239) |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | | ______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | | _Roderick O CONNOR _____________________|
| | | | |
| | | | | ______________________________________
| | | | | |
| | | | |______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | |_Nuala O'CONNOR _____________________________________|
| | (1167 - 1226) |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | | ______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | |
| | |________________________________________|
| | |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | |______________________________________________________|______________________________________
| |
|_Marjorie MACNIALL __|
(1254 - 1292) |
| ______________________________________
| |
| _Alan FITZFLAALD _____________________________________|______________________________________
| | (1078 - 1114) m 1114
| _Walter FITZALAN, ______________________|
| | (1106 - 1177) m 1125 |
| | | _Ernulf Arnulf DE HESDIN _____________+
| | | | (1035 - 1098)
| | |_Avelina DE HESDIN ___________________________________|_Emmelina Baladon DE HESDIN __________
| | (1077 - 1126) m 1114 (1040 - 1091)
| _Alan FITZ WALTER ___________________________________|
| | (1126 - 1204) m 1175 |
| | | _Malcolm DE LUNDINS __________________+
| | | | (1065 - ....)
| | | _Thomas DE LONDONIIS _________________________________|______________________________________
| | | | (1081 - 1191) m 1107
| | |_Eschyna DE LONDONIIS __________________|
| | (1107 - 1186) m 1125 |
| | | _Uchtred DEMOLLE _____________________
| | | | (1061 - 1147)
| | |_Eschelyn DE MOLLE ___________________________________|_Adelicia DE GALLOWAY ________________
| | (1085 - 1147) m 1107 (1061 - 1110)
| _Walter STEWART _________________|
| | (1180 - 1246) m 1205 |
| | | _Ruardi MAC MORGUNDUS ________________+
| | | | (1060 - 1132) m 1080
| | | _Gylocher CHERLIG OF DUNFERMLINE _____________________|_Agnes or Ada OF MAR _________________
| | | | (1082 - 1131) m 1110 (1042 - ....)
| | | _Morgund MACGYLOCHE ____________________|
| | | | (1115 - 1182) m 1149 |
| | | | | ______________________________________
| | | | | |
| | | | |_Agnes DE MAR ________________________________________|______________________________________
| | | | (1090 - 1125) m 1110
| | |_Alesta NIC MORGGAN _________________________________|
| | (1150 - 1182) m 1175 |
| | | _William DE BRAOSE ___________________+
| | | | (1048 - 1097) m 1075
| | | _Philip DE BRAOSE ____________________________________|_Agnes DE SAINT CLARE ________________
| | | | (1070 - 1131) m 1101 (1054 - 1100)
| | |_Agnes DE BRAOSE _______________________|
| | (1130 - 1170) m 1149 |
| | | _Juhel OF TOTNES _____________________+
| | | | (1049 - 1123)
| | |_Ænor OF TOTINAIS ___________________________________|_ PECGUIGNY __________________________
| | (1084 - 1153) m 1101 (1054 - 1145)
|_Margaret STEWART ___|
(1206 - 1255) m 1234|
| _Modden Iii of CAITHNESS _____________+
| | m 1063
| _Dufagan MAC INDRECHTAICH ____________________________|_Princess Of SCOTLAND ________________
| | (1090 - 1118) m 1118 (1051 - ....)
| _Gillbride MACDUFUGAN __________________|
| | (1118 - 1187) m 1151 |
| | | _Mearns ______________________________
| | | |
| | |_Fynuella MEARNS _____________________________________|_Maria _______________________________
| | (1100 - 1201) m 1118
| _Gille CRIST ________________________________________|
| | (1154 - 1207) m 1169 |
| | | _Gospatric DE DUNBAR _________________+
| | | | (1062 - 1138)
| | | _Gospatric III _______________________________________|_Sybil MOREL OF BEARLY _______________
| | | | (1090 - 1166) m 1112 (1070 - 1115)
| | |_Margaret GOSPATRICK ___________________|
| | (1124 - 1154) m 1151 |
| | | ______________________________________
| | | |
| | |_Deirdre _____________________________________________|______________________________________
| | (1094 - 1124) m 1112
|_Beatrix GILLECRIST _____________|
(1184 - 1252) m 1205 |
| _Malcolm III RìGH NA H-ALBA _________+
| | (1031 - 1093) m 1069
| _David I, King of Scotland ___________________________|_Margaret QUEEN CONSORT OF SCOTLAND __
| | (1082 - 1153) m 1113 (1045 - 1093)
| _Henry OF SCOTLAND _____________________|
| | (1114 - 1152) m 1139 |
| | | _Waltheof, ___________________________+
| | | | (1045 - 1076) m 1070
| | |_Matilda Maud of Huntingdon __________________________|_Judith DE LENS ______________________
| | (1072 - 1131) m 1113 (1054 - 1086)
|_Marjorie OF HUNTINGDON _____________________________|
(1152 - 1213) m 1169 |
| _William DE WARENNE __________________+
| | (1036 - 1088) m 1070
| _William DE WARENNE __________________________________|_Gundred de SAINT-OMER _______________
| | (1081 - 1138) m 1118 (1051 - 1085)
|_Ada DE WARENNES _______________________|
(1120 - 1178) m 1139 |
| _Hugh COUNT OF VERMANDOIS ____________+
| | (1057 - 1101) m 1080
|_Elizabeth DE VERMANDOIS _____________________________|_Adélaïde DE VERMANDOIS ____________
(1085 - 1131) m 1118 (1055 - 1120)
[5217]
Robert I of Scotland, better known as Robert the Bruce, reigned as King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329. For his role in achieving independence from England, Robert the Bruce has long been regarded as a national hero and one of Scotland's greatest ever monarchs.
Robert succeeded John Balliol (r. 1292-1296) but only after a tumultuous decade of side-switching and military ups and downs against English armies led by Edward I of England and those of rival Scottish barons. The 1314 victory over the English at Bannockburn cemented Robert's claim as the rightful king of Scotland and his skilful diplomacy brought recognition of Scotland's full independence both from the Pope and Edward III of England (r. 1327-1377). Robert was succeeded by his son David II of Scotland (r. 1329-1371).
Robert (VIII) the Bruce was born on 11 July 1274 at Turnberry Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. His father was Robert (VII) the Bruce (d. 1304) and his mother was Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. The Bruce family had been the lords of Annandale since the 1120s, and claimed descent from Earl David, younger brother of William I of Scotland (r. 1165-1214). Robert spent a period of his youth in either the Western Isles or Ulster. The family had estates and properties in England, so he spent time in Carlisle Castle and London also. In 1292 Robert inherited the earldom of Carrick.
Around 1295 Robert married Isabel of Mar (d. c. 1296), daughter of Donald, earl of Mar, and then, in 1302, Elizabeth de Burgh (d. 1327), the daughter of Richard de Burgh, earl of Ulster. With Isabel, Robert had a daughter Marjorie (b. c. 1295) and with Elizabeth, he had two daughters - Matilda and Margaret - and two sons - David (b. 1324) and John (possibly the twin of David but he died as a child).
The Great Cause
Alexander III of Scotland died in 1286, his only heir was his granddaughter who died in 1290. Scotland was plunged into political crisis. The royal houses of England & Scotland had been tied via several marriages but Edward I of England considered the Scottish king his vassal. Edward arbitrated over a host of successor candidates in a process known as the Great Cause and chose John Balliol in November 1292. The main challenger to Balliol had been Robert (VI) the Bruce (b. 1210), the grandfather of his more famous namesake and future king. The Bruces did not accept Edward's decision and continued to press their own claim for the throne. Balliol won because he was closer descendant of Earl David and, more importantly for Edward I, a more anglicised and weaker candidate, meaning he could be more easily manipulated.
John Balliol's reign lasted only 4 years as Scottish nobles tired of his ineffective resistance to the overbearing Edward and the rise in taxes imposed to pay for the English king's war with France. In late 1295, a regency council of 12 discontented nobles established a new government, entirely independent of John. This council, and Scotland, formally allied itself with Philip IV of France in February 1296, in what became known as the 'Auld Alliance'. King John renounced his fealty to Edward I in April 1296. The Bruces did not support this rebellion against Edward I's overlordship, and Robert even joined the English force that attacked Scotland in 1296. In response Edward repeatedly attack Scotland, thousands of innocents were massacre at Berwick. Edward took key Scottish castles, defeated the Scottish army at the Battle of Dunbar on 27 April 1296. John Balliol was stripped of his title and put in the Tower of London.
War of Independence
Rebellions sprang up. William Wallace and Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell won a famous victory in September 1297 at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. A ruling council was established consisting of Wallace, John Comyn, and then Bishop Lamberton. The Bruces did not support this group, especially as the Comyns, for they were supporters of the rival Balliols. The Bruces bided their time. By 1298 Robert the Bruce was clearly on the Scottish side of independance was involved in the attack on English-held Ayr Castle. In 1302 Robert's marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of an ally of Edward I, coupled with the release of John Balliol from the Tower of London meant that Robert once again sided with the English lest Balliol's Scottish allies succeed in reinstating the ex-king.
Edward responded to the defeat at Stirling Bridge by leading his army in person and winning another in July 1298 at the Battle of Falkirk, where 20,000 Scots were killed. In 1305, Wallace was captured and executed as a traitor in London. Wallace become a national hero and an example to follow for others, notably Robert the Bruce, who by 1305 began to have serious misgivings concerning his support for the English Crown. It now seemed highly unlikely that Edward I would ever make Robert king of Scotland. Steadily over the next year - and probably largely in secret - Robert began to work on gaining allies from key Scottish barons.
February 1306, the Scots rallied around their new figurehead, Robert the Bruce, who denounced John Balliol as a puppet of Edward I. On 10 February, Robert or his followers assassinated John Comyn, his chief rival for the throne, by stabbing him in the church of Greyfriars in Dumfries. With the definite support of the northern Scottish barons and the dubious support of others, Robert went for broke and declared himself king. Robert was inaugurated at Scone Abbey on 25 March 1306. There followed two defeats to an English army at Methven on 19 June and to a Scottish army led by John Macdougall of Argyll at Dalry on 11 July. Robert was obliged to flee to Rathlin Island on the coast of Ireland. The English, unable to get their hands on the king, went for the next best thing and hunted down his family. Three of Robert's brothers were executed, and his sister Mary was kept in an iron cage dangling from the walls of Roxburgh Castle, a fate she suffered for four years. Robert's wife Elizabeth was confined in a manor house at Burstwick.
Edward I died in July 1307, he was succeeded by his son Edward II of England. Political anarchy and civil war in England gave Scotland breathing space. Robert returned to Scotland, where he and his brother Edward fought a sustained guerrilla war against English troops and Balliol supporters. By mid-1308, Robert smashed the Comyns, taken their key castles, razed them to the ground, and taken possession of Aberdeen. Autumn 1309 at the Battle of the Pass of Brander, the Macdougalls were decisively defeated, too. Now Robert offered truces to any Scots willing to follow him. In March 1309, a parliament at St. Andrews declared that the people of Scotland supported Robert the Bruce as their king. An embassy from France similarly declared that Robert was the rightful king of Scotland. Several key castles remained in English hands, including Berwick, Roxburgh, Edinburgh, and Stirling. Over the next 4 years, Robert set about getting them back, often leading the attacks in person.
Bannockburn & Independence
Edward II's preoccupation with internal troubles meant Robert could pick off English-held castles one by one (and destroy them to prevent reuse by the enemy). In 1314 Edward II led an army to Scotland, the motivation being the siege of the English-held Stirling Castle. Edward's force greatly outnumbered the Scots led by Robert the Bruce (15-20,000 v. 10,000 men), but this advantage and the mobility of Edward's 2,000 heavy cavalry were negated by Robert's choice of a narrow, boggy ford as the battle site near Bannockburn village. The two armies clashed on 23 and 24 June, and was a disastrous defeat for the English. The English king narrowly escaped with his own life. Robert showed leadership and bravery in battle. Meeting the challenge of a one-on-one fight with Henry de Bohun - Robert split his opponent's head with a mighty blow of his battle-axe. After the battle, Stirling Castle surrendered.
Robert negotiated the release of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Marjorie. He confiscated the lands of those Scottish lords who had supported Edward. In a 3 year campaign Bruce grabbed Ulster and installed his brother Edward as the King of Ireland in 1316. Edward Bruce was killed in battle in 1318.
On 6 April 1320 a letter was sent to the Pope requesting a withdrawal of Robert's excommunication and the placing of Scotland under an interdict, applied because Robert had refused to sign a truce with England in 1317. The letter called the Declaration of Arbroath stated that Scotland was a free and independent kingdom and the English Crown had no rights whatsoever there. This document, festooned with the seals of 8 earls and 38 barons, still survives today.
A 13-year truce was agreed to between England & Scotland in 1323. The Treaty of Corbeil (1328) established an alliance of mutual assistance between Scotland & France (including a clause whereby a French attack on England obliged Scotland to also attack). Scotland's independence and Robert's right to the throne were recognised by the English Crown in the 1328 Treaty of Edinburgh/Northampton, which was sealed with Robert handing over £20,000 and the betrothal of Robert's son David to Joan (b. 1321 CE), the sister of the new king, Edward III of England. In 1329 the Pope decreed Scottish monarchs could to officially receive a crown and holy anointment during their coronations.
Robert the Bruce died on 7 June 1329 CE at his manor house at Cardross in Dumbartonshire. The king had been ill for two years. Robert was buried at Dunfermline Abbey. He had long wished to go on a Crusade to the Holy Land and requested that Sir James Douglas take his heart there. Douglas was killed in a battle in Spain, but legend has it Robert's embalmed heart was taken back to Scotland and buried at Melrose Abbey.
Robert was succeeded by his son who became David II of Scotland. The new king was only five years old.
from https://www.worldhistory.org/Robert_the_Bruce/
by Mark Cartwright
I also have a direct line to Richard 1