On This Day In History: Robert I, King Of Scots Known As ‘Robert The Bruce’ Was Born – On July 11, 1274

MessageToEagle.com – On July 11, 1274, Robert I, King of Scots, popularly known as Robert the Bruce was born.

He became one of Scotland’s greatest kings. He ruled from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.

Robert the Bruce is considered as a Scottish National hero, who led Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English, claiming the Scottish throne in 1306 as the fourth great-grandson of David I of Scotland. He was the king who lived to see Scotland as an Independent Nation.

Robert was born into an aristocratic Scottish family though very little is recorded of his youth until at age 18. Through his father he was distantly related to the Scottish royal family. His mother had Gaelic antecedents. Bruce’s grandfather was one of the claimants to the Scottish throne during a succession dispute in 1290 – 1292.

See also:

Robert The Bruce: Mighty King Of Scots And Great Scottish Hero

First War Of Scottish Independence: Battle of Bannockburn Begins – On June 23, 1314

Declaration Of Arbroath – The Scots Reaffirm Their Independence – On Apr 6, 1320

Sir William Wallace: Brave Scottish Knight And Legendary Hero

The English king, Edward I, authorized to arbitrate in the dispute, chose John Balliol to be king, which was not accepted by Bruce and his father, who instead supported Edward I’s invasion of Scotland in 1296 to force Balliol to abdicate.

Edward then ruled Scotland as a province of England.

Edward I, who was king of England, sought to take advantage of the situation to bring Scotland under English control. A long period of diverse battles began and this period of warfare both amongst the Scots and with England, lasted until the 1320s.

This period is known as the Wars of Independence (a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries).

Due to continued harassment by Edward II, in 1320, Scottish nobles and churchmen signed the Declaration of Arbroath, declaring Robert as the rightful king of Scotland and the pope later also agreed and recognised Robert as King.

Edward II was deposed as king in 1327 and the English made peace with Scotland. In May 1328 King Edward III of England signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, which recognised Scotland as an independent kingdom.

Robert died on 7 June 1329, at the Manor of Cardross, near Dumbarton. His body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey and his heart is buried in Melrose Abbey. His embalmed heart was taken on a crusade to Spain on his request, by Sir james Douglas to fight against the Moors however Douglas was killed during the crusade.

Fortunately, Robert’s heart in its silver casket was returned to Melrose Abbey.

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