Robert the Bruce

Robert I, better known as Robert the Bruce (Raibeart am Brusach in Scottish Gaelic), ruled Scotland from 1306 to 1329 and led the country to independence during the First War of Scottish Independence. Born in 1274 as a fourth-great-grandson of King David I, he emerged as a key figure in Scottish resistance against English rule.

After initially supporting William Wallace's rebellion and serving as Guardian of Scotland alongside his rival John Comyn, Bruce's path to power took a decisive turn in 1306. Following Comyn's murder at his hands, Bruce claimed the Scottish throne despite papal excommunication. Though early defeats forced him into hiding, he re-emerged to wage a successful guerrilla campaign against English forces.

The watershed moment came at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where Bruce's army defeated a larger English force under Edward II. This victory enabled Scottish raids into northern England and strengthened Bruce's position. The Scottish nobility reinforced his legitimacy with the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, and by 1324 the Pope recognized him as Scotland's rightful king. The 1328 Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton finally secured peace, with England formally acknowledging Scottish independence.

When Bruce died in 1329, his son David II succeeded him. His body was interred in Dunfermline Abbey, his heart in Melrose Abbey, and his other organs in St Serf's Church, Dumbarton. His successful struggle for Scottish independence and skilled leadership earned him lasting recognition as a national hero.