Robert I of Scotland (Monarchs)

(July 11, 1274 – June 7, 1329) is better known as Robert the Bruce. He was King of Scotland (1306 – 1329). He is famous for beating the English army at the Battle of Bannockburn near Stirling in 1314.

Robert the Bruce's family originally came from France. They were from a place called Brus in Normandy, which is in the northern part of France. The family came to Scotland and became powerful lords.

In 1286, King Alexander III of Scotland died. His granddaughter was supposed to become Queen of Scotland, but she died too. In 1292 the Bruce family and another family called the Balliols (BAY-lee-ols) asked King Edward I of England to decide who would become the new king. The Bruce family lost.

In 1292 Robert's family decided that he should be the head of all the Bruces. Robert started planning to become King of Scotland. In 1297, King Edward I of England tried to make Scotland go to war against France with him. Many Scottish lords, including Robert the Bruce, said no, and began to fight. Edward won most of the battles, and Robert ended up doing what Edward wanted.

In 1307, Robert the Bruce met a man called John Comyn (KOHM-in) in a church. John Comyn also wanted to be king of Scotland. They had an argument and Robert killed John. Soon after, Robert went to a place called Scone (skoon), and the Scottish lords brought out the royal clothes that they had hidden from the English. Then Robert was crowned King of Scots.

Robert the Bruce then fought a lot of battles to make Scotland free instead of always doing what the English king wanted. He fought King Edward I, and then his son, King Edward II. In 1314, King Robert the Bruce's army had a battle with King Edward II's army at a place called Bannockburn. Robert won the battle.

In 1315, Robert the Bruce sent his army to Ireland. At that time the English were in control of Ireland. Robert fought with them and made his brother, Edward Bruce, High King of Ireland in 1316. The Scottish army did not treat the Irish people well, and they were forced to leave after Edward Bruce was killed in 1318.

On June 7th, 1329, Robert the Bruce died. He still felt sorry for killing John Comyn in a church, so he asked his friend Sir James Douglas to cut out his heart and carry it into battle in Spain. Robert the Bruce's body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey, while his heart is buried in Melrose Abbey.