(1316-1390)

Robert Stewart was born the 2nd of March, 1316 to Marjorie Bruce and Walter Stewart at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. That he was born at all is somewhat of a miracle. His mother died after falling from a horse late in her pregnancy, and little Robert was taken from her by caesarian section shortly thereafter. The mother he would never know was the first-born daughter of the current king, Robert the Bruce, and his father was the Sixth High Steward of Scotland.

The birth of young Robert was considered very fortuitous by his grandfather, Robert the Bruce. At the time, there was no male heir for the crown of Scotland. In 1318, young Robert Stewart was officially recognized as the heir by tanistry and started his education to become the future King. But the transition from youth to King was not going to be an easy one for Robert, as many hurdles would lie in his path over the coming years. In fact, the very young heir to the throne would not become King for another 53 years, at the age of 55.

Robert's grandfather, Robert the Bruce, remarried and in 1324 his wife Elizabeth de Burgh bore him a son. The birth of David II demoted young Robert from his position as Heir apparent at the age of eight, but he still was heir to his father's title and position as High Steward of Scotland. This was a very powerful position indeed, and rivaled that of the King in power. In 1326 or 1327, Robert's father died and the boy was again thrust into the world of politics.

To grasp the situation the boy was in, one must understand Scotland at the time. The country was in constant battle with the English for its freedom. The Declaration of Arbroath was written and sent to the pope in 1320. But the pope still had not answered this letter. About a year after his father's death two things occurred which seriously affected Robert's future. In 1328, both England and the Pope accepted Scotland's independence, and the excommunication of his grandfather, Robert the Bruce, was lifted.

A consequence of this however, was that his Uncle David (eight years Robert's junior and heir to the throne) was married at the age of four to Joan, daughter of the English King, Edward II. Scotland was finally free of English domination, but this victory was short lived, as Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland died a short year later. Robert Stewart was then only 13 years old. His Uncle David, at the age of five, was now King of Scotland.

But David II was still too young to rule, and the Regency of Scotland fell upon Donal, Earl of Mar and nephew of the late king. Edward III of England saw this as an opportunity, and secretly urged Edward Balliol, son of the late King John Balliol, to reassert his claim to the Scottish throne. Edward had a large following of Scottish lords who lost their lands after Bannockburn, having supported the English side in the battle. In 1332, they sailed north from England in an attempt to take Scotland.

Since the Treaty of Northampton forbade English Soldiers from crossing the Tweed, they landed in Scotland from the sea and marched on Perth. The Scots under Donal met them and the Battle of Dupplin took place. This battle was a disaster for the Scots and is considered the first battle of the Second Scottish War of Independence. Edward Balliol crowned himself King of Scotland but never was taken seriously by the Scots and was very soon driven from the land, "half-naked", so they say. Since Donal, Earl of Mar was killed at Dupplin, a new regent was chosen for the young David II. This time it was Andrew Moray of Bothwell.

But the two Edwards had not given up on conquering Scotland, and in 1333 they returned. This time the English were victorious again, at the Battle of Halidon Hill, as the Scots had no answer for the English longbowmen. The still very young Robert Stewart, at the age of seventeen, was in command of the second division of the Scottish army at this battle. He barely escaped the carnage with his life, and it was a lesson in battle that he would not soon forget.

David II was sent to France for his safety in 1334 as Edward Balliol had again pronounced himself King of Scotland. As before, Balliol had little if any following among the Scottish people and was blatantly ignored. Robert Stewart, now eighteen, was chosen as Regent of Scotland and ruled the country in the absence of David II, the rightful king.

The combination of the continued resistance by Robert Stewart and the other lairds of Scotland against Edward Balliol and the fact that Edward III of England was now looking ambitiously at the throne of France combined to create a situation favorable to the Scots. England involved itself in the Hundred Years War with France, and David II returned with his Queen in 1341.

Robert Stewart's life was relatively peaceful for the next five years. After the defeat of the French at Crecy in 1346, David II was forced by terms of his treaty with France to attack the English. David II was defeated and captured by the English at the Battle of Neville's Cross. Robert Stewart commanded the left wing of the Scottish army at this battle and withdrew in good order. Over the next eleven years, from 1346 to 1357, Robert Stewart again served as Regent of Scotland. But King David was slowly taking a dimmer view of Robert from his position of captivity in England.

During his second reign as Regent of Scotland, Robert Stewart slowly increased his already considerable power and influence in the country. This took a setback in 1349 however, as the Scots hearing of the Plague's devastation south of the border, were preparing to invade England and free their king. The Plague infested this forming Scottish army and thwarted the plans of Robert Stewart and the other lairds.

Now in his thirties, Robert's children were coming of age, and in 1350 his eldest daughter Margaret married John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles. In 1351, David II was released to propose John of Gaunt as heir to the Scottish throne, the Scots refused this and David returned to captivity in England.

Robert Stewart continued his reign as Regent until a ransom of approximately 100,000 merks was paid for David's release from captivity. After David's return, Robert was made Earl of Strathern in reward for his service. Soon, however, Robert's devotion to King David would be broken. Shortly into David's resumed reign of Scotland, he named Edward III of England as his successor for the crown. David had no heir, and had become friends with Edward during his long captivity in England. The Scottish lords wanted none of this, and were greatly offended. In response, the Stewarts, under Robert Stewart, led a revolt against the Crown. The revolt failed and Robert Stewart was imprisoned. He remained there until King David's death in 1371.

In 1371, Robert Stewart, the natural choice of the people, became the King of Scotland at the age of 55. The road to the throne was a long one for Robert, although upon reaching it he found it not to his liking. He was an old man and had trouble containing his nobles who wished to continue the war with England. He reigned as King of Scotland for another seventeen years, until 1388 when he passed the Regency to his son John. In 1390, after fighting the English his entire life, Robert Stewart died. His son John became Robert III, King of Scotland.

Robert Stewart was indeed a great man, but he was held back by his lack of talent in warfare. When he became King, he was old enough to realize his shortcomings and strongly resisted the urgings of his lairds to continue fighting the English, a move which did not endear him to his lords. In retrospect, Robert Stewart was little more than the first in the long line of Stewart Kings of Scotland and England. His daughter's marriage to the King of the Isles, however, helped to bring that area back into the Scottish fold.

BW, February 2000