scotland march april reigned king scots death monarch son 6th high steward scotland daughter wife isabella named heir throne died legitimate children december battle near ireland time died riding accident probably parliament decreed infant son heir march birth son david king robert second wife inherited title high steward scotland father death april parliament held july confirmed young steward heir prince david die successor king robert died year old david succeeded throne sir earl appointed guardian scotland son king assisted english scottish nobles robert invaded scotland inflicting heavy defeats august july robert fought uncle guardian sir killed following battle robert lands west given supporter titular earl robert took refuge fortress castle clyde estuary join uncle king david david escaped france leaving robert 3rd earl joint guardians kingdom robert succeeded regaining lands following capture english july possessions targeted forces king edward iii england persuaded robert submit english king explain removal guardian september transferred sir following death robert appointed retained office king david returned france june robert accompanied david battle cross october earl march escaped fled field david taken prisoner october king marks paid installments years robert married sons daughters subsequent marriage produced sons surviving daughters provided basis future dispute line succession robert joined rebellion david submitted following threat right succession david presented proposal parliament cancel remaining ransom debt agreed heir inherit scottish throne die issue rejected robert succeeded throne age following david unexpected death england controlled large sectors border country king robert allowed southern engage actions english zones regain territories halted trade england renewed treaties france scots taken occupied lands following commencement anglo french peace talks robert reluctant commit scotland war obtained scotland inclusion peace treaty robert peace strategy factor virtual coup lost control country eldest son john earl king john younger brother robert earl duke albany died castle buried heir born child high steward scotland king robert daughter died probably following riding accident upbringing noble stewart lands parliament removed right heir father favour uncle edward killed battle near october resulting hastily arranged parliament december enact new naming son robert heir king die successor birth son king robert march cancelled position heir parliament july restored line succession david die heir status accompanied gift lands high steward scotland renewed war independence war independence began reign short reign edward insistence scotland scottish leadership concluded war release country english king continued weakening sovereignty finalised treaty assistance france october scots england march french treaty angered english king provoked invasion scotland taking march defeating scots army april submitted edward resigned throne sent london prisoner despite resistance english led emerged deaths continued resist english eventually succeeded defeating forces england gained scottish throne aged king june death father robert walter steward died earlier april orphaned year old robert placed uncle sir appointed joint guardians kingdom david accession second independence war threatened robert position heir son deposed spearheaded attack bruce sovereignty support king edward iii england explicit endorsement forces delivered heavy defeats bruce supporters august hill july year old robert participated robert estates overrun granted titular earl robert evaded capture gained protection castle king david taking refuge strongholds remained scottish hands winter castles held elder sister robert wife held forces situation looked dire house bruce gained safety france robert set winning lands west scotland came bruce interest disagreements fellow fierce opposition came head parliament held castle early received support robert changed sides submitted english king august warden scotland persuaded robert submit edward sir claimed actually explain removal guardian time bruce resistance collapse turn round fortunes began appearance sir potent war leader battle murray captured immediately sped north lay siege held sir castle falling december murray appointed guardian winter besieging died castle robert resumed murray campaign end chance having lasting control south scotland edward failure month siege confirmed lost major supporters bruce main english garrisons began fall scots spring summer perth taken robert edinburgh william earl douglas april released english custody prisoner exchange visited normandy returning scotland favourite king powerful positions heir guardian scotland beginning june kingdom appeared sufficiently stable allow king return land nobles fighting bruce cause considerably increased power bases october robert accompanied david battle cross scottish nobles including died wounded captured earl march apparently fled field king david captivity king imprisoned england dead fell robert took important step ensuring sons john earl future king walter lord robert future duke albany alexander lord future earl daughters pope allow canon law marriage english prisoner david retained influence scotland robert removed parliament given jointly ross lord douglas robert appointed guardian parliament february david attended parliament present robert members estates conditions release contained ransom demand required scots english prince john heir council rejected terms robert opposed proposal threatened right succession king option return captivity english chronicler wrote event scots refused king entirely renounced influence english similarly refused submit warned ransom allow pardoned acts injuries offences committed time captivity security threatened choose king rule ongoing negotiations king release reached stage proposal straight ransom payment marks years guaranteed provision high ranking hostages agreed understanding destroyed robert bound scots french action english capture presence french english soil moving scots january edward led forces south east scotland burned edinburgh campaign known burnt edward victory france september scots resumed negotiations david release ending october treaty terms turn david freedom ransom marks paid annual installments years payments completed initially failure honour conditions treaty allowed edward continue press successor david terms totally rejected probably robert cause brief rebellion robert douglas march later french couldn bring david aid country remained peace england unexpectedly died february king scots consolidation stewart power personal rule david buried abbey immediately armed protest william earl douglas delayed coronation march reasons incident remain unclear involved dispute robert right succession directed earl march southern resolved robert giving daughter isabella marriage douglas son james douglas replacing south forth robert accession affect held offices particular brother lord lost claim sir son sir lost control greatly increased holdings west far north went second surviving son robert ross fourth son alexander eldest son second marriage david importantly king robert sons law lord isles earl james 2nd earl douglas robert sons john earl king heir robert earl keepers castles edinburgh respectively alexander lord ross earl king lieutenant north kingdom build stewart family power appear cause resentment senior king generally threaten territories local rule titles transferred sons individuals affected usually rewarded style different predecessor david tried dominate nobles robert strategy delegate authority powerful sons generally worked decade reign influence sons directly strategic marriages daughters powerful lords robert ensured future security stewart dynasty having parliament pass succession time sons heirs necessary system devised define precisely circumstances sons inherit crown precedence normal succession king commissioned write poem history intended bolster public image genuine heirs described patriotic acts sir james black douglas king father support bruce rule saw country finances greatly improved wool trade reduced calls public purse halting predecessor ransom money death england unlike predominantly lowland based restrict attention sector kingdom frequently visited remote areas north west lords ruled country continued english borders scots gave allegiance king england important castles english garrisons controlled southern large areas june robert agreed defensive treaty french outright hostilities english garrisons reinforced placed increased state attacks english held zones near certain backing robert began accelerated years indicated central decision probably taken conflict previous small scale attacks border barons earl march successfully recovered found constrained truce dealings robert blamed border escalating attacks english zones regardless scots retained recaptured lands minor lords securing interest preventing english possession despite robert border lords signs robert backed growing successful scottish following death charter dated july king decreed longer daughter house english durham attached early february scots apparently unaware conclusion anglo french truce january included scots cease fire conducted attack english zones winning castle john led english attack took far edinburgh bought destroyed james earl douglas father william died april wanted strike raid robert concluded french previous agreement send assistance having entered truce england military action met retaliation exclusion forthcoming peace talks june robert resolved send anglo french peace talks ignored allowed raids north england place despite july scots truce october robert called council september probably working proceed truce concluded decide war proceed loss authority death robert son john earl foremost stewart magnate south forth alexander earl north alexander activities methods royal administration enforced mercenaries drew criticism northern bishops younger half brother david earl complaints damaged king standing council leading criticism ability curb activities robert differences affinity conduct war continued failure deal north led political november council removed king authority govern appointed lieutenant kingdom coup état taken place robert sidelined way war june force french soldiers joined scots campaign involved earl douglas robert sons john earl robert earl skirmishes saw small gains quarrel french scottish commanders saw abandonment attack important castle victory scots english battle northumberland august set motion fall power scottish casualties close ally james earl douglas douglas died heir led claims title estate backed husband douglas sister sided successful sir lord possessed douglas estates powerful douglas ally supported king ensured december council meeting scotland passed recently badly injured horse kick approved intention properly resolve situation north particular activities younger brother relieved offices lieutenant north north forth role given son toured north east kingdom late january reinforce changed political scene north following removal authority march robert returned castle died april buried april historiography reign undergone works historians admits knowledge time writing robert reign accepts early writing near reign found little robert career succeeded throne described reign add goes debates legality canon law marriage robert following papal acknowledges sealing matter eyes parliament end feud descendants ross robert earlier participation combat battles cross according wary military expeditions english actions barons concealed similarly described robert reign lack skills governance led internal strife asserts earl douglas bought following armed demonstration robert coronation associates doubt surrounding legitimacy robert sons contrast historians handed life modern historians kingdom stable particularly decade rule explains subjected negative propaganda high steward followers conduct described later king supporters son john earl said robert king lacking drive accomplishments weighed age unfit govern association drew criticism grew ancestral lands west completely ease language culture possessed potent relationship lords upper reign robert spent long periods complaints time influenced view king involved concerns asserts negative views held find origins writings french chronicler recorded king red eyes colour clearly showed man remain home march field contrary view early scottish andrew utilised source nearly contemporary later 15th 16th century scottish poets showed scottish patriotic hero defender integrity scottish kingdom direct heir grant acknowledges reign terms foreign domestic policy unsuccessful far william earl douglas reaction concerned staged armed demonstration robert coronation grant hold view douglas way demonstrating robert legitimate right throne assertion royal patronage continue time grant advocates demonstration aimed father son robert held castles edinburgh robert predecessor grant seriously called question writings effective source reign influential magnate headed having undermined king position manipulated effectively real power grant gives little weight asserted robert suggests deposition resolution join anglo french truce power handed younger brother robert earl saw king disposition sons despite unknown source relied point deferred father affairs state difference styles sons points reign exemplified continued prosperity stability time described period prosperity peace lynch suggests troubles historians interpreted legacy policy encouraging powerful fact continuation build local lords marches robert satisfied government leave douglas stewart weakening government lynch suggests came coup despite fact coup root favouring son earl known wolf fictional portrayals depicted historical novels include man war women tale takes place reign country enjoyed happiness peace save adjoining borders england action takes place palace robert promises marry daughter knight shall castle hands english margaret adding terms case attempting failing undertaking shall lands castles towns towers absence volunteers margaret vows castle defeating lord mistress lords covers events depicting years rise scotland throne elderly king grown weary half blind sons daughters nobles campaign power scotland ravaged conflicts duke albany earl prominently featured favour follows career earl courts scotland john son law serves diplomat marriages issue married died daughter sir marriage criticized remarried receiving papal union children reached adulthood john died king scotland married walter died husband robert earl duke albany died married second wife died earl died nicknamed wolf married ross margaret married lord isles married earl sir elizabeth married lord high constable scotland isabella died married douglas died followed jean married sir died lord died finally sir married sir lord high admiral scotland robert married second wife died daughter hugh earl ross children earl born died earl born beheaded edinburgh involved assassination king married 1st earl married king illegitimate children including sons favorite daughter sir widow sir walter stewart issue born unknown women sheriff alexander stewart canon wife sir mother sir ancestor
Robert II of Scotland