Robert Bruce

Robert Bruce, or Robert de Brus, or Robert I King of Scotland was born in 1274, the grandson of one of the claimants to the crown in the dispute which gave Edward I of England the opportunity to claim overlordship over the Scots kings. After various switches of allegiance he had himself proclaimed king of Scotland at Scone in 1306, but had difficulty in establishing himself. After numerous setbacks he gradually took control of the country, finally consolidating his position with a victory over the English forces under Edward II at Bannockburn in 1314. On his death in 1329 he left an orderly well-established kingdom.