750 years of Robert the Bruce, the Stewarts & Dundonald Castle

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When Robert VII de Brus (later known as Robert the Bruce, or Robert I of Scotland) was born on the 11th of July 1274, Dundonald Castle did not exist as we know it, but was rather a large fortress, likely flanked by two large gatehouses to the east and west, connected by walls and a series of towers. 

While the location of Robert the Bruce’s birth is not known for sure, it is guessed that he was born at Turnberry, just down the Ayrshire coast.[1] With his lands in Ayrshire, neighbouring large swathes of Stewart territory, a strong alliance was born between the two families. 

When Robert V de Brus, grandfather of Robert I, put in his claim for the Scottish throne in 1290, he was supported by the Stewart family, and that support continued throughout the First Scottish War of Independence.  In 1297, the Stewarts were the only important family in Scotland to support Bruce’s failed campaign against the English, and it was James V High Steward, among others, who pacified Bruce in a fight against John Comyn in 1299.[2]

Figure 2 A digital reconstruction of the face of Robert the Bruce, based on a cast of his skull. Project led by Stirling University and Liverpool John Moore University. Image Credit: BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38242781

Robert the Bruce became King Robert I in 1306, and the Stewart’s unwavering support led to James’ son, Walter VI High Steward, being awarded King Robert’s daughter in marriage in 1315.  Walter and Marjorie went on to have a son in the following year, called Robert after his grandfather, who eventually became King Robert II.[3]

This blog post, and accompanying mini exhibition in our museum, celebrates the 750th birthday of Robert the Bruce by exploring the links the famous king had with Ayrshire, the Stewart family, and Dundonald.

Marjorie Bruce

Little is known of Robert the Bruce’s daughter Marjorie, besides that she was born to Robert and his first wife, Isabel, likely around 1296. She was the only known child from this marriage, and Isabel must have passed while Marjorie was very young, if not at the time of her birth, as Robert married again in 1302. [4]

Figure 3 Tomb of Marjorie Bruce, Paisley Abbey.

Assuming a birth date of 1296, Marjorie would have been around ten years old when she was taken by the English, along with her Aunt Mary and stepmother Elizabeth – the three ladies spent eight years in captivity, and were returned in 1314.[5] Shortly after, Marjorie was married to Walter the 6th High Steward, son of James the Steward who had been guardian of Scotland and a staunch ally of the Bruce family.[6]  Together, Walter and Marjorie had a son, Robert, 1316 who eventually became King of Scotland in 1371 and built Dundonald Castle.

Marjorie tragically died at the time of Robert’s birth, and while stories vary surrounding her death, most say that Marjorie suffered a fall from her horse while pregnant, creating the need for her son to be delivered by caesarean. 

If you’d like to learn a bit more about Marjorie, you can check out the Mother’s Day Special video we did all about her on our YouTube Channel:

Mother’s Day Special: The Lifetime of Marjorie Bruce (youtube.com)

Robert the Bruce and Robert II

When Marjorie Bruce gave birth to her son Robert in 1316, Robert I had been king for ten years and had been married to his second wife – Elizabeth de Burgh – for fourteen years.[7]  As of 1316, Robert and Elizabeth’s marriage had not produced any male heirs, though Elizabeth had spent most of that time in English captivity.[8]  Instead, in 1316 Robert’s brother Edward Bruce was named as heir apparent, followed by Marjorie’s son Robert Stewart.  Following Edward Bruce’s death in Ireland in 1318, Robert Stewart became the king’s direct heir, a position he held until the eventual birth of the king’s son David in 1324.

Figure 4  Later painting of Marjorie Bruce, featuring the crests of the King of Scotland and Earldom of Carrick, both held by her father, and of the House of Stewart, belonging to her husband, Walter VI High Steward.  Public Domain, Artist Unknown.

When Robert the Bruce died in 1329, his son David was five years old. On the other hand, Robert Stewart was a teenager and likely enjoyed a relationship with his grandfather before his passing, as evidenced by the multiple documents confirming Robert Stewart as heir prior to David’s birth.  While little is otherwise known of the relationship between Robert I and Robert Stewart, more is known about David and Robert’s relationship, a topic explored in Dundonald Castle’s short podcast series ‘Tales from the Castle, which can be accessed on YouTube and Soundcloud, and in our YouTube video ‘The Relationship Between David II and Robert II’.

The Relationship Between David II and Robert II (youtube.com) 

Tales From The Castle Podcast, Episode 2: Robert the Bruce’s Legacy (youtube.com)

Dundonald Castle under Robert the Bruce

The castle that stood at Dundonald in the thirteenth century did not survive long following the start of the Scottish Wars of Independence in 1296.  It was likely razed, or purposefully ruined, around 1297-1298 to keep it from falling into English hands, following the example of Bruce’s actions at Ayr in 1297.[9] This likely served to Scottish advantage as on 31st August 1298, James the Fifth High Steward forfeited his lands to Edward I of England as punishment for having supported William Wallace in the ‘rebellion’.[10]

Throughout the following years, there is evidence (established by the archaeologists who excavated much of Dundonald Hill in the 1980s and ’90s) that there were two possible short-lived phases of wooden building following the destruction of the thirteenth-century castle.  Both were likely temporary fortifications erected throughout the period that the hill was in the possession of the Earl of Lincoln (1298-1306), through the courtesy of Edward I.[11]  The hill likely remained uninhabited from that point, until Robert II began the current castle around the time of his coronation in 1371.

Dundonald & the Stewarts in the time of Robert the Bruce:

  • 1274
    • 11th July: Robert the Bruce is born.  Dundonald Castle is under the control of Alexander IV High Steward, who was likely in his sixties at the time
  • 1282
    • Alexander IV High Steward passes away, leaving his lands and titles – including Dundonald – to his son James V High Steward
  • 1286
    • 19 March: Alexander III dies and leaves his throne to Margaret maid of Norway
    • A group of guardians is formed to rule Scotland until the young queen can take the throne
      • William Fraser, Bishop of St Andrews
      • Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow
      • John Comyn II of Badenoch
      • James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland
      • Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
      • Donnchadh III, Earl of Fife
  • 1290
    • September: Margaret Maid of Norway passes away, leaving no clear direct heir to the Scottish throne
  • 1291
    •  Edward I is asked to help the Scots choose who will next take the Scottish throne. The two best claims come from John Balliol, Lord of Barnard Castle, and Robert V Brus, Lord of Annandale. Edward chooses John Balliol to ascend the throne, at a high price to the Balliol family.
  • 1295
    • The Scots seek an alliance with France against Edward I and his sought control over their kingdom
    • Robert V de Brus dies, passing his titles and claim to the throne to his son, Robert VI Brus, Earl of Carrick (through marriage) & Lord of Annandale.
  • 1296
    • In retaliation for the Scots’ alliance with France, Edward I invaded – seeking to be in opposition to King John Balliol, Robert VII Bruce likely joined his father in serving Edward I.
  • 1297
    • In King John’s absence, a guardianship was set up to govern the country, a position to which Robert VII de Brus was appointed in 1298.
  • 1298
    • Robert VII Bruce burns the castle at Ayr to avoid it falling into English hands. It is likely around this time that Dundonald Castle was slighted for the same reason.
    • 31st August – James V High Stewart is forced to forfeit his lands to Edward I, who then passes Dundonald to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln
  • 1299
    • August – a confrontation between Robert VII de Brus and John Comyn leads to them being physically restrained and pacified by James V High Steward, and other nobles.
  • 1304
    • Robert VI de Brus passes away. His claim to the throne is passed to his son, Robert VII de Brus (later King Robert I).
  • 1305
    • November: James V High Stewart regains his estates from the English, including Dundonald, but shortly after loses them again.
  • 1306
    • 25th March: Robert I declared king at Scone
    • 23rd October: James V High Stewart submits to Edward I at Lanercost Priory, and regains his lands, including Dundonald
  • 1309
    • March:  A parliament held in St Andrews recognises Robert VII de Brus as King Robert I, and publishes a declaration of his Kingship, as well as Scotland’s status as an independent realm
    • July: James V High Steward passes away, leaving his lands and titles to his young son, Walter VI High Steward
  • 1314
    • 23rd-24th June: Scottish Victory at Bannockburn, in which a young Walter VI High Steward was marked as being represented by James, lord Douglas.
  • 1315
    • February-March: Elizabeth de Burgh, Marjorie Bruce, and Mary Bruce (among others) are returned from their English imprisonment in an exchange of captives
    • Walter VI High Steward marries Robert I’s daughter Marjorie Bruce
  • 1316
    • 2nd March: Marjorie gives birth to a son, Robert (later the VII High Steward) named after his grandfather Robert I. Marjorie dies in the process
  • 1318
    • 14th October: Edward de Brus, brother to the King, is killed in Ireland, making Robert Stewart heir to the throne
  • 1324
    • March: David Brus is born to Robert I and his wife Elizabeth de Burgh, replacing his nephew Robert Stewart as heir to the Scottish throne.
  • 1328
    • March: Peace is reached through the treaty of Edinburgh Northampton, bringing the first Scottish War of Independence to an end
  • 1329
    • King Robert I dies, passing the throne to his young son David II. A group of guardians is again formed to rule until David II comes of age. Among these is King Robert’s grandson, Robert VII High Steward.
  • 1371
    • King David II died, leaving the throne to his nephew, Robert VII High Steward, who is shortly after crowned Robert II of Scotland, the first of the Stewart Kings.
    • The first mention of the current Dundonald Castle.

Sources:

  • Barrow, G.W.S. ‘Elizabeth [nee Elizabeth de Burgh]: d.1327’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-54180?rskey=0TdS3V&result=2
  • Barrow, G.W.S. ‘Robert I [Robert Bruce]: 1274-1329’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-3754?rskey=wNQsVd&result=3
  • Barrow, G.W.S. ‘Stewart Family: per. C.1110-c.1350’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-49411?rskey=vwVrcl&result=1#odnb-9780198614128-e-49411-headword-9
  • Boardman, S.I. ‘Robert II: 1316-1390’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-23713?rskey=6fv3MW&result=4
  • Boardman, Stephen. The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III 1371-1406.  East Lothian: Tuckwell Press, 1996.
  • Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, various entries.
  • Duncan, A.A.M. ‘Brus [Bruce], Robert de, earl of Carrick and lord of Annandale: 1243–1304’ 1329’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-3753?rskey=n1RmyM&result=3
  • Duncan, A.A.M. ‘Brus [Bruce], Robert de [called Robert the Noble] lord of Annandale: c.1220-1295’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-3752?rskey=n1RmyM&result=4
  • Ewart, Gordon & others. ‘Dundonald Castle Excavations 1986—93’. Scottish Archaeological Journal , 2004, Vol. 26, No. 1/2, pp. 1-166.
  • Penman, Michael. Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014.
  • Scott, Ronald McNair. Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. Canongate Books: 2014. 
  • Stell, G.P. ‘John [John de Balliol]: c.1248×50-1314’ in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-1209#odnb-9780198614128-e-1209
  • Webster, Bruce. ‘David I: 1324-1371. in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-3726?rskey=8GmEE5&result=1

[1] G.W.S. Barrow ‘Robert I [the Bruce]’

[2] G.W.S. Barrow Robert I [the Bruce]’

[3] Boardman, The Early Stewart Kings, 3.

[4] Marjorie’s exact date of birth is not known, though estimates place it around 1296, possibly resulting in the death of her mother. Penman, 55.

[5] Penman, 55.

[6] Penman, 161.

[7] G.W.S. Barrow ‘Robert I [the Bruce]’

[8] G.W.S. Barrow ‘Elizabeth [nee Elizabeth de Burgh]

[9] G.W.S. Barrow Robert I [the Bruce]’

[10] Dundonald Castle Excavation report 1986-1993 p.14 & Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland, 257 no. 1006

[11] Dundonald Castle Excavation report 1986-1993