BRUCE, ROBERT, the most heroic of the Scottish kings, was b. Mar. 21, 1274. In his youth he favored the English interests, in the expectation, doubtless, of his father being preferred to the Scottish throne. In 1296, as earl of Carrick, he swore fealty to Edward I. at Berwick, and the following year he renewed his oath of homage at Carlisle. Shortly after, he abandoned the cause of Edward, and, with his Carrick vassals,joined the Scottish leaders in arms for the independence of their country. On the defeat of the Scots, a few months afterwards, at Irvine, B. made his peace with the English monarch. After Wallace's defeat at Falkirk. B. burned the castle of Ayr to the ground, to prevent its falling into the hands of the English, and re tired into the recesses of Carrick. In 1290, the year after Wallace had resigned the regency, B., then in his 25th year, was admitted one of the four regents, who ruled the kingdom in the name of Baliol. In the three campaigns which subsequently took place, previous to the final subjugation of Scotland, B. continued faithful to Edward, and in 1305 was consulted in the settlement of the government. With John Comyn, called the Red Comyn, the nephew of Baliol, he appears to have entered into some agreement as to their rival claims to the throne. In an interview between them, in the church of the Minorite Friars, Dumfries, Feb. 4, 1305-06, a quarrel took place, and 13., in a paroxysm of passion, stabbed Comyn with his dagger. Rushing out to his attendants, he ex claimed: "I doubt I have slain the Red Comyn." "You doubt!" cried one of them; " I mak sikker!" (i.e., sure), and, running into the church with some others, slew Comyu and his brother, who attempted to defend him. B. hastened to Lochmaben castle, as sembled his vassals, and asserted his right to the throne. Two months after (Mar. 27), he was crowned king at Scone. An English army, under the earl of Pembroke, nomi nated by Edward governor of Scotland, took possession of Perth, and on the night of the 18th June, attacked B. in the wood of Methven, compelling him to retreat into the wilds of Athole. At Dairy, near the head of Loch Tay, B. was attacked by Alexander. lord of Lorn, chief of the Macdougals, husband of the aunt of the Red Comyn, and compelled to retire. Sending his queen and her ladies to Kildrummie castle, Aberdeen shire, under the charge of Nigel Bruce and the earl of Athole, he, with 200 followers, crossed Loch Lomond, and had recourse for subsistence to the chase. B. next took refuge in the little island of Rathlin, on the n. coast of Ireland, where he remained all winter, and was supposed to be dead. In his absence, the English took the castle of Kildrummie, hanged Nigel Bruce and other chiefs who had defended it, and tore the queen and princess Marjory from the sanctuary of St. Dutbac, Ross-shire. All B.'s estates were confiscated, and himself and adherents excommunicated by the pope's legate at Carlisle. In the spring of 1307, with about 300 men, B. landed in Carrick, and at mid night surprised the English garrison in his own castle of Turnberry; but before a supe rior force he retired into the mountainous districts of Ayrshire. At Loudon hill, May
10, 1307, he defeated the English under the earl of Pembroke, and, three days after, overthrew another party under the earl of Gloucester. In less than two years he wrested from the English nearly the whole of Scotland. His authority being now established, in 1309 B. advanced to burham, laying waste the country. The same year, Edward H. of England invaded Scotland, but was compelled to retreat from Edinburgh to Ber wick-upon-Tweed. In the harvest of 1312, the Scots again invaded England, but un successfully. B. now reduced the Lie of Man also. On his return, in the autumn of 1313, be found his brother, Edward Bruce, engaged in the siege of Stirling castle, held by sir Philip Mowbray for the English. A treaty was entered by which Mowbray hound himself to surrender it, if not relieved before 24th June following. This led to the memorable battle of Bannockburn, 24th June, 1314, at which B. commanded in per son. The English, under Edward II., amounting, it is said, to about 100,000 men, were totally routed, leaving 30,000 dead upon the field; while the Scots, numberinr4 only 30, 000, and 15,000 camp-followers, lost about 5000. In 1317, B. passed over to Ireland, to assist his brother, Edward, elected king of that country, and defeated the Anglo-Irish under the baron of Clare; and in the spring of 1318 the Scots army invaded England by Northumberland. Another invasion of Scotland by the English king, who was com pelled to retreat, was followed by B. again marching into England. After besieging Norham castle, he defeated Edward once more at Biland abbey, Yorkshire. A truce was, in consequence, ratified between the two kingdoms at Berwick, June 7, 1323, to last for 13 years. On the accession of Edward III., in 1327, hostilities recommenced; and the Scots being again victorious, a final treaty was ratified in a parliament at North ampton, Mar. 4, 1328, recognizing the independence of Scotland, and B.'s right to the throne. His warfare was now accomplished, and, suffering under the disease of leprosy, lie spent the last two years of his life at Cardross castle, on the northern shore of the firth of Clyde. He died June 7, 1329, in his 55th year, and the 23d of his reign. his heart, extracted and embalmed, was delivered to sir James Douglas, to be carried to Palestine and buried in Jerusalem. Douglas was killed fighting against the Moors in Spain, and the sacred relic of B., with the body of its devoted champion, was brought to Scotland, and buried in the monastery of Melrose. B.'s body was interred in the abbey church of Dunfermline; and, in clearing the foundations for a third church on the same spot in 1818, his bones were discovered. He was twice married: (1) to Isabella, daughter of Donald, tenth Earl of Mar—issue, a daughter, Marjory. wife of Walter the high steward, whose son ascended the throne as Robert II.; and (2) to Elizabeth, daugh ter of Aymer de Burgh, eat] of Ulster—issue, one son, who succeeded him as David II , and two daughters.