Robert II STEWART King of Scotland ¹⁷¹⁹

   FamilySearch ID: LHW6-FV7

  General Notes:

Robert II (2 March 1316 \endash 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. He was the first monarch of the House of Stewart as the son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce by his first wife Isabella of Mar.

In 1336, he first married Elizabeth Mure, daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan. The marriage was criticized for being uncanonical, so he remarried her in 1349 after receiving a papal dispensation in 1347.
From this union, ten children reached adulthood:
- John, who became King of Scotland as Robert III, married Anabella Drummond.
- Walter, husband of Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Fife.
- Robert, Earl of Fife and Duke of Albany, married Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith, and 2nd Muriella Keith.
- Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, "The Wolf of Badenoch", married Euphemia of Ross.
- Margaret, married John of Islay, Lord of the Isles.
- Marjorie, married John Dunbar, Earl of Moray, then Sir Alexander Keith.
- Elizabeth married Thomas de la Hay, Lord High Constable of Scotland.
- Isabella, married James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas, and 2nd John Edmonstone of Edmonstone.
- Johanna (Jean), married Sir John Keith, then 2nd John Lyon, Lord of Glamis and 3rd Sir James Sandilands.
- Katherine, married Sir Robert Logan of Grugar and Restalrig, Lord High Admiral of Scotland.

In 1355, Robert married his second wife Euphemia de Ross, daughter of Hugh, Earl of Ross. They had four children:
- David Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, born about 1356 and died in 1389.
- Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, born about 1360, beheaded at Edinburgh in 1437 for being involved in the assassination of King James I.
- Elizabeth, married in 1380 David Lindsay, 1st Earl of Crawford.
- Egidia, married William Douglas of Nithsdale.


[Information added by OldeBruce in April 2022:
Edward Bruce, younger brother of Robert the Bruce, was named heir to the throne but he died without legitimate children on 3 December 1318 in a battle near Dundalk in Ireland. Marjorie by this time had died in a riding accident \endash probably in 1317. Parliament decreed her infant son, Robert Stewart, as heir presumptive, but this lapsed on 5 March 1324 on the birth of a son, David, to King Robert and his second wife, Elizabeth de Burgh. Robert Stewart inherited the title of High Steward of Scotland on his father's death on 9 April 1326, and a Parliament held in July 1326 confirmed the young Steward as heir should Prince David die without a successor. In 1329 King Robert I died and the six-year-old David succeeded to the throne with Sir Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray appointed Guardian of Scotland.

Edward Balliol, son of King John Balliol, assisted by the English and Scottish nobles disinherited by Robert I, invaded Scotland inflicting heavy defeats on the Bruce party on 11 August 1332 at Dupplin Moor and Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333. Robert fought at Halidon, where his uncle and former guardian, Sir James Stewart, was killed. Following this battle, Robert's lands in the west were given by Balliol to his supporter David Strathbogie, the titular Earl of Atholl. Robert took refuge in the fortress of Dumbarton Castle in the Clyde estuary to join his uncle, King David. In May 1334 David escaped to France leaving Robert and John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray as joint Guardians of the kingdom. Robert succeeded in regaining his lands but following Randolph's capture by the English in July 1335, his possessions were once again targeted by the forces of Balliol and King Edward III of England. This may have persuaded Robert to submit to Balliol and the English king and may explain his removal as Guardian by September 1335. The Guardianship transferred to Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell but following his death in 1338 Robert was re-appointed and retained the office until King David returned from France in June 1341. Robert accompanied David into battle at Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346 but he and Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March escaped or fled the field and David was taken prisoner. In October 1357, the king was ransomed for 100,000 marks to be paid in installments over ten years.

Robert joined a rebellion against David in 1363 but submitted to him following a threat to his right of succession. In 1364, David presented a proposal to Parliament that would cancel the remaining ransom debt if it was agreed that a Plantagenet heir would inherit the Scottish throne should he die without issue. This was rejected and Robert succeeded to the throne at the age of 55 following David's unexpected death in 1371. England still controlled large sectors in the Lothians and in the border country so King Robert allowed his southern earls to engage in actions in the English zones to regain their territories, halted trade with England and renewed treaties with France. By 1384, the Scots had re-taken most of the occupied lands, but following the commencement of Anglo-French peace talks, Robert was reluctant to commit Scotland to all-out war and obtained Scotland's inclusion in the peace treaty. Robert's peace strategy was a factor in the virtual coup in 1384 when he lost control of the country, first to his eldest son, John, Earl of Carrick, afterwards King Robert III, and then from 1388 to John's younger brother, Robert, Earl of Fife, afterwards the first Duke of Albany. Robert II died in Dundonald Castle in 1390 and was buried at Scone Abbey.

Heir presumptive
Robert Stewart, born in 1316, was the only child of Walter Stewart, High Steward of Scotland and King Robert I's daughter Marjorie Bruce, who died probably in 1317 following a riding accident.[1] He had the upbringing of a Gaelic noble on the Stewart lands in Bute, Clydeside, and in Renfrew.[1] In 1315 parliament removed Marjorie's right as heir to her father in favour of her uncle, Edward Bruce.[2] Edward was killed at the Battle of Faughart, near Dundalk on 14 October 1318,[3] resulting in a hastily arranged Parliament in December to enact a new entail naming Marjorie's son, Robert, as heir should the king die without a successor.[4] The birth of a son, afterwards David II, to King Robert on 5 March 1324 cancelled Robert Stewart's position as heir presumptive, but a Parliament at Cambuskenneth in July 1326 restored him in the line of succession should David die without an heir.[2] This reinstatement of his status was accompanied by the gift of lands in Argyll, Roxburghshire and the Lothians.[5]

The first war of independence began in the reign of King John Balliol.[6] His short reign was bedeviled by Edward I's insistence on his overlordship of Scotland. The Scottish leadership concluded that only war could release the country from the English king's continued weakening of Balliol's sovereignty and so finalised a treaty of reciprocal assistance with France in October 1295.[7] The Scots forayed into England in March 1296\emdash this incursion together with the French treaty angered the English king and provoked an invasion of Scotland taking Berwick on 30 March before defeating the Scots army at Dunbar on 27 April.[8] John Balliol submitted to Edward and resigned the throne to him before being sent to London as a prisoner. Despite this, resistance to the English led by William Wallace and Andrew Moray had emerged in the name of King John Balliol.[8] On their deaths, Robert the Bruce continued to resist the English and eventually succeeded in defeating the forces of Edward II of England and gained the Scottish throne for himself.[7]

David Bruce, aged five, became king on 7 June 1329 on the death of his father Robert. Walter the Steward had died earlier on 9 April 1327,[9] and the orphaned eleven-year-old Robert was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Sir James Stewart of Durrisdeer,[2] who along with Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, and William Lindsey, Archdeacon of St Andrews were appointed as joint Guardians of the kingdom.[10] David's accession kindled the second independence war which threatened Robert's position as heir.[11] In 1332 Edward Balliol, son of the deposed John Balliol, spearheaded an attack on the Bruce sovereignty with the tacit support of King Edward III of England and the explicit endorsement of 'the disinherited'.[12] Edward Balliol's forces delivered heavy defeats on the Bruce supporters at Dupplin Moor on 11 August 1332 and again at Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333, at which the 17-year-old Robert participated.[10] Robert's estates were overrun by Balliol, who granted them to David Strathbogie, titular earl of Atholl, but Robert evaded capture and gained protection at Dumbarton Castle where King David was also taking refuge.[11] Very few other strongholds remained in Scottish hands in the winter of 1333\emdash only the castles of Kildrummy (held by Christian Bruce, elder sister of Robert I and wife of Andrew Murray of Bothwell), Loch Leven, Loch Doon, and Urquhart held out against Balliol forces.[13]

Dairsie Castle where the 1335 Parliament was held
In May 1334, the situation looked dire for the house of Bruce and David II gained safety in France. Robert set about winning back his lands in the west of Scotland.

  Christening Notes:

Paisley Abbey

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He was Roman Catholic. ¹⁷²³

2. Title of Nobility: Duke of Albany,,. ¹⁷²³

3. Title of Nobility: Knight,,. ¹⁷²³

4. Clan: Founder • House of Stewart,,. ¹⁷²³

5. Title of Nobility: 7th High Steward of Scotland, between 1326 and 1371,. ¹⁷²³

6. Title of Nobility: Restored to The Line of Succession, in July 1326, in , , , Scotland.
David Bruce became heir to the throne of Scotland upon his birth on 5 March 1324, displacing his nephew from the line of succession. However, 2 heirs are better than only one, and the death of David's twin brother John reminded everyone how fragile babies are. Robert Bruce had no more sons, therefore in July 1326, Scottish Parliament at Cambuskenneth restored Robert Stewart in the line of succession, should David, then only 2 years old, die without an heir. This reinstatement of his status was accompanied by the gift of lands in Argyll, Roxburghshire and the Lothians.

7. Robert served in the military on 19 July 1333 in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, , Northumberland, England: Fought at the Battle of Halidon Hill. ¹⁷²³

8. He resided at Stirling Castle between 1341 and 1342 in Stirling, , Stirlingshire, Scotland. ¹⁷²³
Retook Stirling in a siege.

9. Title of Nobility: Guardian of Scotland, Steward and de facto King, between 1346 and 1357, in , , , Scotland.
Guardian of Scotland, Steward & de facto King 1346-57 • Joint Regent 1334-35, Regent 1338-41
at the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 Oct 1346 David was captured by the English and imprisoned until Nov 1357 • David II inherited the throne of Scotland at age 5, during his minority there were multiple Guardians of Scotland including Robert Stewart, High Steward of Scotland. Robert was joint Guardian from 1334 to 1335, was Guardian again 1338 to 1341. David assumed the throne for himself in 1341 but at the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346 was captured by the English and imprisoned until November 1357, during David's captivity Robert was again Guardian of Scotland and de facto King in everything but name.
Between 17 Oct 1346 and Nov 1357
Scotland
.

10. He served in the military on 17 October 1346 in Neville's Cross, , Durham, England: Fought at Battle of Neville's Cross • Captured by the English. ¹⁷²³

11. Papal Petition: Petition to Pope Clement, on 22 November 1347. ¹⁷²³
Papal dispensation for 1336 Non-canonical Marriage.

12. Title of Nobility: sir/knight and king, about 1348, in , , , Scotland. ¹⁷²³
Robert's marriage to Elizabeth Mure followed the birth of their 4 sons & 5 daughters, whose legitimation by the subsequent marriage did not give any of them an undisputed right of succession to the crown. A superior claim was asserted on behalf of Robert's two sons and two daughters by his second wife, Euphemia Ross, whom he married in 1355. Partly because of this dispute, Walter, earl of Atholl, one of Robert's sons by Euphemia, instigated the murder (1437) of James I, king of Scots, grandson of Robert and Elizabeth Mure.

Robert also had at least eight illegitimate sons.

13. He resided at Dundonald Castle in 1371 in Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Ayrshire, Scotland. ¹⁷²³
Robert Stewart built Dundonald Castle in 1371, probably to mark his accession to the throne as Robert II, and as a safe place for his family to live.

14. Title of Nobility: King of Scotland, between 22 February 1371 and 19 April 1390,. ¹⁷²³
35th King of Scotland • Reign of 19 years.

15. Coronation: on 26 March 1371, in Old Scone, Cargill, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. ¹⁷²³
(Scone Abbey, Old Scone, Perthshire, Scotland.)

16. He received First Holy Communion Prior to his death in 1390 in Old Scone, Cargill, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. ¹⁷²³
(Scone Abbey, Old Scone, Perthshire, Scotland.)

Robert married Elizabeth MURE of Rowallan, daughter of Sir Adam MURE and Joanna CUNNINGHAM, on 22 November 1347 in , Kyle, Ayrshire, Scotland.¹⁷²³ (Elizabeth MURE of Rowallan was born on 2 March 1320 in Rowallan, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland,¹⁷¹⁹ died in 1354 in Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Ayrshire, Scotland ¹⁷¹⁹ and was buried in 1354 in Paisley, , Renfrewshire, Scotland ¹⁷¹⁹.)

Robert next married Euphemia DE ROSS Queen of Scotland, daughter of Sir Hugh DE ROSS 4th Earl of Ross and Margaret DE GRAHAM, on 2 May 1355 in Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Ayrshire, Scotland.¹⁷²³ (Euphemia DE ROSS Queen of Scotland was born on 19 April 1329 in Cromarty, , Ross and Cromarty, Scotland,¹⁷²³ died on 20 February 1386 in Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Ayrshire, Scotland ¹⁷²³ and was buried after 20 February 1386 in Paisley, , Renfrewshire, Scotland ¹⁷²³.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. They have conflicting marriage information of 2 May 1355 and Fordoun, , Kincardineshire, Scotland. ¹⁷²³