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Source: Robert II of Scotland - World History Encyclopedia

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Titre	Robert II of Scotland - World History Encyclopedia

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ROBERT II King of Scotland RS02 RB01

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Cartwright, M. (2021, January 08). Robert II of Scotland. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Robert_II_of_Scotland/

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Biography, history of succession, as well links to the prior king(s) and how the Stewarts came to reign. Robert II of Scotland ruled as king from 1371 to 1390 CE. Born Robert Stewart, he succeeded the heirless David II of Scotland (r. 1329-1371 CE) and so founded the royal house of Stewart. Dividing Scottish estates between his many offspring, Robert redrew the political map of his kingdom and effectively replaced half of the nobility with his family and allies, a process often called the 'Stewartisation' of Scotland. Although a more capable leader in his youth than medieval historians liked to portray him, Robert's reign did witness a decline in the wealth of the Crown and the creation of bitter rivalries amongst the great baronial families which would cause no end of problems for his successor, his son Robert III of Scotland (r. 1390-1406 CE). Early Life Robert Stewart was born on 2 March 1316 CE in Paisley in exceptional circumstances. His mother was involved in a fatal riding accident, and Robert was born by Caesarian section. Robert's mother was Marjorie (b. c. 1295 CE), daughter of King Robert the Bruce (r. 1306-1329 CE) and Isabel of Mar. This made Robert the nephew of David II of Scotland, even if he was several years older. Robert's father was Walter Stewart, a powerful Scottish baron. The family name was a subtle alteration of 'Steward', a title Robert's family had held since the 12th century CE in their capacity as the hereditary Great Stewards of Scotland. Robert's father was the 6th High Steward of Scotland, by then a purely honorary title. On his father's death in 1327 CE, Robert became the next Steward and the owner of estates which gave him a rank equal with the most powerful families in the kingdom such as the Bruces and the Douglases. Robert spent most of his childhood on the west coast of Scotland. Aged just 17, he fought at the Battle of Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333 CE. The battle saw Edward III of England (r. 1327-1377 CE) heavily defeat a Scottish army. Robert, along with other nobles, fled to the safety of Dumbarton, but he then launched a sustained campaign to retrieve some of his family's lost castles and estates. One medieval chronicler gives the following description of Robert: "a young man of attractive appearance above the sons of men, broad and tall in physique, kind to everyone, and modest, generous, cheerful and honest" (Oram, 143). Robert married his mistress Elizabeth Mure in 1336 CE (and again after the 1347 CE papal dispensation which finally declared their union valid). Around 1337 CE (or in 1340 CE) Robert had his first son, John. Elizabeth died sometime before 1355 CE, and Robert married again in May of the same year, this time to Euphemia, Countess of Moray. Robert would go on to have another 21 children, both legitimate and illegitimate. John, though, was made the official heir apparent in 1371 CE. David II had succeeded his father Robert the Bruce, but as he was a minor, his kingdom was ruled by a guardian. Robert Stewart became that guardian in 1338 CE. In 1346 CE, King David unwisely attacked northern England and he was infamously captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross. English archers had brought victory, and the Scots had suffered significant desertions, notably Robert Stewart who withdrew as soon as the battle had tipped in favour of the enemy. The Scottish king spent the next 11 years in the Tower of London, and in his absence, Robert rose to effectively rule Scotland as regent and become the king's heir apparent.David II was finally released in October 1357 CE as part of the Treaty of Berwick, where the Scots agreed to pay a ransom and respect a 10-year truce with England. Robert Stewart remained a dangerous rival, though, and despite being made the earl of Strathearn by his king, he made an unsuccessful attempt at a coup. Indeed, it was not until 1363 CE that he finally gave formal submission to his king. Despite the friction between the two, Robert remained David's heir presumptive for want of a better candidate. When David II died on 22 February 1371 CE he left no heir and so Robert Stewart was made king as Robert II of Scotland. Robert was then 55, and he had secured his right to the throne by buying off his chief rival Earl William Douglas. Thus was founded the royal house of Stewart (later to become Stuart) which would rule Scotland until 1603 CE and after that both England and Scotland together. Robert's coronation was held at Scone Abbey on 26 March 1371 CE. Towards the end of his reign, Robert seemed unenthusiastic about politics, leaving most matters of government to his eldest son John, Earl of Carrick while he retired to a favourite residence like Rothesay Castle on the Isle of Bute. John, with the backing of Earl James Douglas (son of William Douglas and the new leader of that clan), had even launched a coup against his father in 1384 CE but eventually settled down to rule Scotland in practice if not in title. Death & Successor Robert died on 19 April 1390 CE at Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire, and he was buried at Scone Abbey. Robert was succeeded by his eldest son who became Robert III of Scotland. The name John was considered inappropriate as the Bruces' great rivals the Balliol's had had a king of that name, and it was also thought an unlucky one for a Scottish monarch. Any attempts to gain fortune's favour was already a bit late as John/Robert had been kicked by a horse in 1388 CE and so spent the rest of his days as an invalid. Robert III was thus obliged to largely leave the government in the hands of others, notably his brother Robert, Earl of Fife (aka Duke of Albany, l. 1339-1420 CE). Robert III's kingdom was torn by the bitter rivalries which had been created by Robert II's land and title redistribution policies and his large number of offspring. The inherent instability in the kingdom was seen most infamously at the clan battle at Perth in 1396 CE where a number of Mackays and Mackintoshes fought each other to the death. More seriously for Scotland, England once more went on the offensive against its northern neighbour, but, still, the Stewarts continued to hold on to power, and the house Robert II had founded would rule Scotland until 1714 CE. Full article can be found at website.

Biography, history of succession, as well links to the prior king(s) and how the Stewarts came to reign.

Robert II of Scotland ruled as king from 1371 to 1390 CE. Born Robert Stewart, he succeeded the heirless David II of Scotland (r. 1329-1371 CE) and so founded the royal house of Stewart. Dividing Scottish estates between his many offspring, Robert redrew the political map of his kingdom and effectively replaced half of the nobility with his family and allies, a process often called the 'Stewartisation' of Scotland. Although a more capable leader in his youth than medieval historians liked to portray him, Robert's reign did witness a decline in the wealth of the Crown and the creation of bitter rivalries amongst the great baronial families which would cause no end of problems for his successor, his son Robert III of Scotland (r. 1390-1406 CE).

Early Life
Robert Stewart was born on 2 March 1316 CE in Paisley in exceptional circumstances. His mother was involved in a fatal riding accident, and Robert was born by Caesarian section. Robert's mother was Marjorie (b. c. 1295 CE), daughter of King Robert the Bruce (r. 1306-1329 CE) and Isabel of Mar. This made Robert the nephew of David II of Scotland, even if he was several years older. Robert's father was Walter Stewart, a powerful Scottish baron. The family name was a subtle alteration of 'Steward', a title Robert's family had held since the 12th century CE in their capacity as the hereditary Great Stewards of Scotland. Robert's father was the 6th High Steward of Scotland, by then a purely honorary title. On his father's death in 1327 CE, Robert became the next Steward and the owner of estates which gave him a rank equal with the most powerful families in the kingdom such as the Bruces and the Douglases.

Robert spent most of his childhood on the west coast of Scotland. Aged just 17, he fought at the Battle of Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333 CE. The battle saw Edward III of England (r. 1327-1377 CE) heavily defeat a Scottish army. Robert, along with other nobles, fled to the safety of Dumbarton, but he then launched a sustained campaign to retrieve some of his family's lost castles and estates.

One medieval chronicler gives the following description of Robert: "a young man of attractive appearance above the sons of men, broad and tall in physique, kind to everyone, and modest, generous, cheerful and honest" (Oram, 143). Robert married his mistress Elizabeth Mure in 1336 CE (and again after the 1347 CE papal dispensation which finally declared their union valid). Around 1337 CE (or in 1340 CE) Robert had his first son, John. Elizabeth died sometime before 1355 CE, and Robert married again in May of the same year, this time to Euphemia, Countess of Moray. Robert would go on to have another 21 children, both legitimate and illegitimate. John, though, was made the official heir apparent in 1371 CE.

David II had succeeded his father Robert the Bruce, but as he was a minor, his kingdom was ruled by a guardian. Robert Stewart became that guardian in 1338 CE. In 1346 CE, King David unwisely attacked northern England and he was infamously captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross. English archers had brought victory, and the Scots had suffered significant desertions, notably Robert Stewart who withdrew as soon as the battle had tipped in favour of the enemy. The Scottish king spent the next 11 years in the Tower of London, and in his absence, Robert rose to effectively rule Scotland as regent and become the king's heir apparent.David II was finally released in October 1357 CE as part of the Treaty of Berwick, where the Scots agreed to pay a ransom and respect a 10-year truce with England. Robert Stewart remained a dangerous rival, though, and despite being made the earl of Strathearn by his king, he made an unsuccessful attempt at a coup. Indeed, it was not until 1363 CE that he finally gave formal submission to his king. Despite the friction between the two, Robert remained David's heir presumptive for want of a better candidate.

When David II died on 22 February 1371 CE he left no heir and so Robert Stewart was made king as Robert II of Scotland. Robert was then 55, and he had secured his right to the throne by buying off his chief rival Earl William Douglas. Thus was founded the royal house of Stewart (later to become Stuart) which would rule Scotland until 1603 CE and after that both England and Scotland together. Robert's coronation was held at Scone Abbey on 26 March 1371 CE.

Towards the end of his reign, Robert seemed unenthusiastic about politics, leaving most matters of government to his eldest son John, Earl of Carrick while he retired to a favourite residence like Rothesay Castle on the Isle of Bute. John, with the backing of Earl James Douglas (son of William Douglas and the new leader of that clan), had even launched a coup against his father in 1384 CE but eventually settled down to rule Scotland in practice if not in title.

Death & Successor
Robert died on 19 April 1390 CE at Dundonald Castle in Ayrshire, and he was buried at Scone Abbey. Robert was succeeded by his eldest son who became Robert III of Scotland. The name John was considered inappropriate as the Bruces' great rivals the Balliol's had had a king of that name, and it was also thought an unlucky one for a Scottish monarch. Any attempts to gain fortune's favour was already a bit late as John/Robert had been kicked by a horse in 1388 CE and so spent the rest of his days as an invalid. Robert III was thus obliged to largely leave the government in the hands of others, notably his brother Robert, Earl of Fife (aka Duke of Albany, l. 1339-1420 CE).

Robert III's kingdom was torn by the bitter rivalries which had been created by Robert II's land and title redistribution policies and his large number of offspring. The inherent instability in the kingdom was seen most infamously at the clan battle at Perth in 1396 CE where a number of Mackays and Mackintoshes fought each other to the death. More seriously for Scotland, England once more went on the offensive against its northern neighbour, but, still, the Stewarts continued to hold on to power, and the house Robert II had founded would rule Scotland until 1714 CE.

Full article can be found at website.