| Notes |
- Robert's birth was a miracle. He almost didn't make it into this world. His mother was out riding her horse in the vicinity of Paisley when she fell from her horse and died from her injuries. At the time, Robert The Bruce still had no male heir to the throne, so Marjorie's unborn child was first in line for the throne and must be saved. Marjorie's body was rushed to Paisley Abbey where an emergency Caesarian section was posthumously performed to save her child. The miracle baby was named Robert after his heroic grandfather, King Robert The Bruce. He was raised on the family lands in Bute, Clydesdale and Renfrew. He learned to speak Gaelic and was described as handsome and charming.
Robert held the title of Earl of Strathearn.
At the young age of 11 years old, Robert Stewart inherited the office of High Steward on the death of his father in 1326. Robert was the seventh in the family line to hold the office of High Steward. He served under his uncle, the child King David II, the only legitimate son of Robert The Bruce. The orphaned eleven-year-old Robert was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Sir James Stewart of Durrisdeer, who was also one of the three Guardians appointed to rule Scotland until David came of age. Thus, David the King and his only heir at that point, Robert Stewart the High Steward, the two most powerful people in the country, were both children. This left Scotland in a weak position. England (as usual) seized upon the opportunity and in 1332 launched an invasion under the auspices of installing Edward Baliol, son of the deposed King John Baliol, as a puppet king on the Scottish throne.
In 1333, at age 17, Robert Stewart fought alongside King David at the Battle of Halidon Hill against the English and Baliol forces. David and Robert were forced to take refuge in Dumbarton Castle while most of Scotland fell to the English forces.
In 1334, David fled to France for safety and Robert was one of two Joint Guardians appointed to rule in David's absence. Robert briefly submitted to Edward Baliol and forfeited the Guardianship, but was reinstated in 1338 after recapturing the town of Perth in a resurgence of Scottish forces. Robert resumed ruling Scotland until David's return in 1341.
Meanwhile in 1336, Robert hurriedly married the possibly pregnant 16 year old Elizabeth Mure, daughter of Adam Mure of Rowallan. They went on to have ten children who survived to adulthood and possibly more who died young. Robert strategically married his children to powerful allied families and sought to advance his sons. Robert established marital unions with the houses of 8 of Scotland's 15 Earls, and other Lords, creating a significant power-base for Robert. However the legitimacy of Robert's marriage to Elizabeth Mure was openly questioned resulting in him holding a second marriage in 1347 to Elizabeth to ensure the legitimacy of his children. The reason for the questionable legitimacy of their first marriage is nowhere stated. Historians speculate that it was either because they were first cousins, which was not permitted without Papal dispensation, or that they had married in the Celtic tradition, which was not recognized as legitimate in the eyes of the Roman Church. The Pope granted dispensation and they were legitimately married in 1347 and all their children were legitmated. However, the questions around the legitimacy of the first marriage would plague the successions in Stewart family for at least two subsequent generations.
Elizabeth Mure died in 1353. in 1355 Robert sought papal dispensation to marry his cousin Euphemia Ross. Robert's sons by this marriage considered themselves to be rightful heirs of the throne against the children of Robert's first marriage, whom they considered to be illegitimate.
Robert was with David at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1446 when David was captured by the English. Robert escaped or fled and ruled in David's stead for 11 years until David was ransomed in 1357. David died in 1371 without issue and Robert Stewart was crowned on 26 March 1372 as King Robert II of Scots.
When Robert II came to the throne, a fourteen-year truce with England still had twelve years to run, although unofficial warfare with England continued along the border. During this period of peace, Robert was able to rule over a time of economic development and prosperity, as well as further establishing his powerful family network. Full scale war again broke out with England in 1385 as a by-product of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Scotland became involved through assistance to France.
Robert II was a prolific baby-maker, having fathered at least 26 known children by two wives and countless mistresses.
Robert's initial strategy of exercising power through the widespread networks of his children began to backfire as those children discovered the full scope of their own personal power and rivalries and jealousies started to become problematic. Robert's eldest son, John Stewart, Earl of Carrick (and future King Robert III), began to ignore his father's decrees and started to act independently as a powerful magnate in the south, his second surviving son, Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife and Menteith (the future Duke of Albany), began flexing his muscles in central Scotland, and Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, "The Wolf of Badenoch", was virtually uncontrollable in the north, having burned the town of Elgin in June 1390 over a dispute with the Bishop. Robert was reluctant to be firm with his sons and the Carrick faction launched a successful coup, having the High Council remove Robert's authority to rule and invest that authority in John Stewart, Earl of Carrick. Carrick then renewed war with England. Carrick was injured, and Robert, Earl of Fife, allied himself with the powerful Douglas family and seized the opportunity for a counter-coup and had ruling authority vested in himself by the High Council.
Two months later, King Robert II, reigning but not ruling, died quietly at Dundonald Castle in August 1390.
History has been unkind to the rule of Robert II, with commentators frequently referring to him as a weak ruler. However, the above portrayal reveals that he was smart, wily, aggressive, yet careful in his consolidation of widespread power across the country, not merely in the Anglo Lowlands, but also in the Gaelic Highlands. He appears to have been a person who deeply understood power and how to use it, yet was reluctant to challenge the ambitions of his own powerful sons. He had a period of very successful and prosperous rule which was overshadowed by the rise in power of his sons later in his life.
Upon his death, Robert II, King of Scots, was succeeded by his eldest son, John Stewart, Earl of Carrick, who took the name Robert III, King of Scots, believing the name "King John" to be seen as unfavourable in Scotland. However, the real power in the next generation was soon revealed to be Robert's second surviving son, Robert Stewart, Earl of FIfe and Menteith, the future Duke of Albany.
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1316 - 1390 (74 years)
