The Warrior King

On the 750th anniversary of his birth, Robert The Bruce's legacy as cultural keystone and historical enigma continues to fascinate

- CLAIRE MACAULAY

IF ever a person could be said to embody the spirit of a nation, it is Robert The Bruce, King of Scots - the ultimate tenacious underdog with bags of attitude. To mark 750 years since Bruce's birth on July 11, we peer through the thick veil of history to reveal the true story of the warrior king, a man as much myth as mortal.

And it's a tale as much about personal and dynastic ambition as it is about the independence of a nation.

Born into a noble family, Bruce had a privileged upbringing and was educated in Gaelic, Scots, Norman French and Latin, the legal language of the day.

He wasn't the first of his lineage to show royal ambitions. His paternal grandfather, Robert V de Brus, was a contender for the throne during the Great Cause of 1291-1292, following the untimely death of Scotland's appointed heir, Margaret, Maid of Norway.

Edward I of England was invited to arbitrate on the various claims to the Scots' throne, ultimately finding in favour of John Balliol.

This slight would have haunted the Bruce family.

"Bruce would have been raised with the opinion that his family should have been the ones on the throne," explains Dr Nicki Scott, senior cultural significance advisor at Historic Environment Scotland.

"He's well educated, he's of noble birth, his family are well-connected and eager to promote their status. It's a perfect storm for Bruce to want to be king,"

A puppet king, Balliol's reign was a failure. The nation descended into war with England, as Edward sought to annex the kingdom.