Robert The Bruce, by Duncan Petrie
Over 60 members attended a detailed presentation by Duncan about the true Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce (King Robert I), who ruled from 1306 to 1329 and transformed Scotland into an independent kingdom.
Key Historical Achievements
- Battle of Bannockburn (1314): Bruce defeated a much larger English army, ending the occupation and securing his power.
- Declaration of Arbroath (1320): A letter to the Pope stating Scotland’s right to independence and introducing the rare medieval idea that a king rules by the people’s consent.
- Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton (1328): After years of guerrilla warfare, England officially recognized Scottish independence and Bruce as king.
Duncan explained who was The Real “Braveheart”
While movies credit William Wallace with the name “Braveheart,” history awards it to Robert the Bruce due to a final wish after his 1329 death:
- Bruce wanted his heart taken on a crusade to the Holy Land.
- In 1330, Sir James Douglas carried the embalmed heart in a silver casket to fight in Spain.
- Surrounded by a Moorish army at the Battle of Teba, Douglas threw the casket into the fight, shouting, “Lead on, Brave Heart, and I will follow thee!”
- Douglas died, but the enemy returned the casket out of respect. The heart was buried at Melrose Abbey, cementing Bruce’s legacy.
Upcoming Event
Group Leader Keith Smith thanked Duncan for the talk.
Next month, Keith will present “Scott of the Antarctic” to examine the explorer’s tragic final expedition.
- Where: Casa Cultura
- When: Tuesday, November 10th 11.00am
