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21ST GENERATION
1253696. King Robert Steward
II of Scotland was born on 2 Mar 1315/16. He died on 19 Apr 1390 in
Dundonald, , Ayrshire, Scotland. Reigned 1371-1390
also called ROBERT THE STEWARD, OR (1357-71) ROBERT STEWART, EARL OF STRATHEARN
king of Scots from 1371, first of the Stewart (Stuart) sovereigns in Scotland.
Heir presumptive for more than 50 years, he had little effect on Scottish political
and military affairs when he finally acceded to the throne.
On the death (1326) of his father, Walter the Steward, in 1326, Robert became
seventh hereditary steward of Scotland at age 10. From 1318 he was heir presumptive
to his maternal grandfather, King Robert I the Bruce (died 1329). He lost this
position in 1324 when the Bruce's son, afterward King David II, was born; but
two years later the Scottish Parliament confirmed Robert the Steward as heir
apparent to David.
During David's periods of exile and of imprisonment by the English, Robert the
Steward was joint regent (1334-35; with John Randolph, 3rd earl of Moray) and
sole regent (1338-41, 1346-57). After David had been ransomed from the English,
Robert led an unsuccessful rebellion (1362-63). He succeeded in defending his
own right as heir apparent against David's abortive proposal to commute his remaining
ransom payments to the English by making a son of King Edward III of England
heir to the Scottish throne.
On the death of David (Feb. 22, 1371), Robert succeeded to the throne, his reign
proving largely an anticlimax to his career. He took no active part in the renewed
war with England (from 1378 to 1388). From 1384 the kingdom was administered
by Robert's eldest son, John, earl of Carrick (afterward King Robert III), and
from 1388, by his next surviving son, Robert, earl of Fife (afterward 1st duke
of Albany).
Robert's marriage (c. 1348) to Elizabeth Mure followed the birth of their four
sons and five 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.
He was married to Euphemia. 1253697. Euphemia
. Children were:
313448 i.
King Robert Bruce III of Scotland. |