Robert Bruce and His Role in the Scottish Society - Essay Example

Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland Introduction Born on July 11, 1274, Robert Bruce went on to become the Scottish king that would bring freedom to the Scots from the English. He was a famous warrior who that went on to prove his worth until his death in 1329, where he fought successfully during his reign to make Scotland an independent territory. As such, he should continue being a hero in his home country as a sign of recognition for his bravery. He received much recognition for his ability to defeat armies much larger than his and was eager to have his country attain independence from the English. His ability to defeat most of his enemies enabled him to control a much larger part of Scotland; something that gave him the way forward and accorded him respect from his fellow citizens. He was also able to retain this independence up to his death, and this should be enough to keep him as a national hero that deserves such honour for gifting his country the most essential part of any liberal society. The fact that Robert the Bruce fought to free the Scottish society should be reason enough to have him remembered as a hero. History The history of Robert the Bruce began in 1124 when the very first of the Bruce’s family arrived in Scotland. David Bruce was the first one, and he was able to settle in the lands of Annandale in Galloway and Dumfries (Whyte 2014: 12). This was enough to have the family recognised as one of the ruling dynasties, though the then king of England, who remotely ruled Scotland, wanted to use it as a way of wooing them to his side. Robert the Bruce was the son of Robert de Bruce, who was the sixth Lord of Annandale and Marjorie who was the Countess of Carrick (Brown 2004: 15). Robert the Bruce claimed the throne as David 1’s fourth great grandson. From his mother, he was able to inherit the Earldom of Carrick, and his father gave him the chance to have his chance at the Scottish throne. The family was also well endowed, having lands and estates in County Durham, Essex, Garioch and Middlesex (Brown 2008: 54). This allowed them to have a better chance of recognition from the government in England, and that was a good thing for their survival. He had nine siblings, spending a huge part of his life together his brother Edward at the courts with the nobles. Little can be said of Robert’s youth because it was a little obscured by the hidden nature noted in many of the kingdoms then. Speculations would occur based on what people knew would happen in these kingdoms, since history did not record his existence until he was older. As such, there is a probability that most of his time was spent in between castles, and that allowed him to learn so much more about his country and the different lineages he inherited from his father and mother’s sides of the family (Whyte 2014: 20). According to the Scottish royal traditions, it was possible that Robert the Bruce was tutored as part of royalty. The first time he appeared in history was as a witness in a charter issued by Alexander Og MacDonald who was the Lord of Islay (Brown 2008: 59). He was probably a knight by this time, and at the age of sixteen, he knew that his fate needed keen interest based on the issues that were taking place. With the Bruce dynasty aware that it needed to keep tabs with the political happenings, Robert the Bruce was keen with the intent of being a king one day (Hunter 2012: 22). Military leadership After his father gave up his rights to the Earldom of Carrick, it was easier for Robert the Bruce to take up the role in 1297 and convinced everyone that he was indeed ready to fight for the crown. His cousin John Balliol took over the throne in 1292, and that was a major reason his father set up Bruce for the throne. It was easier for him to prove his leadership by having something he could go back to. This also meant that it would be easier to form his army and use it to protect himself and fight for the throne (Macnamee 2006: 45). He knew that the Scottish were fed up by the loyalty pledge to King Edward and used his wit to come up with a plan that would see him gain entry to many of the fortified castles. This would also create a chance for him to challenge the King and make his intentions clear. The fight was not easy, and the war between Scotland and England was mainly aimed at the Bruce dynasty. This took place in 1296 when seven Earls made a surprise attack to the city of Carlisle (Macnamee 2006: 48). Bruce was ready to defend his city, and that gave him a chance to understand the castle’s defenses well. Bruce was never tired of protecting his people and the events led to the independence of his nation. His father fought alongside Edward, but Robert the Bruce chose to protect the dignity of his people. He first attempted to attack Edward’s army in 1306 was thwarted and he took refuge in the caves. When there, he summoned his energy and went back to reorganise his army (Penman 2009: 26). By now, he had been crowned as the King of the Scots and the Earl of Carrick, so he had to defend his territory from any intruders. This was also a turning point in his life as he sought to show he was capable of making the right choices. He was now bequeathed the most important part of the family’s wealth, something that allowed him to grow into one of the most patriotic leaders of his generation. He was the king of Scotland and was befitting of the title given the sacrifices he made for his country and fellow citizens (Whyte 2014: 166). Bruce’s determination paid off when he went back and fought to regain the lost territories, allowing him to capture essential castles within the Scottish territory (Grant 2008: 54). He was able to convince the Scottish men that the only thing that could keep them aware of their goals was by not giving up. He was able to get as many of them as possible to the war front, and they all fought to have their country gain independent and stay away from the rule of the English. The nobles were undecided, but he was able to create an army that could fight the English army and still win. He was able to inspire people after learning the impact that guerrilla wars would have in attaining him the kind of access he needed to the throne (Scott 2014: 19). He threatened many nobles who swore their allegiance to him after they realised they could not beat him. The castles fell into his territory, making it easier to weaken the English rule amongst the Scots. Bruce took over many castles and as the King of Scotland; he was able to create a chance that would see him gain as much territory. Thus, he created an opportunity for his fellow citizens to stand up against England and fight for what was rightfully theirs. Many did not envision a free Scotland, but Robert the Bruce was aware of the possibility of getting self-rule. Every small victory was a good one for the Scottish, and that allowed him to make the most of it. He was quoted as telling people that the best way of winning was to gather as much courage as possible and provide the people with a reason to be happy about their traditions, culture and ability to gain more control over their land (Grant 2008: 58). He knew that war was better than diplomacy at times, and he prepared to give England a good resistance until they recognised his country as independent and able to govern itself. He also urged people not to give up when they failed, because just as a spider keeps on weaving its web, everyone should keep trying until success comes (Scott 2014: 28). Battle of Bannockburn Bruce had to fight the notion that the gains made by King Edward would make it difficult for the Scottish to win their independence. At the battle of Bannockburn, Bruce was willing to do all he could to attain the kind of success needed to push the English out of the Scottish territory. When Edward II came to the throne in 1307, it was now easier for Bruce to lead an attack because of Edward II’s incapability of leading a determined army to war against the Scottish (Whyte 2014: 139). Edward Bruce, Robert’s brother, captured one of the most important castles, the Stirling Castle, setting up a battle that would put to test Robert’s strength against a determined English army that did not want to lose such a strategic position. The size of the English army in itself was daunting, outnumbering the Scottish army in number and weaponry (Scott 2014: 33). Bruce was not worried because he knew that the best way of winning this two-day war was by using a psychological manoeuvre that would get the English by surprise. Given the formations that the Scottish army had, it was very easy for them to cause as much harm to the well-equipped army and gather so much courage to disperse the remaining infantries (Whyte 2014: 143). The English army was demoralised and that made it easier for Bruce to win the war the following day as the Scots were able to gather as much intelligence and information regarding the army’s whereabouts, something the caught Edward II in surprise. They distracted the English’s formations and that made it difficult to come up with a way of winning the war. Edward II was led to safety, as the English fled and retreated from the battle. It was very easy to spread the panic and fear amongst the English, something that gave Bruce the chance to inflict more pain on the distraught army as well as gather more opportunities to take castles to add on to his territory (Penman 2014: 108). This allowed Bruce to create a territory the English respected, and allowed all nobles who doubted Bruce’s ability to lead a small army against a well-trained and equipped English army to come back and support him. His father gave him leadership opportunities at the right time in his life, and that allowed him to make the best out of what he had (Penman 2014: 112). This also allowed him to make better choices and create a kingdom that would provide the Scots with a chance to be free from foreign rule. Bruce could now inspire his fellow citizens to continue holding dear to their independence and not to allow anyone to make their stay more difficult (Whyte 2014: 157). This was a good way of seeing the world, and the Scots would always remember that no matter how small their army was, it was possible to maintain a good record and remain undefeated despite the odds (Penman 2014: 116). Conclusion With him being a role model for the rest of the country to emulate, Robert Bruce is one of the essential figures in Scotland. His death in 1329 led to more attacks, and that made Scots aware of their strength. This allowed them to make better choices and support a king they knew would grant them a chance at independence. He played a huge role in winning the Battle of Bannockburn, something that made his country stronger, independent and united. He showed people that what matters is courage and confidence. Tactics will win a game anytime in any war if people are made to believe that they have what it takes to be the best. Robert the Bruce was a hero and remains to be one of the most important figures in the history of Scotland. He was the leader that created a resilient status amongst a majority of the people, who still remember him to date. As such, he should remain a hero for the people of Scotland. References Brown, C. (2008) Bannockburn 1314, Stroud: History Brown, M. (2004) The Wars of Scotland, 1214-1371, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Grant, R.G. (2008) Battle: a visual journey through 5,000 years of combat, London: DK Publishing Hunter, P.V. (2012) The adventures of Wee Robert Bruce, Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire: Auch Books. Macnamee, C. (2006) Robert Bruce: our most Valiant Prince, King and Lord, Edinburgh: Birlinn Penman, M. (2009) Robert Bruces Bones: Reputations, Politics and Identities in Nineteenth-Century Scotland, International Review of Scottish Studies, vol. 34, pp. 7-73. Penman, M. (2014) Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots, London: Yale University Press. Scott, R.M. (2014) Robert the Bruce: King of Scots, New York: Canongate Books. Whyte, J. (2014) Robert the Bruce, Edinburgh, Tom Doherty Associates. Read More