User:Billreid/Robert II
King of Scots / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert II (early 1316 – 19 April 1390) became King of Scots in 1371 — the first monarch of the House of Stewart. Before his accession he held the titles of High Steward of Scotland and earl of Strathearn. He owed his position to his ancestry as the son of Walter Stewart, High Steward of Scotland and Marjorie Bruce, daughter of King Robert I "The Bruce" and of his first wife Isabella of Mar. Robert Stewart became heir presumptive to his grandfather, King Robert I in 1318, but this lapsed in 1324 with the birth of a son, afterwards King David II. On his father's death in 1326, he inherited the title of High Steward and in the same year parliament named him as heir presumptive to Prince David. In 1329 King Robert I died and the 5 year old David succeeded him.
Robert II | |
---|---|
King of Scots | |
Reign | 22 February 1371 – 19 April 1390 |
Coronation | March 1371 |
Predecessor | David II |
Successor | Robert III |
Earl of Strathearn | |
Title held | 1357-1390 |
Burial | |
Spouse | Elizabeth Mure Euphemia de Ross |
Issue | Robert III of Scotland Walter Stewart Robert, 1st Duke of Albany Alexander, earl of Buchan David, earl of Caithness Walter, earl of Atholl Thomas Stewart |
House | House of Stewart |
Father | Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland |
Mother | Marjorie Bruce |
Robert served as Guardian of Scotland on four occasions – shared with John Randolph, earl of Moray (1334–1335), then solely during David's refuge in France (1338–1341) and twice during David's captivity in England (between 1346 and 1357).
The Steward married Elizabeth Mure c. 1348, thus legitimising his four sons and five daughters. His subsequent marriage to Euphemia de Ross in 1355 produced two sons and two surviving daughters and became the basis of a dispute as to the line of succession.
Robert joined a rebellion against David in 1363, but submitted to him under threat that any further defiance would mean the end of his rights in the line of succession. In 1364 the Scots Parliament dismissed David's proposal to write off the remaining amounts due to England under the terms of his (David's) ransom in return for naming a Plantagenet as his heir should he remain childless.
On David's unexpected death in 1371, Robert succeeded to the throne at the age of 55. England still controlled large sectors in the Lothians and in the border country. Robert allowed his southern earls to engage in conflicts in the English zones to regain their territories, halted trade with England and renewed treaties with France. By 1384 Scots had re-taken most of the foreign-occupied lands, but following an Anglo-French truce, Robert proved reluctant to commit Scotland to all-out war and obtained inclusion in the peace talks being conducted by England and France. Following a palace coup in 1384 he lost control of the governance of the kingdom: first to his eldest son, John, earl of Carrick, afterwards King Robert III, and then from 1388 to John's younger brother, Robert, earl of Fife, afterwards 1st Duke of Albany. Robert II died in Dundonald Castle in 1390 and was buried at Scone Abbey.