Robert the Bruce was the eighth descendant of a Norman knight who was called Robert de Bruce after a Norman castle known as Bruis or Brix. The first Robert de Bruce came to England with William the Conqueror. The fourth Robert de Bruce married the daughter of William I, king of Scotland.
How did Robert the Bruce get his name?
How did Robert the Bruce become king of Scotland?
Robert the Bruce’s grandfather was related to the Scottish royal family by marriage and tried to claim the throne when it became vacant in 1290. John de Balliol was granted the throne but was removed in 1296 by King Edward I of England. Scotland resisted English rule, and in 1306 Robert declared himself king of Scotland.