Robert III of Scotland

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Robert III (ca. 1337-1406) was king of Scotland from 1390 to 1406. Notable as king primarily for the weakness of his reign, he played a larger part in the affairs of the kingdom before his accession than as monarch.

The future Robert III (actually christened John) was born some years before the marriage of his parents, Robert Steward (who was to become king as Robert II in 1371) and Elizabeth Mure. The children of this union were subsequently legitimized, by papal dispensation, in 1347, the young John being styled Lord of Kyle. He was made Earl of Atholl by the King in 1367 and Earl of Carrick (as he is usually referred to) in 1368.

On the accession of Robert II in 1371, the Scottish Parliament, to forestall any possible doubts about legitimacy, firmly established the succession on Carrick and his line and, failing that, on his brothers. Carrick seems to have played an important part in the early years of his father's reign, negotiating with John of Gaunt in 1380 and being directed to restore order in the Highlands in 1384. But a kick from a horse, apparently sometime after 1385 (though some historians place it earlier), resulted in a disability and perhaps even a lifelong weakness, for in 1388 Carrick was relieved of his responsibilities in favor of his next surviving brother, Robert, Earl of Fife.

Nonetheless, on the death of Robert II, Carrick succeeded, taking as his regnal name Robert. The Earl of Fife continued, however, as the chief power in the kingdom. The new king's reign was constantly troubled by the lawlessness of great lords and the quarrels of clans, especially the celebrated combat between 30 men each of the clans Kay and Quele. Apparently, Fife's influence waned after 1393, and in 1399 the King's elder son, David, was appointed by the General Council as "lieutenant" of the kingdom for 3 years.

This young man had been created Duke of Rothesay the previous year, his uncle, the Earl of Fife, becoming Duke of Albany at the same time (the first dukes in Scotland). The rivalry between these two was a prime factor in the fortunes of the country during the next 3 troubled years. Resistance to the demands of the new English king, Henry IV, to have his overlordship of Scotland recognized was weakened by treachery and dissension among the leading magnates. Finally in 1402 Rothesay, whose profligacy had earned him many enemies, was arrested by order of his uncle and died in prison shortly afterward.

In all these events Robert III was virtually a cipher. Probably seeing, and fearing, the unbreakable ascendancy of Albany (lieutenant of the kingdom from 1402), the King sent his remaining son, James (born 1394), to France in 1406; but the young boy was intercepted by kidnapers and handed over to the English for a captivity that was to last 18 years. Robert's death followed quickly after the news reached him. He reportedly requested as his epitaph "Here lies the worst of kings and the most miserable of men."

Further Reading

There is no work solely on Robert III or his reign. Background information on his times is given in standard histories of Scotland; recommended is William Croft Dickinson, A New History of Scotland, vol. 1 (1961; 2d ed. 1965).

Robert III (c. 1337-1406), earl of Carrick (1368-90), king of Scots (1390-1406). Eldest son of Robert, steward of Scotland, later Robert II. His baptismal name was John, but he took the name Robert when he became king. In his own alleged words, Robert III was ‘the worst of kings and the most wretched of men!’ From 1384, the incapacity of his father left John responsible for the administration of justice; but in 1388 he himself was incapacitated by a kick from a horse, and his brother Robert, earl of Fife, was made guardian. Neither Fife nor the king himself proved able to contain the flood of violence, particularly in the north, where Forres was sacked in 1390, and Elgin in 1391 by another of the king's brothers, Alexander, earl of Buchan, the ‘Wolf of Badenoch’.

Robert was faced in 1398 with a struggle for power between the earl of Fife, created duke of Albany in that year, and the king's 20-year-old son David, created at the same time duke of Rothesay, and appointed in his turn lieutenant for a period of three years. Rothesay proved energetic, but in 1402 he was removed from office in a coup evidently organized by Albany and died in captivity shortly after. Robert III could do nothing to check the power of these nobles, despite the disastrous result of a battle which they provoked against the English at Homildon Hill (14 September 1402). In 1406 he tried to send his remaining son James (b. 1394) to safety in France, but he was captured off Flamborough Head and taken to captivity in England. Robert's death followed immediately on the shock of the news.

Biography

Robert III redirects here. Robert Curthose of Normandy is also sometimes known as Robert III or Robert II.

Robert III
King Robert III and Queen Annabella
King of Scotland
Reign	1390 - 4 April 1406
Predecessor	Robert II
Successor	James I
Spouse	Anabella Drummond
among others Issue
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay James I of Scotland
House	House of Stewart
Father	Robert II of Scotland
Mother	Elizabeth Mure
Born	c. 1340
Died	4 April 1406 Rothesay Castle
Burial	Paisley Abbey

Robert III (c. 1340 – 4 April 1406) was King of Scotland (reigned 1390 - 1406)

Biography

He was the eldest son of King Robert II by his mistress, Elizabeth Mure, became legitimised with the formal marriage of his parents about 1349. They had previously married in 1336, but some had criticised that ceremony as uncanonical.

In 1368 his granduncle King David II of Scotland created him Earl of Carrick, and he took some part in the government of the kingdom until about 1387, when a kick from a horse disabled him. Probably in consequence of this accident his brother Robert, Earl of Fife, and not the crown prince himself, became guardian of the kingdom in 1389; but the latter succeeded to the throne on his father's death in May 1390.

At this time he changed his baptismal name of John - unpopular owing to its connection with John de Baliol; he also wished to avoid being called John II, as recognition of Balliol's kingship would weaken the Bruce title to the throne - for that of Robert, and became crowned at Scone in August 1390 as King Robert III. Although he probably attended several parliaments, the new king was seen only nominally as the ruler of Scotland, the real power remaining in the hands of his brother, the Earl of Fife.

In 1399, however, owing to the king's "sickness of the body", his elder son, David, Duke of Rothesay, gained appointment as lieutenant of the kingdom; but there followed an English invasion of Scotland, serious differences between Rothesay and his uncle, Robert, now Duke of Albany, and finally in March 1402 Rothesay's mysterious death at Falkland Palace.

Robert III began to fear for the fate of his only surviving son, young James. In February 1406 he had James taken in secrecy to Dirleton Castle to wait for a ship to transport him to France. Robert of Fife sent a large force after Crown Prince James and when a battle was fought nearby, James was put in a rowing boat and ferried to the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. The 11-year-old heir to the throne and his guardians were left for a month on the tiny, windswept, rocky island among the boiling seas, before a ship arrived trying to bring James to France. Robert of Fife informed the English King, who arranged the ship's interception. Thus James became a prisoner of the King of England for 18 years. When Robert III heard of his son's capture, he became even more depressed and allegedly died from grief over the capture of James. Robert asked to be buried under a dunghill with the epitaph: Here lies the worst of Kings and the most miserable of men. He was interred at Paisley instead of Scone, the traditional burial ground of the Scottish kings, as he did not consider himself worthy of the honour.

Marriage and issue

In 1367, Robert III married Anabella Drummond, daughter of Sir John Drummond of Stobhall and Mary Montifex.

v • d • e Children of Robert III of Scotland Children of Robert III and Annabella Drummond David, Duke of Rothesay · Robert, died in infancy  · James, Steward of Scotland, Duke of Rothesay and King of Scots · Margaret, married to Archibald, Earl of Douglas and Duke of Touraine · Mary, married to (1) George Douglas, Earl of Angus, (2) Sir James Kennedy and (3) William, Lord of Graham  · Elizabeth, married to Sir James Douglas, 1st Baron Dalkeith · Egida, married to William Douglas, Lord of Nithsdale Illegitimate children of Robert III James Stewart of Kilbride · Sir John Stewart of Auchingowan and Ardgowan Information from: Boardman, Early Stewart Kings and Weir, Britain's Royal Family [1]

Ancestry

v • d • e Ancestors of Robert III of Scotland

16. Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland               8. James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland                       17. Jean Macrory               4. Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland                             18. Patrick III, Earl of Dunbar               9. Cecilia de Dunbar                       19. Marjory Comyn               2. Robert II of Scotland                                   20. Robert de Brus               10. Robert I of Scotland                       21. Marjorie of Carrick               5. Marjorie Bruce                             22. Domhnall I, Earl of Mar               11. Isabella of Mar                       23. Helen               1. Robert III of Scotland                                         6. Adam Mure of Rowallan                             3. Elizabeth Mure                                   7. Joan Cunningham

Notes

1. ^ Boardman, Early Stewart Kings pp. 114, 141, 149, 245, 294; Weir, Britain's Royal Family, pp. 227—229

See also

• Scottish monarchs' family tree

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• Stephen Boardman, 'The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III (1371-1406)', East Linton, 1996

External links

• Biography of Robert III, King of Scots

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v • d • e Contemporary rulers England Richard II (House of Plantaginet) 1377–1399 · Henry IV (House of Lancaster) 1399–1413 France Charles VI  1380–1422 Western Schism 1378–1429 Papacy Seated in Rome  (Acknowledged in Denmark, England, Flanders, the Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, northern Italy, Ireland, Norway, Poland, and Sweden) Boniface IX 1389–1404 · Innocent VII 1404–1406 Seated in Avignon  (Acknowledged in Aragon, Burgundy, Castile and León, Cyprus, France, Naples, Savoy, and Scotland Clement VII 1378–1394 · Benedict XIII 1394–1417 (deposed in 1409 and 1417; died 1424)

v • d • e Succession offices of Robert III, King of Scots Robert III of Scotland House of Stewart Born: 1316 Died: 1390 Regnal titles Preceded by Robert II King of Scots 19 April 1390–4 April 1406 Succeeded by James I Scottish royalty Preceded by Robert Stewart Steward of Scotland Heir of Scotland as heir assumptive Succeeded by David Stewart Duke of Rothesay Peerage of Scotland Preceded by Possession of the crown last held by William de Cunynghame 1361–1364 Earl of Carrick 1368–5 March 1390 Succeeded by David Stewart Court offices Preceded by Robert Stewart High Steward of Scotland c. 1371–1390 Succeeded by Reverted to crown

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