Bruce

Gaelic Name: Brus

Clan Crest: A lion stantan, Azure, armed and langued Gules

Clan Motto: Fuimus (We have been)

Origin of Name: Origin of Name:

Clan Badge: Rosemary

Lands: Annandale, Clackmannan, and Elgin

Clan Chief: The Rt. Hon. Earl of Elgin & Kincardine K.T.

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Clan Bruce History

This famous clan's ancestors can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy, France. In 1066, Robert de Brus accompanied William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, to England. One of his relatives, Robert de Brus, accompanied Prince David on his visit to the court of Henry I of England, then David I of Scotland, following him north in 1124 to reclaim his kingdom.

Scottish forces were defeated at the Battle of the Standards in 1138, an important battle in the English Civil War. De Brus kidnapped his own second son, Robert, who did not support the English forces fighting the invading Scottish forces led by David. Robert eventually returned to Annandale, and as a symbol of his defiance, he adopted the famous red saltire in place of his father's arms of a red lion on a silver field.

When Robert, 4th Lord of Annandale, married Isobel, niece of William of Lion, the royal house of Bruce was established. This not only confirmed the regal gesture of the grant of the lands of Annandale, but it also laid the groundwork for all future Bruce claims to the throne. Furthermore, in 1255, Robert de Bruce was appointed as one of the Regents of the Kingdom of Scotland and as Alexander III's guardian.

The death of Alexander III in 1286 opened the way for a race for the Scottish throne. The Bruce's main rival was the Balliol family. The death of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, the child heir to the throne, in 1290 heightened the competition. In 1290, he claimed the throne as Alexander III's nearest heir.

It could be argued that Edward's actions were deceptive:

On the one hand, rival families are said to have asked Edward I to act as arbiter in order to avoid a civil war. On the other hand, he rejected the Bruce's claims in 1290 in favor of the Balliols, citing a strict interpretation of the laws of succession attributed to King Malcolm MacKenneth.

Not satisfied with his 1292 decision in favor of John Balliol, Edward I used the opportunity to assert a right of overlordship over Scottish affairs. Balliol's response was armed resistance, which failed at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296. The struggle for succession to the Scottish throne intensified as a result of Dunbar, though it took on a new form as a contest between the Comyns and Bruces.

In winning this contest, the 8th Robert the Bruce (1274 - 1329) demonstrated Machiavellian qualities. On his invitation, John Comyn met with him in the Minorite Friars church in Dumfries on February 1306. The following incident became well-known: Robert stabbed his rival in the heart, emphatically staking his claim to the Crown.

On March 27, 1306 at Scone Palace, Robert was crowned King. Though he was excommunicated for this sacrilege, he maintained the same resolve that had won him the crown in convincing those who questioned the legitimacy of his claim and the substance of his leadership. This struggle for Scottish independence culminated in 1314 with the Battle of Bannockburn, which signaled the beginning of a period of reconstruction and the successful process of unifying a war-torn nation.

In 1328, the Treaty of Northampton ratified the Scottish independence for which Robert the Bruce, 7th Lord of Annandale, 2nd Earl of Carrick, and Scottish regent, had fought so valiantly. The actions of Sir James Douglas, who, after the death of Robert the Bruce in 1329, sought to preserve the sanctity of the dead King's soul by transporting his heart to the Holy Land, demonstrate the extent to which he was revered. It traveled to Spain, but was unable to continue because Douglas died, eventually resting in Melrose, Scotland. At the age of five, Robert's son David became King David II and reigned until his death in 1371.

David II built Clackmannan Tower sometime in the 1300s and sold it to his cousin Robert Bruce in 1359.

The seventh Earl of Elgin, the famous diplomat who devoted his own private fortune to reclaiming the 'Elgin Marbles,' or the marbles of the Pantheon, which were rapidly decaying beyond repair, was one of the lesser-known Bruce descendants.

Clan Bruce Places & People

People of the Bruce Clan

King Robert I (1274-1329)

Annadale's Robert Bruce had two sons, Robert and Edward. Although his father was pro-English in order to protect his wealth, Robert junior supported Wallace and independence for a time, telling his father, "I must be with my own," but only until 1302, when he made a truce with Edward.

For a third generation, the Bruces had been vying for the Scottish throne, competing against other family claims from the Balliols, Comyns, Frasers, and others. He juggled his various interests and served on Edward's "Scottish Council" for many years.

When he stabbed John Comyn to death in a church in 1306 he not only made himself an enemy of the powerful Comyns, but he also committed sacrilege, which resulted in immediate excommunication by the church. He declared open war on Edward and his supporters, crowning himself King of Scots at Scone.

Despite widespread support, an English army led by Aymer de Valence put an end to the rebellion on June 26th at Methven. Bruce, once the richest man in the country, was hiding in caves. His supporters and family were apprehended and executed; Simon Fraser's head was spiked in company with William Wallace's on London Bridge.

The following year, on Palm Sunday, Bruce and his remaining supporters launched a guerrilla war that brought them success after success. The Black Douglas was establishing himself as England's terror. Angus Og, whose ancestors would be the MacDonalds, led his forces from the Isles. The Earls of Atholl and Lennox fought alongside Edward, the Comyns, and the MacDougalls.

By the summer of 1308, Bruce had control of almost all of Scotland above the Forth, and Parliament convened in St Andrews in March 1309.

Edward I had died, and his son had ordered that his bones be placed in a bag at the front of the army that would destroy Bruce. Edward II did not gather his army to retake Scotland until June 1314. When his army, three times the size of Bruce's, arrived in Bannockburn, Bruce was waiting for him.

Edward did not try again until 1322, when he was forced to abandon his belongings and run until he reached Yorkshire. The Declaration of Arbroath was written in 1320 by the leaders of Scotland, who signed a letter to the Pope declaring Scottish independence and King Robert I, and stating that they would fight anyone who opposed their freedom. As a result, Pope John Paul XXII reversed Robert's excommunication.

Peace was sought with Scotland in 1328. Although both were infants, Bruce's son David married Edward III's sister. The King died of leprosy the following year, and the infighting and English coercion resumed.

Bruce requested that his heart be taken and buried in the Holy Land. While fighting the Moors in Spain, his friend James Douglas was killed in the attempt. His heart returned to Melrose after his body was buried in Dunfermline.

Bruce, Thomas (1766-1841)

The seventh Earl of Elgin, the famous diplomat who spent his personal fortune reclaiming the 'Elgin Marbles,' or the pantheon's marbles that were decaying beyond repair.

Sir William Bruce (c. 1630-1710)

Architect in charge of the Holyrood and Hopetoun House renovations.

Clan Bruce Locations

The following locations are currently or were previously strongholds of the Bruce family.

Fife's Broomhall House

The Bruce Earls of Elgin's seat is Broomhall House in Fife, near Dunfermline. The house was built in 1702, but it has undergone numerous renovations and redesigns over the centuries.

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Fyvie Castle is located in Aberdeenshire.

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Falkirk's Airth Castle

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Muness Castle is located in Shetland.

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Fife's Culross Palace

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Clackmannan Tower is located in Clackmannanshire.

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Fingask Castle is located in Perthshire.

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Kinross House is located in Kinross.

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Fife's Lochleven Castle

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Lochmaben Castle is located in Dumfries and Galloway.

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Ayrshire's Turnberry Castle

Clan Bruce Tartans

The Bruce tartan first appeared in the Vestiarium Scoticum and was said to be of ancient origin, but this was never proven. However, it is still nearly 200 years old, so don't be too hard on yourself.

The term'modern' refers to the dye shades, which are typically darker.

Threadcount W/8 R36 G8 R8 G24 R8 G24 R8 G8 R36 Y/8

Bruce Contemporary

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The term 'ancient' refers to the dye shades, which are typically lighter.

Threadcount W/8 R36 G8 R8 G24 R8 G24 R8 G24 R8 G8 R36 Y/8

Bruce the Elder

Clan Bruce Crest & Coats of Arms

Clan Bruce Coat of Arms

Worn by everyone with the same name and ancestry

Description of the Crest:

Azure, a lion stantan armed and langued Gules

Coat of Arms of Clan Bruce

A word about Coats of Arms:

A coat of arms is granted to an individual under Scottish heraldic law (with the exception of civic or corporate arms). A 'family coat of arms' does not exist. With the exceptions noted above, the arms depicted below are personal arms. Only the person who has been granted these weapons has the right to use them.

Earl of Elgin (and Kincardine) BRUCE

Gules, a saltire and chief Or; on an Argent canton, a lion rampant Azure

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Elgin and Kincardine Earls

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Lord BRUCE of Annandale

Alternatively, a saltire and chief, Gules

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Lord BRUCE of Skelton

Argent, a rampant lion, Azure

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Arms granted to Stanley Melbourne Viscount Bruce of Melbourne was created in 1947. His coat of arms depicts two lyrebirds with the motto "We have been faithful." (Australian Prime Minister, 1923)