Marjorie was the daughter and heiress of
Niall, 2nd Earl of Carrick, and his wife and cousin Margaret Stewart. Her mother's parents were
Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland, and wife Bethóc or Beatrix Mac Gille Críst of Angus. Her father Niall was the head of their clan; having no sons, in 1255 he transferred the title of clan chieftain to his nephew Roland, and upon Niall's death in 1256, Marjorie succeeded him to become the 3rd Countess of Carrick
in her own right. Marjorie married
Adam of Kilconquhar, who died during the
Eighth Crusade in 1271. Marjorie and Adam had one child before his death, Martha. Then, as the story goes, a handsome young man arrived one day to tell her of her husband's death in the Holy Land. He was
Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale, and he had been a companion-in-arms of Adam of Kilconquhar. Marjorie was so taken with him that she had him held captive until he agreed to marry her at
Turnberry Castle in 1271. They married without permission of the king, however, and as a result she lost her lands temporarily until they paid a large fine. Robert became Earl of Carrick
jure uxoris (in right of his wife). Their children were: •
Isabel Bruce (1272–1358), married King
Eric II of Norway. •
Christina Bruce, married • Sir
Christopher Seton • Sir
Andrew Murray • King
Robert the Bruce. •
Niall or
Nigel Bruce, executed 1306 in
Berwick-upon-Tweed,
Northumberland, England. •
Edward Bruce. •
Sir Thomas Bruce, executed 1307 in
Carlisle, England. •
Alexander Bruce, executed 1307 in
Carlisle, England. •
Mary Bruce, married • Sir
Niall Campbell • Sir
Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser and Cowie. • Matilda Bruce, married
Hugh, Earl of Ross • Elizabeth Bruce, married
William Dishington • Margaret Bruce, married
William Carlyle Margaret Bruce who married Sir
William de Carlyle is thought by Barrow not to be their daughter. It is speculated that
Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray was the son of Marjorie's daughter, Martha, from her first marriage with Adam. It is put forward as an explanation of why Thomas Randolph was described as a nephew of Robert the Bruce. There is evidence that an "eldest daughter" married into the family of the earls of Mar, giving rise to the now discounted first marriage of Christina to the son of the earl, Gartnait. Marjorie died before November 1292, at which time her husband transferred
Carrick to their eldest son, Robert. ==References==