Early life Robert was son of
Robert de Brus, 4th Lord of Annandale and
Isobel of Huntingdon. Widely known as Robert the Noble, he was also grandson of
David of Scotland, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, and
Matilda de Kevilloc of Chester, great-grandson of
Henry of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon and Northumberland, and
Ada de Warenne, and great-great-grandson of King
David I of Scotland and
Maud, Countess of Huntingdon. In addition to
Annandale, Robert was Lord of
Hartlepool (otherwise known as Hartness) in
county Durham, and
Writtle and Hatfield Broadoak in
Essex, England. His first wife brought to him the village of Ripe, in
Sussex, and his second wife the Lordship of Ireby in
Cumberland. His possessions were increased following the defeat of
Simon de Montfort at the
Battle of Evesham (1265), via a series of grants that included the estates of former rebel barons.
Henry III also re-appointed Robert a Justice, and Constable of
Carlisle Castle and keeper of the Castle there in 1267, a position he had been dismissed from in 1255. Robert sought a pardon from Alexander and probably joined the princes
Edward and
Edmund on their
crusade, as Robert if not Richard possibly failed to attend, or returned early, as the younger Robert is recorded as receiving a quitclaim in Writtle, Essex, in October 1271. In 1271–72, Robert obtained the hand of
Marjorie of Carrick, the young widowed heiress of
Niall of Carrick, 2nd Earl of Carrick for his son, also called
Robert de Brus. Around this time, his first wife
Isabella de Clare of Gloucester and Hertford died. The last recording of her is that she received a gift of deer from King Henry in Essex in 1271. On 3 May 1273, Robert married Christina de Ireby, the widow of Adam Jesmond, the
Sheriff of Northumberland. This marriage added estates in Cumberland and dower land from her previous husband to the Brus holdings. Following the marriage, Robert appears to have restricted himself to the management of the family's northern possessions, leaving the southern to his sons. After this extinction of the senior line of the Scottish royal house (the line of
William I of Scotland)
David of Huntingdon's descendants were the primary
candidates for the throne. The two most notable claimants to the throne,
John Balliol and Robert himself represented descent through David's daughters
Margaret and
Isobel, respectively. Robert Bruce pleaded
tanistry and
proximity of blood in the succession dispute. He descended from the second daughter of David of Huntingdon, whereas John Balliol descended from the eldest, and thus had the lineal right. However, Robert was a second cousin of kings of Scotland and descended in fourth generation from King
David I of Scotland, whereas John Balliol was a third cousin of kings and descended in fifth generation from King David I, the most recent common ancestor who had been Scottish king. The ensuing 'Great Cause' was concluded in 1292. It gave the Crown of Scotland to his family's great rival, John Balliol. The events took place as follows: Soon after the death of young queen Margaret, Robert Bruce raised a body of men with the help of the earls of
Mar and
Atholl and marched to
Perth with a considerable following and uncertain intentions. Bishop
William Fraser of St. Andrews, worried of the possibility of civil war, wrote to King
Edward I of England, asking for his assistance in choosing a new monarch. Edward took this chance to demand
sasine of the Scottish royal estate, but agreed to pass judgment in return for recognition of his
suzerainty. The
guardians of Scotland denied him this, but Robert Bruce was quick to pay
homage. All the claimants swore oaths of homage, and John Balliol was the last to do so. The guardians were forced to concede and were thus reinstated by Edward. Judgment processed slowly. On 3 August 1291 Edward asked both Balliol and Bruce to choose forty auditors while he himself chose twenty-four, to decide the case. After considering all of the arguments, in early November 1292 the court decided in favour of John Balliol, having the superior claim in feudal law, not to mention greater support from the kingdom of Scotland. In accordance with this, final judgement was given by Edward on 17 November. On 30 November, John Balliol was crowned as King of Scots at Scone Abbey. On 26 December, at
Newcastle upon Tyne, King John swore homage to Edward for the kingdom of Scotland. Edward soon made it clear that he regarded the country as his vassal state. The Bruce family thus lost what they regarded as their rightful place on the Scottish throne.
Later years Robert, 5th Lord of Annandale resigned the
lordship of Annandale and his claim to the throne to his eldest son
Robert de Brus. Shortly afterwards, in 1292, the younger Robert's wife Marjorie of Carrick died and the earldom of
Carrick, which Robert had ruled
jure uxoris, devolved upon their eldest son, also called
Robert, the future King. In 1292, Robert V de Brus held a market at Ireby, Cumberland, in right of his wife. The following year he had a market at
Hartlepool,
county Durham within the liberties of the
Bishop of Durham. Sir Robert de Brus died at
Lochmaben Castle and was buried at
Gisborough Priory in
Cleveland. ==Family and children==