The son and heir of
Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, and Lady
Isabella de Clare, daughter of the
Earl of Gloucester and
Hertford, his birth date is generally accepted, but his place of birth is less certain. It is generally accepted that he, rather than his first son, was born on the family estate at
Writtle,
Essex. Legend tells that the 27-year-old Robert de Brus was a handsome young man participating in the
Ninth Crusade. When
Adam de Kilconquhar, one of his companions-in-arms, fell in 1270, at
Acre, Robert was obliged to travel to tell the sad news to Adam's widow
Marjorie of Carrick. The story continues that Marjorie was so taken with the messenger that she had him held captive until he agreed to marry her, which he did in 1271. However, since the crusade landed in Acre on 9 May 1271, and only started to engage the Muslims in late June, the story and/or his participation in the
Ninth Crusade are generally discounted. Their marriage, which occurred around 1271, was not only a personal union but also a consolidation of power that would following the death of Alexander III and heirs, later play a key role in the succession of the Scottish throne. Around this time his mother died; the date is unknown but, on 3 May 1273, his father married Christina de Ireby, the Widow of Adam Jesmond, the Sheriff of Northumberland, at
Hoddam. The marriage added estates in Cumberland and dower land from her previous husband, to the Brus holdings. The younger Robert and his step-mother do not appear to have got on, with Robert recorded as trying to withhold dower lands, after his father's death in 1295. This may be one of the reasons why the father appears to have independently managed the possessions in the North, as well as intermittently holding the position of Constable of Carlisle, while Robert appears to have confined himself largely to the management of the southern and Midland possessions, with his brother Richard who independently held
Tottenham and
Kempston, as well as commanding a
Knight banneret for Edward. Richard is recorded as receiving a number of wards and gifts of deer and to have sought permission to empark the forest at Writtle at this time. Robert, while not part of Edward's household, became an envoy and mouthpiece for
Alexander III at court, swearing fealty on Alexander's behalf, to Edward at
Westminster for Alexander's lands in England, in 1277, as well as following Edward to
Gascony In June 1283, he was summoned by writ to
Shrewsbury, for the trial of
Dafydd ap Gruffydd. In February 1284, Bruce attended a convention at
Scone, where the right of succession of Alexander III's granddaughter,
Margaret, Maid of Norway was recognized. On 1 June 1285 the Earl & Countess of Carrick, at Turnberry, grant the men of Melrose abbey certain freedoms, according to English law. In 1286, he was witness, along with his son Robert, to the grant of the church of Campbeltown to
Paisley Abbey. Also in 1286, he was a signatory to the Band of Turnberry along with his father. In 1290 he was party to the
Treaty of Birgham. He supported his father's claim to the vacant throne of Scotland, left so on the death of the Maid of Norway in 1290. The initial civil proceedings, known as the
Great Cause, awarded the Crown to his father's first cousin once removed, and rival,
John Balliol. In 1291, he swore fealty to Edward I as overlord of Scotland. In 1292, his wife, Marjorie, died. In November, his father, Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale—
the unsuccessful claimant—resigned his Lordship of Annandale, and claim to the throne to him, allegedly to avoid having to swear fealty to John. • 29 May – Grants a John Herolff a half
virgate of land in Writtle. • 1299 • 1 February – Rents lands at Hatfield Regis, Essex to a John de Bledelowe, for 4s annual rent. • 4 August – While resident at Writtle, he Rents lands at Hatfield Regis, Essex to a Nicholas de Barenton, for 21s annual rent. • 1301 November 26 – Grants, Bunnys in
Hatfield Broad Oak and
Takeley, to an Edward Thurkyld. • After 1301,
Enfeoffments Writtle, in part, to a John de Lovetot and his wife Joan. • 1304 Easter, dies en route to
Annandale and is buried at
Holm Cultram Abbey,
Cumberland. This is contested as no Bruce appears on the
Falkirk roll, of nobles present in the English army, and, ignoring Blind Harry's 15th claim that Wallace burned Ayre Castle in 1297, two 19th-century
antiquarians: Alexander Murison and George Chalmers have stated Bruce did not participate in the battle and in the following month decided to burn Ayr Castle, to prevent it being garrisoned by the English. Annandale and Carrick were excepted from the lordships and lands which Edward assigned to his followers, the father having not opposed Edward and the son being treated as a waverer whose allegiance might still be retained. Robert at that time was old and ill, and there are reports that he wished his son to seek peace with Edward. If not his son's actions could jeopardise his own income, which was primarily derived from his holdings south of the border (estimated £340 versus £150). The elder Bruce would have seen that, if the rebellion failed and his son was against Edward, the son would lose everything, titles, lands, and probably his life. It was not until 1302 that Robert's son submitted to Edward I. The younger Robert had sided with the Scots since the capture and exile of Balliol. There are many reasons which may have prompted his return to Edward, not the least of which was that the Bruce family may have found it loathsome to continue sacrificing his followers, family and inheritance for King John. There were rumours that John would return with a French army and regain the Scottish throne. Soulis supported his return as did many other nobles, but this would lead to the Bruces losing any chance of gaining the throne themselves. ==Family==