The Brave Heart of Robert The Bruce
The human heart can soar and be lifted or fall shattered and broken. It can be open or cold, trusting or wicked. Thanks to the film Braveheart we also know that a heart can be brave, but did you know that the historical reference never referred to Mel Gibson’s heroic character William Wallace? I’m no Milton, but if it’s poetry you seek, consider the tale of a heart taken from the chest of a fallen
king only to journey for seven centuries before finally reaching its intended resting place. Legends are most amazing when they’re true, as this story is.
You see, today’s a big anniversary in my family; although none of us have ever really thought about it much. March 27th was a great day for my 27th great-grandfather. Yes, that’s a long time ago, over 700 years to be exact. On this date in 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned King Robert I of Scotland.
This legendary figure came to international attention after the movie Braveheart was released in 1995. For as much as I love that film, the story is more fiction than fact. That’s good news for those upset at the thought of Robert the Bruce’s dastardly betrayal of William Wallace at Falkirk. In real history, no such treason ever took place. The Bruce was, however, a brutal warrior.
Like William Wallace, Robert’s rival was the powerful King Edward I “Longshanks” of England. Robert became king only a few months after Wallace was executed by Longshanks in 1305 (the movie actually watered that scene down. Seriously…). For the new Scottish king, the fight for Scottish independence would last years longer. Longshanks arrested and imprisoned Robert’s wife, daughter, and sisters. His brother Nigel was captured and executed in the same manner as Wallace.
Longshanks died in 1
307 and left the kingdom to his son, Edward II. Unfortunately for Scottish rebels, the son wasn’t quite as incompetent as the movie makes out. The fight for freedom lasted until 1314 when the Scottish warriors “fought like warrior poets and won their freedom” at Bannockburn.
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Robert I ruled until his death in 1329. His dying wish was requested of longtime companion Sir James Douglas–a supporter of William Wallace and the knight in charge of the army’s left-wing at Bannockburn. King Robert asked that his heart be removed and carried “against the enemies of the name of Christ.” The heart was placed in a casket and carried by Douglas, a legend in his own right, to Granada in Spain.
While carrying the chest, Douglas was ambushed as he tried to aid a fellow warrior. About to be slain, the courageous knight held out the casket and said, “Onward brave heart, Douglas shall follow thee or die.” He didn’t make it.
The original brave heart was recovered and returned out of respect only to be lost for the ages. Then in 1920 archaeologists discov
ered the lost relic which they promptly reburied but failed to mark. The location slipped into obscurity once again. Finally in 1996, construction workers stumbled once more across the chest. Archaeologists in Edinburgh confirmed the artifact which was finally given appropriate burial at Melrose Abbey in 1998! The brave heart of Robert the Bruce had finally reached the resting place of his last request.
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After the death of King Robert, his son David II took the throne and built power through a healthy reign of around four decades. Fans of the movie might be interested (or frustrated) to learn that David married Joan of the Tower, the daughter of Longshanks son Edward II and Queen consort Isabella of France. That’s right, the same Isabella who, according to that fantastic film, fell in love with William Wallace. After the death of David II, the crown passed to his nephew Robert II, the last surviving male of the Bruce line. The famous Stuart dynasty of British rulers extends from this monarch.
If my claims of ancestral linkage are corroborated, that means I’m related to some serious heavyweights. The truth is never easy to fully track down. That’s why we have so much fun chasing after it. In our never ending quest to escape the challenges of life, we’ll continue to look to the past for hope and better times. These legends inspire us partly because we recreate them in our own way. Men and women willing to die for freedom and what they believe in will never cease to stagger our imaginations, especially as our world races so blindly towards compromise and futility.
Whether it’s William Wallace or King Robert, we want to be told about hearts so brave when ours might have betrayed us. Like Robert the Bruce in the movie, we don’t want to betray; we want to believe.
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Life. Culture. Education.
Life as Pop Culture Professor Clay Morgan
In The Matrix, Morpheus tells Neo he can take the blue pill and go on believing whatever he wants to believe. Or he can take the red pill to stay in Wonderland and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.
This is a red pill type site that provides information in an entertaining way. It’s about clear thinking and good writing. It’s about finding meaning amidst the absurd. It’s about humor and truth.
I’m a writer / speaker who teaches history and political courses at a couple of local colleges. Where is local, you say? Well, that would be Wonderland of course.
On topics ranging from pop culture to the meaning of life, my brain’s always poppin’. Take the red pill and unplug.
That was really intereting. Its crazy that his heart was lost for that long at least its where he wanted to be finally. Thanks for some intellectual thought on a Saturday
Not just a Saturday but a Saturday on Spring Break! Thanks for checking in. Stories like this will always keep history interesting.
Thanks for the link and great article on Robert The Bruce!
More on Robert the Bruce Longshanks and his descendants can be found in the Family Forest National Treasure Edition:
http://familyforest.wordpress.com/2010/03/26
[...] at the time, but I’m pretty sure I have zero Hawaiian or Chinese ancestry on account of being related to Braveheart, but I’ll take the Neo connection. Strangely, I still get Keanu a couple times a [...]
Okay, I know that this is a really old post, but I only just read it!
First of all, Braveheart really is the best movie of all time. Of. All. Time.
Secondly, my lineage is traced back to Longshanks…does that make us mortal enemies? I dunno. Kinda feels like we should have a dual of some sort…
Get out! First of all I am glad to know you have impeccable taste in movies. The Longshank thing? We can work through that. You reminded me that in high school when the movie came out my friends started calling me Longshanks. That was before I realized my royal lineage to the Scots. Aye, feelin’ a duel indeed.
Yes, it’s true. I’m a descendant of Longshanks…so embarrassing. Actually, it gets worse; I’m also a descendant of The Sheriff of Nottingham. Isn’t that awful??
Worst. Genealogy. Ever.
If you tell me that your ancestor is Robin Hood then we’ve got real problems.
So why did your friends call you Longshanks? Was it because you were tall? Because I have to be honest…I can’t really see the resemblance between you and the guy who played Longshanks. Unless, of course, on weekends you like to grow a beard and have someone use a curling iron on it to ensure optimum curls…then I could see it.
Wow, you are from a tough bunch. So do you oppress the people of Canada still? As far as I know me and Robin aren’t related, so at least your people didn’t go after any more of my people as far as we can tell
I definitely don’t want any problems with you.
As for my nickname, yeah I was always the tallest. Bean pole skinny too back then. I never could get the curls. Or the beard.
Yeah, I still like to throw around my English attitude every once in a while and boss everyone around. I can’t help it. It’s just a part of who I am.
It’s good you’re not related to Robin because then we’d have to throw down…British style – with tea and jam. That’s just how we roll.
So, no beard in high school, huh? You should try to grow one now. You could watch it get longer and longer everyday…kinda like a Chia Pet. That’d be hot. lol
You wanna throw down ya limey? I don’t do so well in the beard growing department, Chia or otherwise. But if it’s gonna get me on the cover of GQ I might have to try again.
I’m always down for a good fight…so full of hostility.
As for the beard, you shouldn’t feel too badly. I’m pretty sure they went out of style in 1897. I’m sure you could bring it back though…just say that it’s “retro” and people will think you’re awesome…or some kind of a hippie.