Marjorie Bruce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marjorie Bruce |
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Princess of Scotland | |
![]() Effigy of Marjorie Bruce at Paisley Abbey
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Born | 1296 |
Died | 1316 or 1317 (aged 20-21) |
Burial | Paisley Abbey |
Spouse | Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland |
Issue | Robert II of Scotland |
House | Bruce |
Father | Robert the Bruce |
Mother | Isabella of Mar |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Marjorie Bruce (around 1296 – 1316 or 1317) was a Scottish princess. She was the oldest daughter of Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scots. Marjorie was the only child from his first marriage to Isabella of Mar.
Marjorie married Walter, the High Steward of Scotland. This marriage was very important because it started the House of Stewart, a famous royal family. Her son, Robert II of Scotland, became the first king from the Stewart family.
Contents
Marjorie's Early Life
Marjorie's mother, Isabella, came from a noble family called Clan Mar. Marjorie was named after her grandmother, Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. Sadly, Isabella died when she was only 19, shortly after Marjorie was born. At that time, Marjorie's father was known as the Earl of Carrick.
People say that Marjorie's parents loved each other very much. Her father, Robert the Bruce, did not marry again for six years. In 1302, he married a lady from the court named Elizabeth de Burgh.
On March 27, 1306, Marjorie's father was crowned King of Scots at Scone, Perthshire. Marjorie was 10 years old then, and she became a Princess of Scotland.
Years of Imprisonment
Just three months after her father became king, in June 1306, his army was defeated at the Battle of Methven. King Robert sent his wife, his two sisters, and Marjorie north for safety. They were with his supporter, Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan. However, by the end of June, they were captured by Uilleam II, Earl of Ross. He was a supporter of John Balliol, who was an enemy of Robert the Bruce. The Earl of Ross handed them over to the English king.
Edward I of England punished his captives severely. He sent them to different places in England. Marjorie was sent to a convent (a religious house for women) in Watton. Her aunt, Christina Bruce, was sent to another convent. Elizabeth de Burgh, King Robert's wife, was kept under house arrest at a large house in Yorkshire. Elizabeth's punishment was not as harsh because Edward I needed the support of her powerful father, the Earl of Ulster.
Marjorie's other aunt, Mary Bruce, and the Countess of Buchan faced much worse conditions. They were held in wooden cages, where everyone could see them. Mary was at Roxburgh Castle, and the Countess was at Berwick Castle.
For the next four years, Elizabeth, Christina, Mary, and Isabella were kept alone. Mary and Isabella faced public shame every day. A cage was even built for Marjorie, who was about 12 years old, at the Tower of London. But King Edward I changed his mind. Instead, he sent her to the Gilbertine convent in Watton. Christina's husband, Christopher Seton, was executed.
King Edward I died on July 7, 1307. His son, Edward II, became king. Edward II kept Marjorie captive in the convent for about seven more years. She was finally set free in October 1314. This happened as part of a trade for Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford. He had been captured by the Scots after the Battle of Bannockburn.
Marriage and Her Passing

After Elizabeth de Burgh and Marjorie were freed from their long time in England, Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, was sent to meet them. He brought them back to the Scottish court. Later, Walter and Marjorie got married. As part of her dowry (a gift from her family), she received the land of Barony of Bathgate in West Lothian.
The traditional story says that two years later, on March 2, 1316, Marjorie was riding her horse in Gallowhill, Paisley. She was very pregnant. Her horse suddenly got scared and threw her to the ground. She went into premature labour, and her son, Robert II of Scotland, was born. Marjorie died soon after, at about 20 years old. This was similar to her mother, who also died in childbirth around the same age.
However, some people think this traditional story might not be completely accurate. Some records suggest she might have lived into 1317. She might still have died in a riding accident, but it could have happened after her son was born. One source even says she died in October 1317, after falling from a horse during a second pregnancy.
A local historian named Crawford wrote around 1710 about a tradition. It said Marjorie was riding between Paisley and Renfrew Castle, where her husband lived. She fell from her horse and broke her neck. Because she was pregnant, she went into labor. Her son, King Robert II, was born by a Caesarean section. The story says the person doing the operation was not skilled, and the baby's eye was hurt, which caused him to be called "King Bleareie." Marjorie supposedly died right there. A cross was built at that spot, called "Queen Bleareie's Cross." However, this story might mix up different facts and dates.
Today, at the corner of Renfrew Road and Dundonald Road in Paisley, there is a cairn (a pile of stones). It marks the spot called "the Knock," where Marjorie is said to have fallen. Streets named Bruce Road and Marjorie Drive are also named in her honor. She is buried at Paisley Abbey.
Marjorie's son, Robert II, became king in 1371. He took over after his uncle, David II of Scotland, who had no children. Marjorie's descendants include the House of Stewart (later called Stuart). This includes all the kings and queens who have ruled Scotland, England, and the United Kingdom.
Marjorie in Stories and Films
- The young adult novel Girl in a Cage, by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris, tells Marjorie Bruce's story. In the book, Marjorie is imprisoned in a cage. While the book says it's fiction, many people have thought it was a true story.
- The historical fiction novel Spirit of Fire: The Tale of Marjorie Bruce (2016), by Emmerson Brand, also features Marjorie Bruce as the main character.
- In the historical action film Outlaw King (2018), Marjorie appears as a small character. The film is about the First War of Scottish Independence.
Remembering Marjorie
The original site of Bathgate Castle, which was part of Marjorie's dowry, is now on the grounds of Bathgate Golf Club. This site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland. The golf club cannot dig there without permission.
Every year on the first Saturday of June, the town of Bathgate celebrates Marjorie and Walter's marriage. This happens during their yearly historical pageant, just before the Bathgate Procession and Community Festival. Local school children play the parts of Marjorie, Walter, and other people from the royal court. After the pageant, everyone joins a procession with Robert the Bruce, who rides on horseback.