Robert VIII de Bruce, or Robert the…

Robert VIII de Bruce, or Robert the Bruce, as King Robert I of Scotland from 1306 to 1329, frees Scotland from English rule, wins the decisive Battle of Bannockburn (1314) and ultimately confirms Scottish independence in the Treaty of Northampton (1328).

The major decisive event in the life of Robert, who is reportedly a redhead, is the murder of John (”the Red”) Comyn in the Franciscan church at Dumfries on February 10, 1306, either by Bruce or his followers.

Comyn, a nephew of John de Balliol, was a possible rival for the crown, and Bruce's actions suggest that he had already decided to seize the throne.

Proceeding quickly to Scone, he is crowned there on March 25.