Dr. Iain MacInnes

No, no, it's not that bad. So yes, Robert has had a wife, Isabella of Mar. Where did she go? She dies in childbirth. She dies giving birth to his daughter, Marjorie. So, yeah, that's one of the other things he has to think about, that he is a widow. He doesn't have a son. He, again, has to think about his future.

No, no, it's not that bad. So yes, Robert has had a wife, Isabella of Mar. Where did she go? She dies in childbirth. She dies giving birth to his daughter, Marjorie. So, yeah, that's one of the other things he has to think about, that he is a widow. He doesn't have a son. He, again, has to think about his future.

So when he's making these decisions about which side to support, he has to think about that, too, because who's going to inherit his lands if he dies? Not his daughter, apparently. Well, possibly, but perhaps not preferably.

So when he's making these decisions about which side to support, he has to think about that, too, because who's going to inherit his lands if he dies? Not his daughter, apparently. Well, possibly, but perhaps not preferably.

Yeah, so Elizabeth de Bourgh is the daughter of the powerful Earl of Ulster, who is also one of Edward I's chief supporters in Ireland. And yes, she's 13 at the time of the marriage, Robert is 28.

Yeah, so Elizabeth de Bourgh is the daughter of the powerful Earl of Ulster, who is also one of Edward I's chief supporters in Ireland. And yes, she's 13 at the time of the marriage, Robert is 28.

No, not yet, because Edward doesn't want there to be another Scottish king. Robert, having surrendered a couple of years before, thinks he should have been rewarded by Edward by now, and so he perhaps starts thinking again, well, actually, maybe I should be king. There are two possibilities, ultimately. It's either going to be Robert Bruce or it's going to be John Comyn of Badner,

No, not yet, because Edward doesn't want there to be another Scottish king. Robert, having surrendered a couple of years before, thinks he should have been rewarded by Edward by now, and so he perhaps starts thinking again, well, actually, maybe I should be king. There are two possibilities, ultimately. It's either going to be Robert Bruce or it's going to be John Comyn of Badner,

And it's kind of between the two of them potentially as to who might be the Scottish king in the future.

And it's kind of between the two of them potentially as to who might be the Scottish king in the future.

So, yes, John Covent ends up dead. Bruce kills him. Or else he wounds him and his attendants then come and finish him off. In a church. Unsurprisingly, the English make a lot of this and say that, yes, it's premeditated Bruce slew Colman. Scottish propaganda would suggest otherwise in the idea that it's an argument that there are accusations of betrayal.

So, yes, John Covent ends up dead. Bruce kills him. Or else he wounds him and his attendants then come and finish him off. In a church. Unsurprisingly, the English make a lot of this and say that, yes, it's premeditated Bruce slew Colman. Scottish propaganda would suggest otherwise in the idea that it's an argument that there are accusations of betrayal.

In fact, that Colman had actually betrayed Robert's planning to Edward I, and so he kills him in a fit of anger.

In fact, that Colman had actually betrayed Robert's planning to Edward I, and so he kills him in a fit of anger.

Is that a betrayal of sorts? It's certainly a betrayal of Edward I, yes. And Edward takes it very personally. Edward then summons an army to go to Scotland. Bruce challenges it when it's based at Perth. But he doesn't go about things well and the English essentially turn it into an ambush and defeat him. And one of his brothers is captured and is summarily executed.

Is that a betrayal of sorts? It's certainly a betrayal of Edward I, yes. And Edward takes it very personally. Edward then summons an army to go to Scotland. Bruce challenges it when it's based at Perth. But he doesn't go about things well and the English essentially turn it into an ambush and defeat him. And one of his brothers is captured and is summarily executed.

His wife, his daughter, his sisters are captured and are imprisoned. Two of the Bruce women, including one of his sisters, is put in a cage which is suspended from the walls of a Scottish castle. Oh no. He takes Bruce's rebellion, Bruce's betrayal, very personally. I guess we've skipped a really important point here.

His wife, his daughter, his sisters are captured and are imprisoned. Two of the Bruce women, including one of his sisters, is put in a cage which is suspended from the walls of a Scottish castle. Oh no. He takes Bruce's rebellion, Bruce's betrayal, very personally. I guess we've skipped a really important point here.

After the murder, Bruce acts very quickly. So he sends out messages trying to control the narrative, obviously trying to put across the case that he wasn't the instigator, that he was betrayed. And so it was justified. He also goes to the Bishop of Glasgow to seek absolution from the bishop for the murder. And Bishop Wishart gives him that absolution. He actually...

After the murder, Bruce acts very quickly. So he sends out messages trying to control the narrative, obviously trying to put across the case that he wasn't the instigator, that he was betrayed. And so it was justified. He also goes to the Bishop of Glasgow to seek absolution from the bishop for the murder. And Bishop Wishart gives him that absolution. He actually...