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The House Of Stewart |
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Robert III
1390-1406
John, Earl of Carrick, the illegitimate son of Robert II and Elizabeth
Mure was born around 1340. He was legitimized in 1349, on the formal marriage of his parents and had been created Earl of Carrick by his great-uncle, David II.
He succeeded his father as King of Scots in 1390. The new King was prevailed upon to change his name to Robert, John was an undesirable name for a King of Scotland due to it's unfortunate and unpopular connections with the puppet king John Balliol.
As a result of an injury received in a tournament in his youth Robert was lame. He was married to Annabella Drummond, the daughter of Sir John Drummond of Stobhall. The new King, like his father before him, was weak willed, hesitant and ineffectual, anything less like his namesake the great Robert he Bruce is difficult to imagine. Anarchy reigned in Scotland during the years of his feeble rule.
The King's more forceful brother, Robert, Duke of Albany, had been appointed Governor of the realm by their elderly father, towards the end of his reign. The King took over these powers, but owing to the King's 'sickness of body', the council humiliatingly removed them from him and vested them in his eldest son David, appointing him as lieutenant of the kingdom. The Duke of Albany proceeded to arrested and imprison David, who died in mysterious circumstances at Falkland Palace in 1402 and his uncle Robert again took up the title. According to rumour rife at the time, David was starved to death.
In an attempt to save his second son and heir, James, from the ambitions of the powerful Albany, whom he strongly suspected of contrivance in the murder of his elder son, Robert had him hidden at Dirleton Castle and later dispatched to France. The ship meant to be carrying James to safety was attacked and taken by the English just off Flamborough Head and the heir to Scotland taken prisoner to the court of Henry IV.
The ageing King Robert was distraught and depressed by the event. Overcome with his grief and despair he asked to be buried with the epitaph 'Here lies the worst of Kings and the most miserable of men.' He died soon after on 4th April, 1406 and was buried at Paisley Abbey. He was succeeded his son James I.