David II (5 March 1324 – 22 February 1371) was
King of Scots
The monarch of Scotland was the head of state of the Kingdom of Scotland. According to tradition, the first King of Scots was Kenneth I MacAlpin (), who founded the sovereign state, state in 843. Historically, the Kingdom of Scotland is thoug ...
from 1329 until his death in 1371. Upon the death of his father,
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
, David succeeded to the throne at the age of five, and was crowned at
Scone
A scone is a baked good, usually made of either wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component of th ...
in November 1331, becoming the first Scottish monarch to be
anointed
Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body.
By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or oth ...
at their coronation. During his childhood
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
was governed by a series of
guardians
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
, and
Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
sought to take advantage of David's minority by supporting an invasion of Scotland by
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356.
Early life
Edward was the eldest son of John Ba ...
, beginning the
Second War of Scottish Independence
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
. Following the English victory at the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
in 1333, David, his queen and the rump of his government were evacuated to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, where he remained in exile until it was safe for him to return to Scotland in 1341.
In 1346, David invaded
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in support of France during the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
. His army was defeated at the
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy los ...
and he was captured and held as a prisoner in England for eleven years, while his nephew,
Robert the Steward
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of Stewa ...
, governed Scotland. In 1357 the
Treaty of Berwick brought the Second War of Independence to an end, the Scots agreed to pay a ransom of 100,000
merks, and David II was allowed to return home. Heavy taxation was needed to provide funds for the ransom, which was to be paid in instalments, and David alienated his subjects by using the money for his own purposes. By 1363 it was found impossible to raise the remaining ransom, and David sought its cancellation by offering to bequeath the succession to the Scottish throne to Edward III or one of his sons. In 1364, the
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...
rejected David's proposal to make
Lionel,
Duke of Clarence
Duke of Clarence is a substantive title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the British Royal Family. All three creations were in the Peerage of England.
The title was first granted to Lionel of Antwerp, the second son ...
, the next king. Despising his nephew, David sought to prevent him succeeding to his throne by marrying his mistress,
Margaret Drummond, and producing an alternative heir. When his second wife failed to do so, David unsuccessfully attempted to divorce her.
Although David II spent long periods in exile or captivity, he managed to ensure the survival of his kingdom, reformed the machinery of government, and left the Scottish monarchy in a strong position. The last male of the
House of Bruce
Clan Bruce ( gd, Brùs) is a Lowlands Scottish clan. It was a Royal House in the 14th century, producing two kings of Scotland (Robert the Bruce and David II of Scotland), and a disputed High King of Ireland, Edward Bruce.
Origins
The surname ...
, David died, childless, in 1371 after a reign of 41 years, and was succeeded by his nephew,
Robert II.
Early life
David II was born on 5 March 1324 at
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...
in
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, one of twin sons born to
Robert I, King of Scotland and
Elizabeth de Burgh
Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (; ; c. 1289 – 27 October 1327) was the second wife and the only queen consort of King Robert the Bruce. Elizabeth was born sometime around 1289, probably in what is now County Down or County Antrim in Ulster, th ...
. Soon after his birth he was
wet nursed at the
Bishop of St Andrews
The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...
' manor at Inchmurdoch in Fife. He was created
Earl of Carrick
Earl of Carrick (or Mormaer of Carrick) is the title applied to the ruler of Carrick (now South Ayrshire), subsequently part of the Peerage of Scotland. The position came to be strongly associated with the Scottish crown when Robert the Bruce, ...
by his father in 1326, and an official household was established for the prince at
Turnberry Castle
Turnberry Castle is a fragmentary ruin on the coast of Kirkoswald parish, near Maybole in Ayrshire, Scotland.''Ordnance of Scotland'', ed. Francis H. Groome, 1892-6. Vol.6, p.454 Situated at the extremity of the lower peninsula within the paris ...
. Very little is known of his youth, though it is recorded that King Robert paid for
Dominican friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...
s to educate David, and also purchased books for him.
David's mother died in 1327, when he was three years old.
[Richardson, Douglas, ''Plantagenet Ancestry'', Baltimore, Md., 2004, p. 23, ] In accordance with the
Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton
The Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton was a peace treaty signed in 1328 between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland. It brought an end to the First War of Scottish Independence, which had begun with the English party of Scotland in 1296. The ...
's terms,
[ Endnotes:
* Andrew of Wyntoun, ''The orygynale cronykil of Scotland'', edited by D. Laing (Edinburgh, 1872–1879)
* John of Fordun, ''Chronica gentis Scotorum'', edited by W. F. Skene (Edinburgh, 1871–1872)
* J. H. Burton, ''History of Scotland'', vol. ii. (Edinburgh, 1905)
* A. Lang, ''History of Scotland'', vol. i. (Edinburgh, 1900).] on 17 July 1328, when he was four years old, David was married to seven-year-old
Joan Joan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters
*:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine
* Joan (surname)
Weather events
*Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multip ...
, the daughter of
Edward II of England
Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to ...
and
Isabella of France
Isabella of France ( – 22 August 1358), sometimes described as the She-Wolf of France (), was Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II, and regent of England from 1327 until 1330. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving ...
, at
Berwick Castle
Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.
History
The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...
. They had no issue.
Reign
David became king upon the death of his father on 7 June 1329. David II's youth and the uncertainty of the Anglo-Scottish peace meant that he was not moved from Turnberry to Scone for his coronation for two-and-a-half years. The seven-year old king and his wife were crowned at
Scone Abbey
Scone Abbey (originally Scone Priory) was a house of Augustinian canons located in Scone, Perthshire (Gowrie), Scotland. Dates given for the establishment of Scone Priory have ranged from 1114 A.D. to 1122 A.D. However, historians have long bel ...
on 24 November 1331. Upon David's accession,
Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the ...
was appointed as
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
in accordance with Robert I's orders, to govern Scotland until David reached adulthood, and the royal government of King Robert remained largely in place from 1329 to 1332. After Moray's death, on 20 July 1332, he was replaced by
Donald, Earl of Mar, elected by an assembly of the magnates of Scotland at
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, 2 August 1332. Only ten days later Mar fell at the
Battle of Dupplin Moor
The Battle of Dupplin Moor was fought between supporters of King David II of Scotland, the son of King Robert Bruce, and English-backed invaders supporting Edward Balliol, son of King John I of Scotland, on 11 August 1332. It took place a lit ...
.
Sir Andrew Murray
Sir Andrew Murray (1298–1338), also known as Sir Andrew Moray, or Sir Andrew de Moray, was a Scottish military and political leader who supported King David II of Scotland against Edward Balliol and King Edward III of England during the Seco ...
of Bothwell, who was married to
Christian (or Christina), the sister of King
Robert I Robert I may refer to:
*Robert I, Duke of Neustria (697–748)
*Robert I of France (866–923), King of France, 922–923, rebelled against Charles the Simple
*Rollo, Duke of Normandy (c. 846 – c. 930; reigned 911–927)
* Robert I Archbishop of ...
, was chosen as the new Guardian. He was taken prisoner by the English at
Roxburgh
Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at leas ...
in April 1333 and was thence replaced as Guardian by
Archibald Douglas (the Tyneman)
Sir Archibald Douglas (before 1298 – 19 July 1333) was a Scottish nobleman, Guardian of Scotland, and military leader. He is sometimes given the epithet "Tyneman" ( Old Scots: Loser), but this may be a reference to his great-nephew Archibald ...
, who fell at the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
that July.
Meanwhile, on 24 September 1332, following the Scots' defeat at Dupplin,
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356.
Early life
Edward was the eldest son of John Ba ...
, a protégé of
Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
, and a pretender to the throne of Scotland, was crowned by the English and his Scots adherents. By December, however, Balliol was forced to flee to England after the
Battle of Annan
The Battle of Annan, also known in the sources as the Camisade of Annan, took place on 16 December 1332 at Annan, Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland.
Edward Balliol had seized the Scottish crown three months earlier after the Battle of Dupp ...
, although he returned the following year as part of an invasion force led by the English king.
Exile in France
![Filip6 David2 Joan of the Tower](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Filip6_David2_Joan_of_the_Tower.jpg)
Following the English victory at the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
in July 1333, David and his wife were sent for safety into France, reaching
Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the ...
on 14 May 1334. They were received very graciously by
King Philip VI. Little is known about the life of the Scottish king in France, except that
Château Gaillard
Château Gaillard () is a medieval castle ruin overlooking the River Seine above the commune of Les Andelys, in the French department of Eure, in Normandy. It is located some north-west of Paris and from Rouen. Construction began in 1196 unde ...
was given to him for a residence, and that he was present at the bloodless meeting of the English and French armies in October 1339 at Vironfosse,
now known as
Buironfosse
Buironfosse () is a commune in the department of Aisne in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Population
Standoff of 1339
In 1339 the French and English armies, engaged in the Hundred Years War, formed battle lines near Buironfosse, and then ...
, in the
Arrondissement of Vervins
The arrondissement of Vervins is an arrondissement of France in the Aisne department in the Hauts-de-France region. It has 160 communes. Its population is 72,157 (2016), and its area is .
Composition
The communes of the arrondissement of Vervi ...
.
By 1341, David's representatives had once again obtained the upper hand in Scotland. David was able to return to his kingdom, landing at
Inverbervie
Inverbervie (from gd, Inbhir Biorbhaidh or ''Biorbhaigh'', "mouth of the River Bervie") is a small town on the north-east coast of Scotland, south of Stonehaven.
Etymology
The name ''Inverbervie'' involves the Gaelic ''Inbhir Biorbhaigh'', ...
in
Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns (from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "the Stewartry"), is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area on the coast of northeast Scotland. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire on the north and w ...
on 2 June 1341. He took the reins of government into his own hands, at the age of 17.
Captivity in England
![David Bruce, king of Scotland, acknowledges Edward III as his feudal lord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/David_Bruce%2C_king_of_Scotland%2C_acknowledges_Edward_III_as_his_feudal_lord.jpg)
In 1346, under the terms of the
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance ( Scots for "Old Alliance"; ; ) is an alliance made in 1295 between the kingdoms of Scotland and France against England. The Scots word ''auld'', meaning ''old'', has become a partly affectionate term for the long-lasting a ...
, David invaded England to try to draw King Edward away from the French, who had been invaded by the English and badly defeated at the Battle of Crecy. After initial success at Hexham, David's army was soundly defeated at the
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy los ...
on 17 October 1346. David suffered two arrow wounds to the face and was captured and taken prisoner by Sir
John de Coupland
John de Coupland (died 1363), also known as John Copeland, was the squire from Northumberland who captured David II of Scotland after the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. He was knighted for his actions, becoming a powerful figure in the north of ...
. The king was taken to
Wark on Tweed
Wark or Wark on Tweed is a village in the English county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
It is on the south bank of the River Tweed, which marks the border between England and Scotland.
Landmarks
Th ...
, and then to
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle is a castle on the northeast coast of England, by the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland. It is a Grade I listed building.
The site was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort known as ''Din Guarie'' and may have ...
, where barber-surgeons from
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
were brought to treat his serious injuries. David II was transferred to
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, where he was imprisoned in the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
in January 1347. David was transferred to
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original cast ...
in
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
upon the return of Edward III from France. The depiction of David being presented to King Edward III in the play ''
The Raigne of King Edward the Third'' is fictitious. David and his household were later moved to
Odiham Castle
Odiham Castle (also known locally as King John's Castle) is a ruined castle situated near Odiham in Hampshire, United Kingdom.
It is one of only three fortresses built by King John during his reign. The site was possibly chosen by King John be ...
in
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
. His imprisonment was not reputed to be a rigorous one as was typical of most royal prisoners. However, the fact that from 1355 he was denied contact with any of his subjects may indicate otherwise. He remained captive in England for eleven years.
On 3 October 1357, after several protracted negotiations with the Scots' regency council, a treaty was signed at
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
under which Scotland's nobility agreed to pay 100,000
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...
, at the rate of 10,000 marks per year, as a ransom for their king. This was ratified by the Scottish Parliament at Scone on 6 November 1357.
Return to Scotland
![David II, King of Scotland and Edward III, King of England (British Library MS Cotton Nero D VI, folio 66v)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/David_II%2C_King_of_Scotland_and_Edward_III%2C_King_of_England_%28British_Library_MS_Cotton_Nero_D_VI%2C_folio_66v%29.jpg)
David returned at once to Scotland, bringing with him a mistress, Katherine (or Catherine) Mortimer, of whom little is known. This was an unpopular move, and Katherine was murdered in 1360 by men hired by the Earl of Angus and other nobles, according to some sources; the Earl was then starved to death. She was replaced as mistress by
Margaret Drummond.
After six years, owing to the poverty of the kingdom, it was found impossible to raise the ransom instalment of 1363. David then made for London and sought to get rid of the liability by offering to bequeath Scotland to Edward III, or one of his sons, in return for a cancellation of the ransom. David did this with the full awareness that the Scots would never accept such an arrangement. In 1364, the Scottish parliament indignantly rejected a proposal to make
Lionel,
Duke of Clarence
Duke of Clarence is a substantive title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the British Royal Family. All three creations were in the Peerage of England.
The title was first granted to Lionel of Antwerp, the second son ...
, the next king. Over the next few years, David strung out secret negotiations with Edward III,
which apparently appeased the matter.
His wife, Queen Joan, died on 7 September 1362 (aged 41)
[ at Hertford Castle, Hertfordshire, possibly a victim of the ]Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
. He remarried, on about 20 February 1364, Margaret Drummond, widow of Sir John Logie, and daughter of Sir Malcolm Drummond. He divorced her on about 20 March 1370. They had no children.[Dunbar (1899) p. 154] Margaret, however, travelled to Avignon
Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...
, and made a successful appeal to the Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V ( la, Urbanus V; 1310 – 19 December 1370), born Guillaume de Grimoard, was the head of the Catholic Church from 28 September 1362 until his death in December 1370 and was also a member of the Order of Saint Benedict. He was the on ...
to reverse the sentence of divorce which had been pronounced against her in Scotland. She was still alive in January 1375, four years after David died.
From 1364, David governed actively, dealing firmly with recalcitrant nobles, and a wider baronial revolt, led by his prospective successor, the future Robert II. David continued to pursue the goal of a final peace with England. At the time of his death, the Scottish monarchy was stronger and the country was "a free and independent kingdom" according to a reliable source. The royal finances were more prosperous than might have seemed possible.
Relationships
King David II of Scotland married twice and had several mistresses, but none of his relationships produced children.
1) Joan of the Tower, the daughter of King Edward II of England
Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to ...
and Isabella of France
Isabella of France ( – 22 August 1358), sometimes described as the She-Wolf of France (), was Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II, and regent of England from 1327 until 1330. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving ...
, was David's first wife. David and Joan were married on 17 July 1328, when he was four years old and she was seven. The marriage was in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Northampton. They were married for 34 years but produced no children.[Dunbar (1899) p. 154] Queen Joan died on 7 September 1362 (aged 41)[ at Hertford Castle, Hertfordshire, possibly a victim of the Black Death.
2) Margaret Drummond was the widow of Sir John Logie, and daughter of Sir Malcolm Drummond. Margaret was David's mistress before the death of Queen Joan, from about 1361. David and Margaret married on 20 February 1364. Still producing no heirs, David attempted to divorce Margaret on 20 March 1370, on the grounds that she was infertile.][Dunbar (1899) p. 154] Pope Urban V, however, reversed the divorce. When David died on 22 February 1371, Margaret and David were still actually married, according to Rome. Margaret died sometime after 31 January 1375, and her funeral was paid for by Pope Gregory XI.
3) Agnes Dunbar
Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar and March ( 1312 – 1369), known as Black Agnes for her dark complexion, was the wife of Patrick, 9th Earl of Dunbar and March. She is buried in the vault near Mordington House.
She was the daughter of Tho ...
was David's mistress at the time of his death. He was planning to marry her, however, the marriage was delayed by the reversal of his divorce to Margaret.
Death
David II died unexpectedly of natural causes, and at the height of his power, in Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
on 22 February 1371. He was buried in Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Ref ...
. The funeral was overseen by Abbot Thomas. He left no children and was succeeded by his nephew, Robert II, the son of David's half-sister Marjorie Bruce
Marjorie Bruce or Marjorie de Brus (c. 12961316 or 1317) was the eldest daughter of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the only child born of his first marriage with Isabella of Mar.
Marjorie's marriage to Walter, High Steward of Scotland, g ...
. David II was the last male of the House of Bruce
Clan Bruce ( gd, Brùs) is a Lowlands Scottish clan. It was a Royal House in the 14th century, producing two kings of Scotland (Robert the Bruce and David II of Scotland), and a disputed High King of Ireland, Edward Bruce.
Origins
The surname ...
.
Fictional portrayals
David II has been depicted in historical novels. They include[Nield (1968), p. 42]
*''Cressy and Poictiers; or, the Story of the Black Prince's Page'' (1865) by John George Edgar (1834–1864).[Shattock (2000), p. 1785-1786] The novel depicts events of the years 1344 to 1370, with an epilogue in 1376. The events depicted cover part of the Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
and the "Scotch Border Wars" (Second War of Scottish Independence
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
), with the Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy los ...
(1346) being a key part of the plot. David II is one of the "principal characters", alongside Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
, Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted as regent in 1346,Strickla ...
, and Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, su ...
.
*''Flowers of Chivalry'' (1988), by Nigel Tranter
Nigel Tranter OBE (23 November 1909 – 9 January 2000) was a writer of a wide range of books on castles, particularly on themes of architecture and history. He also specialised in deeply researched historical novels that cover centuries of Sco ...
, covers events of the Second War of Scottish Independence
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
from 1332 to 1339. David II is a secondary character, the protagonists being Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie
Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie (c. 1290–1342) (sometimes spelt: ''Dalwolsey'') was a Scottish nobleman and knight who fought for David II, King of Scots in the south of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence and is famous for h ...
and William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale
Sir William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale (–1353), also known as the Knight of Liddesdale and the Flower of Chivalry, was a Scottish nobleman and soldier active during the Second War of Scottish Independence.
Family and early life
Douglas' fa ...
."Nigel Tranter Historical Novels",timeline of events depicted
/ref>
* ''Vagabond'' (2002) by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English-American author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written ''The Saxon ...
.
David II also appears as a character in the Elizabethan play ''Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
'' and also in the 2012 grand strategy game Crusader Kings II
''Crusader Kings II'' is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. Set in the Middle Ages, the game was released on February 14, 2012, as a sequel to 2004's '' Crusader Kings''. On ...
as the monarch of Scotland in 1336.
Notes
References
*David Nash Ford (2004)
''Royal Berkshire History: David II, King of Scots (1324-1371)''
*John of Fordun
John of Fordun (before 1360 – c. 1384) was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th cen ...
(1871–72). ''Chronica gentis Scotorum'', edited by W. F. Skene
William Forbes Skene Writer to the Signet, WS FRSE Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, FSA(Scot) Doctor of Civil Law, DCL Legum Doctor, LLD (7 June 1809 – 29 August 1892), was a Scotland, Scottish lawyer, historian and antiquary.
He co-founde ...
. Edinburgh.
*John Hill Burton
John Hill Burton FRSE (22 August 1809 – 10 August 1881) was a Scottish advocate, historian and economist. The author of ''Life and Correspondence of David Hume'', he was secretary of the Scottish Prison Board (1854–77), and Historiograph ...
. (1905). ''History of Scotland'', vol. ii. Edinburgh.
*Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 – 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University ...
. (1900). ''History of Scotland'', vol. i. Edinburgh.
*
*
*
*Andrew of Wyntoun
Andrew Wyntoun, known as Andrew of Wyntoun (), was a Scottish poet, a canon and prior of Loch Leven on St Serf's Inch and, later, a canon of St. Andrews.
Andrew Wyntoun is most famous for his completion of an eight-syllabled metre entitled, '' ...
. (1872–79). ''The orygynale cronykil of Scotland'', edited by D. Laing Edinburgh.
Further reading
*Michael Brown. (2004). ''The Wars of Scotland, 1214–1371. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland, volume 4.'' Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
*Ranald Nicholson. (1975)., ''Scotland. The Later Middle Ages.'' Edinburgh: Mercat Press
Mercat Press is an imprint of the Edinburgh, Scotland-based publishing company Birlinn Limited. It was established in 1970 as a subsidiary of the bookseller James Thin, and published facsimile editions of out-of-print Scottish works, such as t ...
.
*Michael Penman. (2003). ''David II, 1329–71: The Bruce Dynasty in Scotland.'' East Linton: Tuckwell Press.
{{DEFAULTSORT:David 02 Of Scotland
1324 births
1371 deaths
14th-century Scottish earls
14th-century Scottish monarchs
Burials at Holyrood Abbey
Earls or mormaers of Carrick
Male Shakespearean characters
Medieval child rulers
Monarchs taken prisoner in wartime
Prisoners in the Tower of London
Scottish people of Irish descent
Scottish people of the Wars of Scottish Independence
Scottish prisoners and detainees
Sons of kings
Scottish twins
Children of Robert the Bruce