Robert III. DE BRUCE

Robert I de Brus (died 1142) was an early 12th century Norman baron and knight, the first of the Bruce dynasty of Scotland. A monastic patron, he is remembered as the founder of Gisborough Priory in Yorkshire in 1119.[1]

Nothing is known of Robert's father, except that he was a landowner in Normandy.[2] An early modern historiographical tradition that he was the son of a Norman noble named Robert de Brus who came to England with William the Conqueror has been found to be without basis.[2]

Modern historians contend that Robert may have come from Brix, Manche, near Cherbourg in the Cotentin Peninsula, and came to Britain after King Henry I of England's conquest of Normandy (i.e: at the same time as Alan fitzFlaad, ancestor of the Stewart Royal Family). David fitz Malcolm (after 1124 King David I of Scotland), was present in France with King Henry and was granted much of the Cotentin Peninsula. It is suggested that Robert de Brus's presences and absences at Henry's court coincide With David's.

Scotland

Robert de Brus went to Scotland, where the new King, David, made Him Lord of Annandale in 1124,[3]. although there is scant evidence that this Robert took up residence on his Scottish estates.

Battle of The Standard

After the death of King Henry, David turned against Henry's successor, King Stephen. As a result Robert de Brus and King David parted company, with Robert bitterly renouncing his homage to David before taking the English side At the Battle of the Standard.[4]

Marriage

Robert is said to have married twice: (1) Agnes, daughter of Geoffrey Bainard, sheriff of York and (2) Agnes, daughter and heiress of Fulk de Pagnall, Lord of Carleton, Yorkshire[5][6]

There were two sons, but it is unclear by which spouse:

Robert de Brus, 2nd Lord of Annandale, who inherited the Lordship of Annandale.

Adam de Brus, whose descendants continued to hold lands in England as Lords of Skelton. When Peter de Brus III, last Bruce Lord of Skelton, died in 1272, his sisters were co-heiresses. One of them, Laderia, carried Carleton to her marriage with John de Bellew, whose daughter, Sybil married Sir Miles de Stapleton (k. 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn), whose family were subsequently designated "of Carleton".[7][8] This appears to confirm the de Brus and de Pagnall of Carleton connection. Sir Miles Stapleton's son and heir, Sir Gilbert (d. 1321) married Agnes, daughter of Bryan FitzAlan, Lord FitzAlan,[9] and a granddaughter of Devorguilla of Galloway (d. 1290) wife of John de Balliol, Lord of Barnard Castle, whose son was King John of Scotland.

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