Robert III of Scotland

Robert III (c. 1337 – 4 April 1406), born John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. He was also High Steward of Scotland from 1371 to 1390 and held the titles of Earl of Atholl (1367–1390) and Earl of Carrick (1368–1390) before ascending the throne at about the age of 53 years. He was the eldest son of King Robert II and Elizabeth Mure and was legitimized by the second marriage of his parents and by papal dispensation in 1349.

Quick facts: Robert III, King of Scots, Reign, Coronation,... ▼

Robert III
Groat of 1390 bearing a crowned facing effigy of Robert III on the obverse
King of Scots
Reign	19 April 1390 – 4 April 1406
Coronation	14 August 1390
Predecessor	Robert II
Successor	James I
Regents	See list Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife (1390–1393) David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (1399–1401) Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (1401–1406)
Born	John Stewart c. 1337
Died	4 April 1406 (aged 68–69) Rothesay Castle, Isle of Bute, Scotland
Burial	Paisley Abbey
Spouse	Anabella Drummond ​ ​ (m. 1367; died 1401)​
Issue more...	David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay James I, King of Scots
House	Stewart
Father	Robert II of Scotland
Mother	Elizabeth Mure
Events 1363 During the early months along with his father and others, he was part of an abortive insurrection against David II[1] 1371 27 March, Robert II crowned at Scone Abbey [2] 1384 November, Carrick engineered his appointment as guardian of the kingdom sidelining the King [3] 1388 1 December, Carrick lost guardianship to his younger brother Robert, Earl of Fife [4] 1390 19 April, Robert II died at Dundonald Castle 14 August, Carrick crowned as Robert III but without power and Fife retains guardianship[5] 1393 Ruling powers restored to the King with his elder son David undertaking a more influential role[6] 1399 January, David (now Duke of Rothesay) appointed Lieutenant of Scotland to rule for three years but under supervision of a group led by Fife (now Duke of Albany)[7] 1401 Probably late in the year, arrested by Albany[8] 1402 25–27 March, Rothesay dies in custody but parliament exonerates Albany[9] 1405-6 Sometime during that winter the King had decided to send his remaining son, James, to France for safe-keeping[10] 1406 22 March, James's ship bound for France intercepted by the English and the prince began his eighteen-year captivity 4 April, the ailing King Robert died after learning of his son's fate[11]

John joined his father and other magnates in a rebellion against his great-uncle David II early in 1363 but submitted to him soon afterward. He was married to Anabella Drummond by 1367. In 1368 David created him Earl of Carrick. His father became king in 1371 after the unexpected death of the childless King David. In the succeeding years, Carrick was influential in the government of the kingdom but became progressively more impatient at his father's longevity. In 1384 Carrick was appointed the king's lieutenant after having influenced the general council to remove Robert II from direct rule. Carrick's administration saw a renewal of the conflict with England. In 1388 the Scots defeated the English at the Battle of Otterburn where the Scots' commander, James, Earl of Douglas, was killed. By this time Carrick had been badly injured from a horse-kick but it was the loss of his powerful ally, Douglas, that saw a turnaround in magnate support in favour of his younger brother Robert, Earl of Fife, to whom the council transferred the lieutenancy in December 1388.

In 1390, Robert II died and Carrick ascended the throne as Robert III but without authority to rule directly. Fife continued as Lieutenant until February 1393 when power was returned to the king in conjunction with his son David. At a council in 1399 owing to the king's 'sickness of his person', David, now Duke of Rothesay, became Lieutenant under the supervision of a special parliamentary group dominated by Fife, now styled Duke of Albany. After this, Robert III withdrew to his lands in the west and for a time played little or no part in affairs of state. He was powerless to interfere when a dispute between Albany and Rothesay arose in 1401, leading to Rothesay's imprisonment and death in March 1402. The general council absolved Albany from blame and reappointed him as Lieutenant. The only impediment now remaining to an Albany Stewart monarchy was the king's only surviving son, James, Earl of Carrick. After a clash with Albany's Douglas allies in 1406, the 11-year-old James tried to escape to France. The vessel was intercepted and James became the prisoner of Henry IV of England. Robert III died shortly after learning of his heir's imprisonment.