The 14th Century view of Robert the Bruce

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A painting, supposedly from life, of Robert the Bruce and his second wife, Elizabeth de Burgh. (Now we know where Darcy's obnoxious aunt, Lady Catherine de Burgh, got her pretensions of grandeur from in Pride and Prejudice). Bruce was born in 1274 and so was only a few years younger than Wallace. He emerged as a real hero after Wallace was executed, fighting the English in his place. He adopted Wallace's guerilla strategy, winning back territory, village by village, town by town, until his final victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Contrary to what is shown in the plot of Braveheart, Bruce prepared well for this battle and deliberately drew the English Army to him. He most definitely did not just decide to fight this battle on the spur of the moment.