Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
She was a woman of wealth, power, and beauty. He was a man of war, politics, and royalty. Their marriage was a scandal, a gamble, and a destiny. They were Marjorie of Carrick, the heiress of Scotland, and Robert de Brus, the future king of Scotland.
Marjorie of Carrick was born in 1252, the daughter and only child of Niall, the Earl of Carrick, and Margaret, the daughter of Walter Stewart, the High Steward of Scotland. Marjorie inherited her father’s lands and titles, becoming the Countess of Carrick in her own right in 1256, after his death. She was one of the richest and most influential women in Scotland, with vast estates and a strong clan.
Marjorie married twice before she met Robert de Brus. Her first husband was Adam of Kilconquhar, a nobleman who accompanied King Louis IX of France on the Eighth Crusade. He died in 1270 at the siege of Acre, leaving Marjorie a widow with a daughter, Martha. Her second husband was Walter Stewart, a cousin of her mother and a loyal supporter of King Alexander III of Scotland. He died in 1354 from the wounds he received at the Battle of Neville’s Cross, where the Scots were defeated by the English.
Marjorie was once again a widow, and a childless one, as her daughter had died young. She was also in danger, as the succession of Scotland was uncertain, after the death of King Alexander III and his granddaughter Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who had been his heir. The Scottish nobles were divided into factions, each claiming the throne or supporting a candidate. Among them was Robert de Brus, the Lord of Annandale, who was the grandson of David, the Earl of Huntingdon, and the nephew of King John of Scotland.
Robert de Brus was the one who brought Marjorie the news of her second husband’s death, as he had been his companion-in-arms. He also brought her another proposal: to marry him and become his queen. According to the legend, Marjorie was so taken with him that she had him held captive at her castle of Turnberry, until he agreed to marry her. They married in 1271, without the permission of the king or the pope, and as a result, they lost their lands temporarily, until they paid a large fine. Robert became the Earl of Carrick by right of his wife, and Marjorie became his queen consort.
Marjorie bore Robert eleven children, six sons and five daughters, who became the ancestors of many Scottish and British monarchs. Her eldest son, John, succeeded his father as Robert III in 1390. Her second son, Robert, became the Duke of Albany and the regent of Scotland. Her third son, Alexander, became the Earl of Buchan and the Wolf of Badenoch. Her fourth son, Walter, became the Earl of Atholl. Her fifth son, David, died young. Her sixth son, Edward, became the King of Ireland.
Marjorie’s daughters also married into noble and royal families. Her eldest daughter, Margaret, married John of Islay, the Lord of the Isles. Her second daughter, Isabella, married James Douglas, the Earl of Douglas. Her third daughter, Jean, married Sir John Keith, the Marischal of Scotland. Her fourth daughter, Catherine, married David Lindsay, the Earl of Crawford. Her fifth daughter, Elizabeth, married Thomas Hay, the Constable of Scotland.
Marjorie was a powerful and influential women, who used her position and her resources to advance her interests and her children’s future. She was also a patron of the arts and the church, who supported the construction and the decoration of the Abbey of Dunfermline, where she and Robert were buried.
