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Elizabeth de BurghSecond wife of King Robert I of Scotland
Date of Birth: 01.01.1284
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Elizabeth de Burgh: Queen Consort of Scotland
- Reign as Queen
- Imprisonment and Hardships
- Captivity and Release
- Later Life and Legacy
Elizabeth de Burgh: Queen Consort of Scotland
Early Life and MarriageElizabeth de Burgh was born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, to Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, and Margaret de Burgh. Her father was a close ally of Edward I of England. Elizabeth likely met Robert Bruce at the English court, and they married in 1302 in Writtle, Essex.
Reign as Queen
Robert and Elizabeth were crowned at Scone on March 27, 1306. Their reign was marked by England's relentless attempts to assert its supremacy over Scotland.
Imprisonment and Hardships
After the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Methven on June 19, 1306, Robert sent Elizabeth, her ladies-in-waiting, and Princess Marjorie to Kildrummy Castle for protection under his brother Nigel. Feeling unsafe within the besieged castle, Elizabeth and Marjorie sought refuge in the sanctuary of St. Duthac's Church in Ross. There, they were betrayed by William II, Earl of Ross, who stormed the church and captured the women and their knights. The knights were executed immediately, and the ladies were sent to England, where they endured eight years of imprisonment in various castles and prisons.
Captivity and Release
Elizabeth was held at Burstwick, Yorkshire, from October 1306 to July 1308, then transferred to Bisham Priory, Berkshire, where she remained until March 1312. She was then moved to Windsor Castle until October 1312, then to Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, until March 1313, Barking Abbey, Essex, until March 1314, and Rochester Castle, Kent, until June 1314. After the Battle of Bannockburn, she was taken to York during negotiations for the exchange of high-ranking prisoners. In York, she met with King Edward II of England. Finally, in November 1314, she was transferred to Carlisle, shortly before her return to Scotland.
Later Life and Legacy
Elizabeth did not approve of her husband's rebellion and referred to him and his supporters as "children playing at being kings and queens." She had four children: John, Matilda, Margaret, and David (the future King David II of Scotland). Elizabeth died on October 27, 1327, at Cullen Castle, Banffshire, and was buried in Dunfermline. Her husband died twenty months later. Elizabeth's life was marked by both the turmoil and triumphs of a time of great political upheaval in Scotland.
