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Robert the Bruce: A Life from Beginning to End

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Discover the remarkable life of Robert the Bruce... Free BONUS Inside! Robert the Bruce is one of the most iconic figures of Scottish history. Born in Scotland’s desperate hour of need, Robert stepped forward to answer the call. In the early 1300s, the situation looked bleak for the Scottish with the might of England and its eager monarch King Edward I threatening to crush any resistance to his rule. In 1305, the former freedom fighter William Wallace had already been captured and cruelly executed. Robert the Bruce and his family initially tried to stay out of the fray, but the sudden onslaught of a series of circumstances would soon dictate Robert’s ultimate destiny. He would be made a king without a kingdom, forced to claw his way to the throne that was rightfully his. It was on the shoulders of Robert the Bruce to right the wrongs of the past—would he be up for the challenge? Read about his trials and tribulations in this book to see just how this dynamic piece of Scottish history played out. Discover a plethora of topics such as Early Life A Guardian of Scotland The Murder of John Comyn The Rise of Robert I The Fight for Independence Late Life and Death And much more!So if you want a concise and informative book on Robert the Bruce, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access!

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2020

163 people are currently reading
187 people want to read

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Hourly History

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At Hourly History, we focus on publishing history books that are concise, straightforward and take no longer than one hour to read.

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5 stars
168 (46%)
4 stars
138 (38%)
3 stars
45 (12%)
2 stars
9 (2%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Brooke (B for Books).
849 reviews32 followers
August 2, 2025
king without a kingdom, forced to claw his way to the throne that was rightfully his.
His goal was not to expand Scotland but to defend its rights as a free state to not be governed by English Tyranny.

I can not be a traitor, for I owe [the king] no allegiance. He is not my Sovereign; he never received my homage; and whilst life is in this persecuted body, he never shall receive it.” —William Wallace

Edward I and II would be in constant war with Scotland to the point that the Pope issued a decree for peace. The Pope played mediator and asked Robert to sign something as "leader of Scotland" in order to appeal to King Edward II's ego so as not to refer to his neighbor as an equal King. Robert refused. The church attempted to appeal to tyrannical leaders, but Robert the Bruce held steadfast to his values of a free independent state. It was about more than a word on a page, it is about the games of kings and their plays of power. Robert the Bruce did not engage in military invasion or tactical politics unless he was provoked. After the death of Edward II and succession of Edward III, Robert got to see the fruits of his labor, although not for long. He was leader with dignity and character, and not on a blind quest for power.

it was the ferocity of his words that would inspire the people of Scotland to shake off the English yoke.

Robert the Bruce had managed to win not just on the battlefield, but also in the court of public opinion, persuading even the pope

I read this while working through The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England
the taste of freedom had never been sweeter
Profile Image for Anil Swarup.
Author 3 books721 followers
September 7, 2020
Scottish History is indeed pretty fascinating. This book from Hourly History brings forth the events of a period that were even more fascinating as they were part of "freedom" struggle waged by a few brave leaders that included Robert the Bruce who may not occupy the same space as Wallace but have their names etched in the annals of Scottish History.
Profile Image for Elyrria.
373 reviews62 followers
February 28, 2025
I am the many-times-great-granddaughter of Robert the Bruce on my maternal and paternal family lines, but I am also a descendant of all 3 King Edwards through multiple family lines. It was fascinating to read about all of these medieval relatives, and of course, I was on Bruces's side. This is a short but wonderful read about the iconic Scottish hero.
6,233 reviews40 followers
October 27, 2025
This is a book about how England wanted to take over Scotland, The complications on who was and who wasn't the king of Scotland, the battles between the English and the Scots and how Robert the Bruce was pretty much a masterful tactician in handling the English invaders.

The book goes into specific battles, various rulers of England that got involved, how the Pope at the time became involved and how Scotland became a free country. The most interesting part to me was the various ways that Robert the Bruce developed a solid military strategy that worked even when his force was outnumbered.
11 reviews
November 22, 2020
The book was well written and got to the point explaining some complicated events and people of that time. Robert had the courage of his convictions and the leadership qualifications to carry his dream to fruition in spite of peril to his own family. What a leader he must have been. I wish the book could have been longer and maybe explained some of the battles won and the strategy he probably used.
Dave
961 reviews
March 21, 2023
This was the first free book I got from Hourly History Free Book Friday. It appealed to me because I'm getting ready to take a trip to Scotland soon. I knew very little about Robert the Bruce other than a few references I recall from the movie Brave Heart. This short book, intended to be read in about an hour, was a perfect place to start learning more about Scottish history.

The book gives a concise, yet substantial, history of Robert the Bruce from birth to death, and lays a good groundwork to understand the history of that part of the world. Short and sweet.
Profile Image for William O. Robertson.
265 reviews1 follower
February 7, 2024
If you know little about Scottish history this short read will provide a great overview. Recommended for any traveler to Scotland wanting to appreciate Scottish history and why Scotland and England, although together within the United Kingdom, have different perspectives on governing and even on foreign policy. Freedom fighters such as Robert the Bruce, William Wallace and others, sets the stage why there are these differences between England and Scotland to this day.
90 reviews
September 17, 2020
One hour did seem not a long time for such a man and so it was. I did enjoy the book and its made me want to know more about the man. Being English I didn't feel at all sad 700 years ago we were given a bloody nose by such a man but I don't see Scotland ever being truly independent of great Britain.
278 reviews
December 19, 2021
This is a quick but informative biography of Robert the Bruce which gives insight into the troubles facing Scotland during the 1300s as well as an overview of the major battles between Scotland and England. Although its brevity does not allow too much depth, it will still be interesting and useful for those who want to learn about the subject.
2 reviews
March 15, 2025
Well written depiction of the life of a much revered king of Scotland

For the Scottish history buff, this is an easy read that clearly depicts the history of the Scottish-English tumultuous relationship and the lasting influence of Robert th Bruce on the recognition of Scotland as a sovereign nation.
Profile Image for Grahamalba.
45 reviews
August 13, 2025
I love Scottish history. The more I read the more I thirst for more.
Robert the Bruce was a devious man and not at all a patriot to start with until he reached kingship, then his true patriotism came to show and what a performance. He achieved what every other true Scot hoped to achieve.
Profile Image for Mike Briley.
166 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2020
Typical of this series - an excellent summary biography which leaves you wanting to read more.
Profile Image for James Atwell.
53 reviews
October 7, 2020
The early years of Scotland

This is a very insightful look at the early days of Scotland . From William Wallace to Robert the Bruce in the early 1300's. A good read.
4 reviews
May 27, 2022
Robert the Bruce

Loved this book no added romance or half truths just the facts mama just the facts. Could have used a follow up of Scotland after his death.






Profile Image for Marie Zhuikov.
Author 7 books36 followers
February 1, 2023
I wanted a quick run-through of Robert the Bruce's life and this delivered.
1 review
February 16, 2023
Great read.

Robert is my ancestral cousin. I discovered during my genealogical research of my family ancestry. What a surprise of my ancestral history.
Profile Image for Eilidhs World.
227 reviews8 followers
July 12, 2023
4 stars ⭐️

I really enjoyed reading this novel on Robert the Bruce! It was interesting to see how life was back when he was king not to mention how he went about getting Scottish independence, he was a very strong and powerful man with no fear.
I would highly recommend this book to learn more about Scottish history and how much the generations have changed over the years

4 stars ⭐️
3 reviews
September 21, 2023
Life and wars of Robert the Bruce

This book gave the wars to give Scotland its true freedom by the life of Robert the Bruce. Good read.

37 reviews
January 2, 2024
Robert Rules!

I really enjoyed reading this piece of Scottish and European history. This is new territory she's the length of the book is a great introduction for me.
Profile Image for Stacy.
158 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2025
Very concise history of Robert The Bruce and his fight to free Scot and become King as was his right. Enjoyed the overview of his life and struggles.
Profile Image for Bettye McKee.
2,190 reviews159 followers
November 22, 2020
I write reviews that should be posted on Amazon and Goodreads, but too many times, they don't get posted on Goodreads.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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