David II 1324-71
King of Scotland

He was born in Dunfermline, the only surviving son of Robert Bruce (King Robert I) and married the daughter of Edward II of England, Joanna (1328). In 1329 he succeeded his father, and he and his child queen were crowned at Scone (1331). The success of the victory by Edward de Balliol and Edward III at Halidon Hill (1333) forced David's guardians to send him and his consort to France (1334). He returned in 1341 and, five years later, invaded England, but at Neville's Cross, near Durham, was defeated and captured (1346), and was kept prisoner for 11 years. His release (1357), on promise of a heavy ransom, and the treaty of 1357 brought 27 years of truce with England, but strains over payment of the ransom brought increased customs duties and direct taxation, and caused resentment when the hostages of 1357 were abandoned (1363) as a result of defaulting on payments. Yet David maintained a firm grip of his kingdom, with little sign of the tensions between king and nobles which afflicted later reigns. Despite a second marriage to Margaret Drummond of Logie (1363), a year after Queen Joanna died, he left no children, and was succeeded by his sister's son, Robert II.

Bibliography: Marjorie O Anderson, Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland (1973)