David II
King of Scots
"The kingdom shall not be sold for my liberty."
Biography
The only surviving son of Robert the Bruce, David II became king at five and spent his childhood as a fugitive: after the disaster at Halidon Hill in 1333 he was sent for safety to France, where he lived at the court of Philip VI for seven years while Guardians held Scotland for him. Returning in 1341, he ruled in his own right until, honouring the Auld Alliance after France's defeat at Crécy, he invaded England in 1346 and was captured at Neville's Cross, an arrowhead lodged in his face. Eleven years a prisoner, he was finally freed in 1357 by the Treaty of Berwick for a colossal ransom that burdened Scotland for generations. He reigned another fourteen years, keeping the crown independent though impoverished, and died childless in 1371 — the last of the House of Bruce, succeeded by the Stewarts.
Did you know?
He carried an arrowhead lodged in his skull from Neville's Cross for the rest of his life, a wound that reportedly caused him headaches for years.
Key Battles
Battle of Neville's Cross
Kingdom of England victoryOctober 17, 1346 · 3,500 total casualties
The capture of the king and a crushing ransom marked the effective end of the second war; when David was finally released in 1357 by the Treaty of Berwick, Scotland's independence — though impoverished — was intact.
Life Journey
Timeline
March 5, 1324
🌅 Birth
Born at Dunfermline, heir of Bruce
October 1346
⚔️ Battle
Captured at Neville's Cross
February 22, 1371
✝️ Death
Dies childless; the Stewart line succeeds