Robert the Bruce Shield

Robert the Bruce was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. He was one of the most famous warriors of his generation and eventually led the Scottish army to victory against the English in the Scottish Wars of Independence. He fought successfully during his reign to regain Scotland's place as an independent nation and is today remembered in Scotland as a national hero. When he died in 1329 and his body was buried in Dunfermline Abbey and his heart was placed in a silver casket and taken on crusade by his lieutenant and friend, Sir James Douglas – as was his dying wish. Douglas was killed fighting the Moors in Spain, but not before he launched the casket into the thick of the battle. The casket was found after the battle and was returned to Scotland to be interred at Melrose Abbey.

This style of shield first appeared in the medieval period. It evolved from the larger kite shield – which gradually became smaller as head and leg protection became better. It is commonly referred to as a “Heater” shield because of its resemblance to the shape of an old flat iron.

Our Robert the Bruce Shield is hand painted and lacquered and features leather straps and padding on the back. Shields may vary slightly due to the hand painted nature of this item. This shield is a little on the light side for full contact re-enactment but is perfect for theatre and film work and great as a display piece.

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