List of Heirs of Scotland - Heir To Robert II (The Steward)

Heir To Robert II (The Steward)

Before he became King, Robert had married twice: firstly to Elizabeth Mure, by whom he had four sons and five daughters, and secondly to Euphemia, Countess of Moray, by whom he had a further two sons and two daughters. However, the children of the King's first wife had been born before the granting of the dispensation for the marriage, and were therefore of doubtful legitimacy, as the legal doctrine that children born out of wedlock are legitimated by their parents' subsequent marriage had not yet been fully established in Scotland. It was thus unclear whether the heir-apparent was Robert's eldest son by his first wife, John, or his eldest son by his second wife, David. On 27 March 1371, Parliament acknowledged John, as Robert's heir and subsequently on 4 April 1373 passed an Act specifically stating the order of succession to the throne, which was limited to the King's sons (named in the Act) and the heirs male of their bodies, failing which to the King's heirs whatsoever. The heir apparent was now indisputably

• John Stewart, the King's eldest son by his first wife, who had been created Earl of Carrick in 1368. He was disabled by a kick from a horse in 1389, and his younger brother Robert took on many of the functions of the heir-apparent, including acting as Guardian of the Kingdom.

Despite his infirmity, John succeeded to the throne on Robert II's death, 19 April 1390, in accordance with the 1371 Act. He assumed the regnal name of Robert III to avoid associations with the House of Balliol.