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Joe, Son of the Rock

Joe, Son of the Rock club

Posted: 07 Mar 2024

Taken: 27 Feb 2024

3 favorites     2 comments    18 visits

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Rusty & Ruins Rusty & Ruins

Ruines - Ruins Ruines - Ruins

Scotland Scotland

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Dumbarton •
Plaque •
Church •
Ruins •
Ruin •
Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5 - f/5.6 IS STM •
Park •
Public Park •
, Levengrove •
St Serf's •

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King Robert the Bruce Plaque

King Robert the Bruce Plaque
Dumbarton

The wording on the plaque is:

ROBERTUS DEI GRATIA REX SCOTORUM

THIS PLAQUE WAS PLACED HERE TO COMMEMORATE THE SEPULTURE HERE WITHIN THE RUINED BOUNDS OF SAINT SERF'S PARISH CHURCH, LITTLE KIRKTON, OF THE EMBALMED VISCERA FROM THE BODY OF

KING ROBERT 'THE BRUCE'

ON OR ABOUT THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE 1329. THE DYING MONARCH REQUESTED THAT HIS HEART BE TAKEN TO JERUSALEM BY A KNIGHT TEMPLAR IN FULFILMENT OF A SACRED VOW HE HAD MADE EARLIER IN HIS REIGN TO GO ON A CRUSADE TO THE HOLY LAND IN PALESTINE.ON THE SAME DAY AND AT THE HOUR APPOINTED FOR THE ENTOMBMENT O THE KING IN DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, A SIMULTANEOUS SERVICE OF SEPULTURE WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN THE PRECINCTS OF THIS VENERABLE EDIFICE.

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Comments
 Eva Lewitus
Eva Lewitus club
Very interesting. I wonder if they took his heart to Jerusalem, and where it is now.
6 weeks ago.
Joe, Son of the Rock club has replied to Eva Lewitus club
After the death of Robert the Bruce in 1329, his heart was removed and embalmed separately as per his request. The heart was given to Sir James Douglas, also known as “The Black Douglas”, in a metal urn to be worn on a necklace1.

Robert the Bruce had requested that his heart be taken on a tour of the Holy Land and presented before God at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. However, before Douglas and his company of knights could undertake the heart’s holy tour, they were called to fight against the Moors attempting to take Spain.

During a surprise attack in which Sir James Douglas was killed, he is said to have thrown the heart urn ahead of him and shouted, “Lead on brave heart, I’ll follow thee”. After the battle, Robert the Bruce’s heart was carried along with Douglas’ remains back to Scotland. The heart was buried along with Douglas near Melrose Abbey.

In 1996, during excavations of the abbey ruins, the urn was discovered and confirmed to hold the heart of Robert the Bruce. His heart was finally interred within Melrose Abbey, almost 700 years after he had initially requested it.

The Black Douglas is an ancestor of the Marquess of Queensberry, who played a significant role in the prosecution of Oscar Wilde.

Thanks for your very kind comment, Eva.

Best wishes,

Joe
6 weeks ago. Edited 6 weeks ago.

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