Picture of the murder of John Comyn by Robert the Bruce
This is an illustration of the murder of John Comyn by Robert the Bruce. After the death in 1286 of Alexander III, King of Scots, and the subsequent death in 1290 of his heir Margaret, the Maid of Norway, the crown of Scotland was open to fourteen claimants. Chief of whom were Robert Bruce (grandfather to the future king) and John Balliol, ally of the Comyn family.
The Scottish parliament called on Edward I, King of England, to adjudicate the competitors claims. He agreed to this with an eye on gaining power in Scotland. In 1292, Edward awarded the kingdom to Balliol. Over the next few years, the situation in Scotland became more volatile for a number of reasons. In 1295, Edward came across the border with his army and heavily defeated the Scots, whereupon Balliol resigned.
This left Edward in control of Scotland. Over the next decade there were various rebellions all put down by Edward. Various claimants jostled for the crown of Scotland. The two most likely to lead a successful rebellion were Robert the Bruce and John Comyn. Bruce called for a meeting between the two at Greyfriars Church in Dumfries. The meeting became heated and Bruce struck Comyn with his sword, after which, his Bruce's men finished him off. It is unlikely that Bruce had set up this meeting in order to murder Comyn, as this would not have won the hearts and minds of the people.
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