Robert the Bruce had himself crowned King of Scots at Scone on a frozen March morning in 1306.After years of struggle, Scotland had been reduced to a vassal state by Edward I of England and its people lived in poverty.On the day he seized the crown Bruce renewed the fight for Scotland's freedom, and let forth a battle cry that would echo through the centuries.Using contemporary accounts, Ronald McNair Scott tells the story of Scotland's legendary leader, and one of Europe's most remarkable medieval kings.It is a story with episodes as romantic as those of King Arthur, but also one which belongs in the annals of Scottish History, and has shaped a nation.