A DOCUMENTARY has suggested people across the world may have been saying Robert the Bruce’s name wrong.
His victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 is celebrated in Scotland’s national anthem Flower of Scotland and has been portrayed many times on TV and in film.
But in a new episode of BBC Radio 4’s You’re Dead to Me, some historians have argued the “the” in his name should be removed.
It is argued the King of Scots was likely never known as The Bruce in his lifetime, and his name was corrupted hundreds of years after his death.
Bruce was crowned in 1306 at Scone Palace, near Perth, and died in Cardross in 1329.
Historian Greg Jenner, who hosts You're Dead to Me, said: "We chose to do Robert Bruce because there is so much name recognition and there is the big anniversary of course - 750 years since his birth.
"He is so important for Scottish people. And he is a symbol - he was the king that won independence."
Jenner, who was a historian on the Horrible Histories TV show for 11 years, describes You're Dead to Me as a comedy show that takes history seriously.
The show has explored the stories of Queen of Sheba, Joan of Arc and Agatha Christie among other over more than 100 episodes.
For the Robert Bruce episode, the show brought together Shetland comedian Marjolein Robertson and Dr Iain MacInnes, a Dornoch-based senior lecturer in history at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Jenner said: "It is a funny romp through his life talking about the politics of the 13-14th Century between Scotland and England and politics internally in Scotland."
Regarding his name, Dr MacInnes said: "I think it's a corruption of the Bruces' name in Latin - de Bruce - but it is used to emphasis the prominence of him in Scottish history.
"It does make him stand out a bit more, but it is not likely he was known as Robert the Bruce when he was alive. He was the seventh Robert Bruce and named after his father and grandfather."
Dr MacInnes said some historians would prefer he be called Robert Bruce, as he would be if he was alive today.
He added: "Ultimately he should be King Robert I, rather than Robert the Bruce."
