Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we journey back to one of the most pivotal and dramatic moments in Scotland’s turbulent past. On this day, February 10, 1306, Robert the Bruce, the man who would become Scotland’s legendary king, committed an act that would change the course of Scottish history forever.

In the heart of Dumfries, inside the Church of the Greyfriars, Robert the Bruce met with his long-time rival, John III Comyn—known as the Red Comyn. What began as a political discussion quickly escalated into a violent confrontation, and before the meeting was over, Comyn lay dead before the altar. This was no ordinary murder; it was an act of sacrilege, a killing inside a sacred church. It sent shockwaves throughout Scotland and beyond, sealing Robert the Bruce’s fate as both a fugitive and, soon after, Scotland’s king.

To understand how the events of this fateful day unfolded, we need to go back a few years. Scotland was in crisis. Since the death of Alexander III in 1286 and his heir, the Maid of Norway, in 1290, Scotland had been without a clear ruler. This led to what became known as the Great Cause—a dispute over who had the strongest claim to the throne. The two leading candidates were John Balliol and Robert Bruce’s grandfather, also named Robert Bruce. In the end, King Edward I of England, who had been asked to mediate, chose Balliol as king in 1292.

The decision didn’t sit well with the Bruces. When Edward I later undermined Balliol’s rule and invaded Scotland in 1296, the country was thrown into chaos. The fight for Scotland’s independence began, led first by figures like William Wallace and later by Robert the Bruce. But standing in Bruce’s way was John III Comyn. The Comyns were one of the most powerful families in Scotland, and John III had strong ties to Balliol. In fact, many saw Comyn as the natural leader of Scotland’s resistance against Edward.

Bruce and Comyn had a bitter and complicated relationship. At times, they fought on the same side against the English, but they never trusted each other. Both men had royal blood and ambitions for the Scottish crown. It is believed that at some point before 1306, Bruce and Comyn may have made a secret deal—perhaps Bruce promised to back Comyn’s claim to the throne in exchange for his own landholdings. But whatever agreement they had, it clearly fell apart.

On February 10, 1306, Robert the Bruce and John Comyn arranged to meet in Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, possibly to settle their differences. The exact details of what happened inside that church remain unclear, but what is certain is that the discussion turned heated. Some sources suggest that Bruce accused Comyn of betraying him to Edward I, which may have been true. In the heat of the moment, Bruce drew his dagger and struck Comyn down.

The killing did not end there. Accounts suggest that Bruce left the church, only for his supporters, possibly including his trusted ally Roger de Kirkpatrick, to go back and finish the job. Kirkpatrick’s words—"I mak siccar", meaning “I make sure”—have gone down in legend.

Killing Comyn inside a church was more than just murder; it was an act of sacrilege, which put Bruce at odds with the powerful Catholic Church. News of the killing spread fast, and Bruce had no choice but to act quickly. Within weeks, he was crowned King of Scots at Scone on March 25, 1306. But his troubles were only beginning.

The murder of Comyn sparked outrage. His family and supporters, along with the English king, sought revenge. Pope Clement V excommunicated Bruce for his crime, and Edward I vowed to crush him. In the months that followed, Bruce suffered a series of devastating defeats. He was forced into hiding, and his allies were either captured or killed. His brothers were executed, and his wife and daughter were taken prisoner.

But Bruce was not finished. In 1307, Edward I died, and Bruce slowly rebuilt his campaign. Over the next several years, he waged a brilliant guerrilla war, eventually reclaiming Scotland. His greatest victory came in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn, where he decisively defeated the English and secured Scotland’s independence. By 1328, England officially recognized Scotland’s sovereignty.

The murder of John Comyn was one of the most controversial acts in Scottish history. Some see it as the desperate move of a man who believed it was the only way to secure Scotland’s freedom. Others view it as a ruthless assassination of a political rival. Either way, there is no denying that this single moment changed the course of history.

Had Comyn lived, would he have led Scotland’s fight against England? Would Scotland have won its independence? We will never know. But what is certain is that February 10, 1306, set Robert the Bruce on his path to becoming one of Scotland’s greatest kings.

Thank you for joining me on This Day in Scottish History. Tune in next time for more tales of Scotland’s past. I’m Colin MacDonald—Haste Ye Back!

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