Catherine Bruce of Clackmannan (1696–1791) was a Scottish noblewoman and Jacobite. She is remembered for unofficially knighting notable people including the poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

Jacobitism

Bruce lived in

Clackmannan Tower The Clackmannan Tower is a historic five-storey tower house situated at the summit of King's Seat Hill in Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. It dates back to at least the 14th century when it was inhabited by King David II of Scotland an ...

Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire (; ; ), or the County of Clackmannan, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, Council areas of Scotland, council area, registration counties, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. Her husband Henry Bruce fought for the

Jacobites A Jacobite is a follower of someone named Jacob or James, from the Latin ''Jācōbus''. Jacobite or Jacobitism may refer to: Religion * Arminianism, the theology of Jacobus Arminius * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Ch ...

against the English crown in the 1745 uprising, and she herself supported the movement.

Descent from Robert the Bruce

Catherine was known for her eccentricity and had many eclectic visitors at

. In 1787 she was visited by the celebrated Scottish poet,

, and she "knighted" him with a family sword said to have once belonged to

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...

, King of Scotland (1306–1329) and from whom she and her husband both claimed descent. Burns's companion Dr Adair described Catherine as: 'Though almost deprived of speech by a paralytic affection, she preserved her hospitality and urbanity.' She is believed to have said during the ceremony that she 'had a better right to confer that title nighthoodthan some people' implying that the current Hanoverian monarchs were illegitimate. She (unofficially) knighted other select guests across the years with the same sword including Dr John Jamieson, editor of the ''Scots Dictionary''. On her death, the sword passed to the

Earl of Elgin Earl of Elgin ( ) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin, Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 Ju ...

, and in 2018 went on public display for the first time courtesy of the Broomhall Estate.

Death and legacy

She died in 1791. Her life's story was included in the ''Walking Theatre Company'' production of ''Tales of Clackmannan'' which celebrated the history of Clackmannanshire. She has a Scottish country dancing reel named after her called Lady Catherine Bruce's Reel. Clackmannanshire Council owns a painting of her which is attributed the school of the Scottish painter David Allan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruce, Catherine 1696 births 1791 deaths Nobility from Clackmannanshire Scottish noblewomen 18th-century Scottish nobility Scottish Jacobites Bruce family (Clackmannan) 18th-century Scottish women