The king, Voltaire wrote, flaunted his predilection for young officers. “When His Majesty was dressed and booted, he had two or three favorites come, either lieutenants of his regiment ...

Scorned as a young man for being illegitimate (he was nicknamed ‘the ... His crowning achievement as a warrior-king was the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where Robert triumphed over the forces of ...