James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
In 1328 Robert the Bruce was in poor health and was dying. One thing he had not been able to do was to go on a crusade. He asked his friend Sir James Douglas to take his heart to the Holy Land. The king died on 7 June 1329. After the king's death James Douglas had a silver casket made and placed in it the heart of Robert the Bruce. He kept it safe on a chain around his neck. In 1330 he and six knights set out in a ship with royal banners. This is so all who saw it would know the heart of Robert, King of Scotland was on its way to Jerusalem in the Holy Land. The ship waited at Sluys, Flanders for other knights to join them before continuing on their voyage. They sailed to Spain where they stopped at Seville. They were welcomed by Alfonso XI, King of Castile and Leon as well as many English knights who had come to Spain to fight against the Moors. In August 1330 outside the walls of the Moorish town of Teba de Ardales Douglas and his knights joined the king's army. King Alfonso asked Douglas if he would lead the vanguard and placed all the English and Scottish knights under his command. Douglas ordered the charge and the fighting began right away. When the moors pretended to retreat, Douglas and ten of his knights chased after them. But it was a trick and the Moors turned and surrounded them. Trying to rescue a fellow knight Douglas and all his knights were killed. Sir James Douglas was found with the silver casket still around his neck. His body was made ready for the trip home. The silver casket containing the heart of Bruce never reached the Holy Land. It was buried at the Abbey of Melrose. Sir James Douglas was  buried at the Kirk of Douglas.