Dunfermline was a place of great symbolism for Scotland’s medieval royalty, where kings, queens, princes and princesses were born and buried.
From the reign of Malcolm Canmore (1031 – 93) Dunfermline was an important royal centre, with Queen Margaret establishing a priory there in 1071. When Queen Margaret and King Malcolm were buried in the Abbey church in 1093 it established a tradition of royal burials that includes many of Scotland’s medieval royalty, most notably Robert the Bruce. The palace also saw royal births, including King James I in 1394 and King Charles I in 1600.