Many experts say the Arbroath Declaration was the model used when the new American nation was drawing up its own Declaration of Independance some  456 years later.  This is a very plausible statement as the majority of the new Governors were from Scots descent and knew the importance of what it had done for the people of Scotland.

"As long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any condition be brought under English domination. It is in truth not for glory, nor for riches, nor for honour that we are fighting, but only and alone for freedom, which no good man surrenders but with his life."

In fact the Pope went stronger than simply not recognising Scottish independance he threatened to excommunicate the whole nation if they did not recognise the English King Edward as their own King.  The King and his nobles gathered together at Arbroath to write this petition to the pope to change his view suggesting that any refusal by time would lead to even more death  and they would be on the Popes shoulders.

Signed by all 38 Scottish Nobles the petition was successful although it was not until 1328 that the Treaty of Northampton was finally signed Bruce and Edward III recognising Scotland as a separate nation fully independant of England. The treaty was sealed with the marriage of Bruce to Edwards sister Joanna leaving Bruce free to concentrate on rebuilding his nation into relative prosperity and peace.

However the toil of fighting for so many years had ruined his health and in his later years he was constantly subject to bouts of illness.  He died in Cardross (now part of Dunbartonshire) although his body was then taken east to be buried in Dunfermline Abbey. However on his instructions his heart was removed and taken in a casket by Sir James Douglas to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage.