The name of James Daniel Bruce is one of the most glorious in Russian history. Peter the Great's comrade-in-arms distinguished himself as a remarkable statesman, general, scholar and diplomat who had a finger in almost every enterprise of the age of Peter the Great.
        James Daniel Bruce was born in Moscow in 1669 and was a representative of a famous Clan in Scotland, Ireland and England. The liberator of Scotland, King Robert I (1306-1 329), was the greatest scion of this family. His brother Edward Bruce, King of Ireland (1316-1318), founded the line which received the lands of Clackmannan.
        In 1647 a descendant of this line, William Bruce, joined the Russian army. He served for 33 years in Russia and died in the rank of colonel in 1680.
        The colonel had two sons, Robert (1668-1720) and James, and a daughter Elisabeth.
        Robert Bruce was appointed High Commandant of St. Petersburg in 1 704 and held this responsible post until his death. Robert's son Alexander was to inherit the estates and title of his uncle Count James.
        Like his father he became a lieutenant general. One of his three wives, Princess Catherine Dolgorukova, was known in Russia as "sovereign-bride". She was first betrothed to young Russian Emperor Peter II, who died on the very eve of their wedding in 1 730.
        Count Alexander Bruce was succeeded by his son Iakov Alexandrovich who embraced Orthodoxy. He was governor general of Moscow and then of St. Petersburg under Empress Catherine the Great. His wife Praskovya Alexandrovna Rumyantseva was lady in waiting to the Imperial Court.
        Their daughter Catherine married V.V. Musin-Pushkin after the death of her parents, but she mostly lived abroad. After the death of Catherine (1 829) the family of Bruce became extinct in Russia.
        However the offspring of this clan survive in Russia through another Scottish family, the Fermors.
        Under the name of Liberman and Tarasevich they live in Moscow and take an active part in the work of the Museum at Glinki.