William Wallace won a dramatic victory against the English in 1297. The large, well-equipped and arrogant English army were annihilated by Wallace’s men—a mere rabble. Robert the Bruce continued the fight for independence.
English intervention began after Alexander III’s death in 1286. Alexander’s young granddaughter Margaret—the Maid of Norway—was his sole heir. She died en-route from Norway, leaving Scotland without a ruler.
Two contestants vied for the throne—John Balliol and Robert Bruce.
The English Overlord
The Scots asked Edward I to arbitrate, but he wanted acknowledgement as overlord. Edward appointed John Balliol as king on 17 November 1292, as he had the best claim through a male ancestor. He also believed Balliol would comply with his demands.
Balliol was forced to pay homage and fealty to Edward twice. He contributed towards English defence costs and joined forces in a war against France.
Baliol rejected the alliance when Edward’s demands became too excessive. He formed a treaty with France in 1295—known the Auld Alliance.
Edward retaliated by invading Scotland. His army slaughtered thousands of citizens in Berwick for their defiance. He soon controlled key strongholds including Edinburgh, Stirling and Perth. Baliol was forced to abdicate.
Scottish landowners signed the “Ragman’s Roll” under duress. They were coerced into recognising Edward as King. The Stone of Destiny was removed from Scone. It remained under Westminster Abbey’s Coronation Chair for seven hundred years. (The Stone was eventually returned on 30 November 1996 with a police escort. It is now housed in Edinburgh Castle.)
The Scots resented English domination. Edward appointed a Viceroy. He left officials in charge of garrisons and administration.
William Wallace led a fast-spreading national movement hell-bent on destroying English garrisons and soldiers.
Many Scottish nobles were in English prisons and unable to lead their men into battle. Wallace and Andrew Murray led their men—a mere rabble—into battle and defeated the large, well-equipped and arrogant English army at Stirling Bridge. Wallace and Murray became de-facto joint rulers in their absence.
The English eventually defeated Wallace at Falkirk in July 1298. He became a fugitive, as he never commanded an army again. He evaded his captors until 1305. He was tried and executed by the English.
Robert the Bruce
Robert the Bruce crowned himself (Robert I) on 27 March 1306 so Edward sent another army north. Bruce was defeated on 26 June. He fled to Norway as an outlaw. His allies were hung, drawn and quartered.
He eventually returned to a devastated and demoralised Scotland.
Bruce won his first victory, after a year of defeat, once he gathered more allies.
Edward I died on 7 July 1307 at Burgh-on-sand. His son, now Edward II, left English garrisons to fend for themselves with no support.
Bruce won more victories. He controlled most of Scotland by 1309. Only Sterling still remained in English hands.
Edward II marched north with a lavishly-equipped army. It was routed at Bannockburn on 24 June 1314. The English fled south.
War dragged on for another 14 years.
Independence
The Declaration of Arbroath—Scotland’s founding document—declared support for Robert I in his struggle for independence. It was a contractual kingship in Europe. The Scots chose Bruce, not God. They would choose another king if he betrayed them.
“For as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any condition be brought under English rule. It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting but for freedom—for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”
Scotland was finally recognised as an independent kingdom in the Treaty of Peace signed in May 1328 at Northampton.
Sources
Fisher, Andrew, A Traveller’s History of Scotland (Fourth Edition), Cassell, London UK, 1990
Lynch, Michael (editor), The Oxford Companion To Scottish History, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, 2001
Mackay, James, William Wallace Brave Heart, Mainstream Publishing Company, Edinburgh, 1995
Maclean, Fitzroy, A Concise History of Scotland, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 1970 (Second Revised Edition 2000)
Magnusson, Magnus, Scotland: The Story of a Nation, HarperCollins Publishers, Hammersmith, 2000
Menzies, Gordon (Editor), In Search of Scotland, Polygon, Edinburgh, 2001
Traquair, Peter, Freedom’s Sword, Harper Collins Publishers, Hammersmith UK, 1998
Watson, Fiona, Scotland: A History 8000BC – AD2000, Tempus Publishing Ltd, Stroud Gloucestershire, UK, 2001
Wilkinson, Philip, The British Monarchy for Dummies, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, 2006
© 2008 Carolyn M Cash
This article was originally published by Suite 101 on 9 August 2008.
