Download Scottish Wars of Independence 1286–1328

How did Scotland gain independence? Scottish Wars of Independence 1286–1328 This booklet aims to guide you through the Higher and National 5 courses. It is a minimum for Higher‐ you are expected to read your textbooks and other materials also. Summary: The death of King Alexander III in 1286, and the subsequent death of his heir, Margaret, the Maid of Norway in 1290, plunged Scotland into a succession crisis. There was a clear risk of civil war breaking out amongst the nobles and so Edward I of England was asked to help. John Balliol was chosen by Edward as king in 1292. Balliol was subject to a series of humiliations and finally refused to send troops to help Edward’s fight in France. This sparked the conflict between Scotland and England which would last until 1328. Men such as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce rose to prominence in their campaigns against Edward, in their search for recognition for Scotland’s independence. Background: Was there a Scottish Golden Age? Some historians see the rule of Alexander III as a ‘golden age’ when Scotland was independent and strong. Was this true? Take notes using the following starter headings: Each heading should have 2‐3 key points. Reasons for a golden age: a) Good relations with England because b) Stronger Scotland because... c) Greater royal power because... d) Richer country because... e) Stronger Church because... Reasons why it was NOT so golden... 1. Yes: Alexander had a good relationship with Kings of England,  Alexander III became king at the age of eight, after the death of his father.  He was weak at first and controlled by the regent (guardian) Alan Durward.  Durward was unpopular with many of the Scottish nobles and Alexander was able to get rid of him by asking help from Henry III of England.  In summer 1251, Alexander married Margaret, Henry III of England’s daughter,  Henry gave Alexander a lot of lands in England as a wedding gift,  Alexander agreed to Henry III being his overlord for his English land.  However, the young king did NOT give the same promise about Scotland. This is important because it meant that the English king was not the overlord of Scotland.  Alexander was kidnapped several times by the Comyn family, and needed English help.  Later he was able to unite the different factions of nobles behind his rule. 2. Yes: Alexander was able to expand the territory of Scotland  More of the population accepted royal authority through the Parliaments 1 

In 1263, the Scots won a victory over the Vikings at the Battle of Largs. Haakon of Norway had controlled the Western Isles. After this battle they became Scottish. The Treaty of Perth was signed in 1266 and gave recognition of the Scottish king’s authority over the west of Scotland and Isle of Man. 3. Yes: Alexander strengthened his power ( royal authority) through the use of a feudal system of government.  King David I re‐organised Scotland to be more like England under its Norman (French) rulers.  Under this feudal system, the king owned all of the land and would give land to important nobles in exchange for the promise of loyalty (fealty).  A ceremony of homage was carried out to witness these promises of loyalty.  The feudal system meant that nobles had a vested interest in remaining loyal to the king. If they broke their oath, they would lose the land they had been given. 4. Yes: Alexander also helped to develop the Scottish economy.  Scotland had become an exporter of goods such as wool, timber and fish.  Scottish money became more widely used,  This had the picture of the king so showed his importance.  Inverness shipyards built fine ships for the Count of St Po, transporting troops on crusade.  Berwick upon Tweed became the most important trading port in Scotland.  Berwick traded wool, with both Flemish and German cloth factories. 5. Yes: Church stronger:  The Scottish church had its independence recognised by the Pope in a papal bull of 1192 = status of ‘special daughter of Rome’.  The bishops were powerful figures in the Scottish community, with wealth and authority.  Scotland, however, had no archbishop of its own – a position which helps to explain the church’s support for Scottish independence. Without Scottish independence, it was far more likely that the Scottish church would be controlled by the English church. Historical debate: Was there a ‘Golden Age’ of Scotland? For many historians the idea that Scotland enjoyed a ‘Golden Age’ of peace and prosperity during the reign of Alexander III is based on a strong argument:  There was a good relationship with Edward I, but Alexander III was also able to defend his sovereignty at Westminster in 1278, stating: ‘No one has a right to homage for my kingdom of Scotland save God alone, and I hold it only of God’.  Simon Schama describes Scotland in Alexander’s reign as ‘a flourishing kingdom, with its ceremonial centre divided between Scone, the palace of royal inauguration, and Dunfermline Abbey, the necropolis of the house of Canmore. The prosperous maritime port cities of Scotland, from Aberdeen in the north to Berwick in the south, shipped hides and wool and housed the same mix of local artisans and foreign merchants and had established a place in the dynamic trading economy of the North Sea.’[1] 2 Topic 1: 1286–96: The succession problem and the Great Cause Take notes under the following key headings: (use 2‐3+ bullet points under each one)  succession problem because...  Possible solutions =  Treaty of Birgham helped Scots independence because...  Key Claimants to throne =  Reasons for choosing Edward to judge...  Claimants with best claim =  Reasons for Edward’s decision = Why was there a succession problem?  Medieval kings had to have an adult male heir (someone to come after them)  Alexander's son's died before him. Solution = remarry to Yolande.  But then Alexander III died in an accident in 1286 without child.  Only heir = 3 year old granddaughter, a female!! What were the solutions? 1. Too young:  Guardians appointed to manage the kingdom while Margaret remained a child = decree of 1284  after his death, Parliament called at Scone : 6 men elected Guardians of Scotland  aim: protect their young queen  would she survive long enough to take the throne? Child mortality was high, even among noble‐born children; many did not reach their fifth birthday. Her health was now a major concern for Scotland.  who would be chosen as regent (guardian of queen)? The most powerful noble families distrusted each other. If one was picked, then how would they keep the other houses in line? The fear of civil war surrounded the discussion in the Parliament and was a very real threat. 2. Too female:  Guardians aimed to find her good husband.  a girl, even when grown up, would be unable to rule the country by herself  a Scottish husband would almost certainly have to come from one of the competing noble families. If one was chosen and not the other that in itself might lead to civil war.  Equally problematic would be a foreign husband. Who could they trust to maintain the rights and responsibilities of the kingdom?  Solution = Edward, the son of King Edward I of England,  Scots negotiated the Treaty of Birgham, which assured Scotland’s independence, despite the future union between the Scottish queen and the heir of England. 3 Task: Look through this family tree. Order those with the best claim under ‘primogeniture’ (= oldest male first, then oldest female). The Treaty of Salisbury (1289) = negotiations for marriage deal between Edward I's son and Margaret 'Maid of Norway'  Edward demanding that Margaret be handed over to him, to be raised in the English court, until Scotland was a safe place for her to return to.  not seen as such an unusual request to make.  But perhaps Edward already thinking of how to control Scots Did the Treaty of Birgham (1290) help Scots gain independence? England and Scotland agreed:  Edward I would respect the borders between England and Scotland  each country would remain separate.  no parliament governing Scotland would be held in England.  Scottish laws, customs, rights and freedoms would be preserved.  The Scottish church would remain free from interference from the English church. What did Edward want at Birgham?  no serious desire to claim overlordship of Scotland at this time.  But Edward didn't say he wasn't going to claim it in future  Edward also chose to seize the Isle of Man from Scotland  he insisted the Bishop of Durham help to run Scotland in the name of Margaret. 4 The Great Cause: Who had the best claim to be king? 






Margaret died on the voyage from Norway to Orkney, so Scotland was left without an heir. Serious threat of civil war: Bruce , Comyn, Balliol So King Edward of England was asked by Bishop Fraswer of St Andrews to help choose a new King. Edward held court at Norham and decided in November 1292: choosing the new king = the Great Cause. 13 claimants (14 if you count Edward himself), three men had the best claim – John Balliol, John of Hastings and Robert Bruce. Did the Treaty of Norham (1291–92) help Scots gain independence? 





The Scots nobles and clergy met Edward I at Norham, near the border, in May 1291. Edward surprised the guardians by demanding that they accept him as their feudal overlord. before making his judgment on who would be King of Scots. He had ordered an army to intimidate the Scots However, the Scots replied that only their king could deal with such a request, Clearly Edward now keen to take over What was the appeal of the 7 Earls? = Scottish earls stating their support for Robert Bruce’s claim to the throne.  probably a piece of Bruce propaganda, Task:  not views of the Scottish earls.  Bruce trying to stop supporters of Balliol like Bishop Fraser Use the family tree to explain who has the  or the Comyn's who controlled the Guardians best claim. Remember primogeniture = choose oldest male, then oldest female What did Edward want at Norham?  Likely that he wanted to control Scotland by this time.  Edward demanded that all claimants accept him as overlord before he chose a king.  All agreed, as none wished to be left out of the competition to be king, with Balliol last to accept  Bruce and Balliol held lands in England for which they already paid homage to the English king  Also homage from Scottish guardians, nobles and clergy.  Also Edward had controlled sea ports and Scottish castles  Also got all monasteries in England to look for records that said he was Scotland's overlord  Or maybe he just wanted to stop Scots fighting against him with France.  Or maybe his ideas changed after the death of Margaret. What was the legal discussion?  104 auditor= lawyers.  Was Scotland a kingdom = only 1 king (Balliol and Bruce because had strongest claims)  or a part of England = could be divided up between 3 claimants (Hastings, then Bruce when he thought he was losing)  was primogeniture the rule = oldest male, then oldest female?  or was it closest relation to previous king? 5 
Floris V, Count of Holland, claimed to be searching for documents to prove that David, Earl of Huntingdon had given up the rights of inheritance. Edward’s decision  17 November 1292, after 13 months of arguments and debate  John Balliol chosen.  based on the law of primogeniture, which had been reasonably well established in Scotland since the reign of David I.  Medieval chroniclers writing after the Wars of Independence thought Balliol was chosen because he was a weak man who could be pushed around by Edward  But they were probably working for Bruce's family so maybe less reliable!  Balliol was last to do homage, so he probably thought he had a strong claim Did the Scots have a Community of the Realm? This is the idea that people in Scotland were happy to work for Scotland rather than just for themselves. Community of the Realm, = barons, earls, and bishops who associated with the king and participated in the running of the country. Yes:  eg The six guardians appointed for Margaret managed to work together effectively suggests that in 1286, and with the threat of civil war hanging over them, they were able to come together for what was deemed the good of the kingdom.  Bishops Fraser and Wishart had a strong influence because they wanted to be independent of the English Church  the guardians were able to agree at the Parliament of Scone to accept Margaret as queen. Even Robert Bruce accepted (though apparently with poor grace).  great achievement to have held the kingdom together in the name of a three‐year‐old, to enforce the laws and negotiate with a foreign power.  Geoffrey Barrow strongly believes in the existence of this Community of the Realm of Scotland. ‘Of course there was such a community, even when a king was on the throne, but in normal times, with an adult and vigorous rulers, the community would fade into the background.’  Fiona Watson agrees, ‘Despite the reputation usually given to them, the Scottish nobility, while by no means entirely united (and what group of politicians are!), managed to maintain control of the situation’. 6 Source Questions Source 1: From The Wars of Scotland (Michael Brown, 2004) The situation was by no means hopeless (following the death of Prince Alexander in 1284)… Within days of his son’s death, the king obtained a promise from his magnates that they would accept the child, Margaret, Maid of Norway, as his heir. This was only an insurance policy. In October 1285 Alexander remarried, wedding Yolanda of Dreux, from a French noble family. He hoped that this match would produce a child of his own to succeed him. It was his enthusiasm to return to his young queen that led the king to leave Edinburgh and cross the Forth on the evening of 19 March 1286. Setting out from Queensferry to the royal manor at Kinghorn, Alexander was thrown from his horse and died, his neck broken. Question 1: How far does Source 1 demonstrate the problems caused by the death of Alexander III in 1286? Source 2: The Treaty of Birgham, 1290 We [Edward I] promise…that the kingdom of Scotland shall remain separate and divided from the kingdom of England by its rightful boundaries and borders as has been observed up to now and that it shall be free in itself and independent, reserving always the right of our lord or whoever which has belonged to him or to anyone in the borders elsewhere. Question 2: How useful is this source as evidence of Edward I’s intentions towards Scotland. (5 marks) Source 3: The Scots Guardians’ reply to Edward I’s demands to be made overlord of Scotland at Norham Sir, to this statement the good people who have sent us here answer that they do not believe that you would ask such an important question if you did not consider that you had a genuine right to it. But they know nothing of this right of yours [overlordship of Scotland]…Therefore they answer to you as far as in them lies they have no power to reply to your statement, lacking a king to whom the demand ought to be addressed and will have the power to answer you. Question 3: How far does Source 3 give evidence of the weak position of the Scottish Guardians in 1291? (10 marks) Source 4: The Scots Guardians’ reply to Edward I at Norham Sir, to this statement the good people who have sent us here answer that they do not believe that you would ask such an important question if you did not consider that you had a genuine right to it. But they know nothing of this right of yours [overlordship of Scotland]…Therefore they answer to you that they have no power to reply to your statement, as they lack (do not have) a king to whom the demand ought to be addressed and who can answer you. Question 4: How fully does this source explain why there were tensions between England and Scotland up to 1290? (10 marks) 7 Source 5: Edward’s judgement on the Great Cause, 1292 The king, the lord superior of the realm of Scotland, declares as a matter of law and by way of judgement that the realm of Scotland is not partible (divisible)…Therefore the king declares by way of judgement to you John Hastings and to you Robert Bruce that by this judgement you shall receive nothing of the shares in which you demand within the bounds of the realm of Scotland. But to you John Balliol as the nearest of Margaret daughter of the king of Norway, lady of Scotland and the granddaughter of the late Alexander…the king gives you the realm as your due and puts you in possession of it, with everything belonging to it within the realm. Question 5 How far does this source give evidence of Edward's reasons for giving Balliol the throne? (10 marks) Source 6: Edward’s judgment on the Great Cause The king, the lord superior of the realm of Scotland, declares as a matter of law and by way of judgement that the realm of Scotland is not partible (divisible)…therefore the king declares by way of judgement to you John Hastings and to you Robert Bruce that by this judgement you shall receive nothing of the shares in which you demand within the bounds of the realm of Scotland. But to you John Balliol as the nearest of Margaret daughter of the king of Norway, lady of Scotland and the granddaughter of the late Alexander…the king gives you the realm as your due and puts you in possession of it, with everything belonging to it within the realm. Question 6: How fully does Source 6 demonstrate the different arguments over who should be king of Scots? (10 marks) 8 Topic 2: 1292‐ 1296 John Balliol and Edward I Take notes under the following key headings: Reasons why Balliol was weak from the start:  Edward choosing...  Inauguration at Scone... Evidence for Balliol’s weakness during his reign:  Government was weak because...  Legal cases...  Doing homage to Edward...  Fighting for Edward...  Humiliations... Reasons why Balliol was NOT to blame for weakness:  Resistance to Edward  Franco‐Scottish treaty  Weakness of Scots... Was Balliol weak from the start? 1. Yes: He was a weak character  Never expected to be king‐ 3 older brothers  Gave in lots to Edward 2. Yes: Inauguration showed weakness  King John Balliol was inaugurated as King of Scots at Scone on 30 November, 1292.  Had to make a formal oath of fealty before Edward I.  Maybe thought it was temporary (as with other kings)  But was done for Scotland, not for his lands in England‐  VERY IMPORTANT because shows = England as overlord of Scotland  BUT previous kings had also done this 3. Yes: Government showed weakness:  John was forced to accept an English man to be his new chancellor, = Master Thomas of Hunsingore,  advised John and set about changing elements of the traditional Scots customs of taxation  English office of treasurer was introduced,  Edward ordered the wording of the Royal Seal of Scotland to be changed. 4. Yes: Legal cases showed weakness:  Legal cases = disagreements between people in court  If you are guilty, and unhappy you can appeal = go to next court up  Final court = king’s court  Edward showed he was John’s overlord by allowing appeals to come to him  1292, = burgess (townsman) from Berwick who complained to Edward about Balliol 9 



Balliol tried to use the Treaty of Birgham to insist that Edward was overstepping his rights However, Edward publicly forced John to back down and issue letters proclaiming that the King of England was no longer bound to Birgham, or indeed any guarantees for Scottish independence. The most embarrassing case was when John was forced to appear to answer a complaint from a subject, McDuff. He was made to go all the way to London. English chroniclers call it a ‘humiliation’ 5. Yes: The war with France: 2 June 1294 shows weakness  Edward and Philip IV, King of France, fought over Aquitaine in France.  In June 1294, Edward ordered King John to head south and to bring with him 10 Scottish earls and 16 barons, with their knights.  Only 1 Scottish king had ever served under English banners  even then Malcolm had faced anger from his own earls in daring to do so. = showed Scotland as feudal subject of England No: 







John Balliol and the guardians rebel: 1294–1295 shows some strength Between June 1294 and July 1295 the nobility began to decide things instead of John the Council of Twelve (4 bishops, 4 earls and 4 barons) took over running of kingdom from Balliol Shows them working together to support Balliol against Edward = community of the realm (putting Scotland before themselves) OR it shows them giving up on John Balliol because he was so awful! Most of this council = Comyn side, so against Bruce’s faction. Sent messages to the French July 1295 asking for an alliance against King Edward. But this also shows weakness because only half Scots nobles supported this (Comyn’s supported Balliol, but Bruces didn’t) Edward was busy putting down a major rebellion in Wales so had no time to attack. 6. Yes: Edward’s invasion shows weakness  Edward very well prepared  early March 1296 attacked Berwick = Scots unprepared  defending townsfolk were slaughtered  The Scottish army was waiting for Edward at Dunbar Castle = Battle of Dunbar 1296  English Earl of Surrey’s troops were all veterans and well equipped.  Scots mistook English movements for a retreat and attacked. This meant they lost their secure position on a hill. = bad Scottish leadership  complete disaster for the Scots. Many died, and over 130 Scottish nobles were captured.  = few left to organise resistance to Edward 7. Yes: Scots surrendered fast  Roxburgh surrendered after a few days of sporadic fighting.  Jedburgh and Edinburgh castles held off Edward’s troops for a little longer, but when his powerful new siege engines arrived the castles quickly surrendered,  Stirling left the keys to the castle with the caretakers as they fled.  King John and the Comyn lords retreated to the north east, ready to surrender. 10  By late August almost 1600 leading Scottish nobles and burgesses swore a personal oath to King Edward. = ‘Ragman’s Roll’.  William Wallace never attached a seal to the Roll, = not fighting for King John. OR simply be due to the fact that he wasn’t seen as important enough to be asked to do homage to the king.  Bruce did sign 8. Yes: humiliation: Toom Tabard shows weakness  10 July. John was forced to renounce his treaty with France,  apologise to Edward,  stripped of his throne,  royal robes stripped off his body and thrown to the ground. Toom Tabard = ‘empty coat’. King Edward also removed other items from Scotland.  government papers  the Stone of Destiny from Scone  holy relics No: Was John not that weak?  any king would have found it difficult to work under those conditions  Others would have done the same eg Robert Bruce the competitor and his son the Earl of Carrick were the first to swear an oath of fealty to Edward  Council of 12 shows Scots coming to support him???  Alliance with France shows them going against Edward  Some Scots didn’t even fight for him eg Bruce  Scots very inexperienced fighters, whereas English had been fighting Welsh and French constantly  John did have parliaments every year = in control of nobles  Also controlled Bruces and Comyns, and appointed Sheriffs to control Western Isles Source 7: King John does homage to Edward I on 26 December 1292 On 26th December at Newcastle‐upon‐Tyne in the hall of the king of England’s palace within the castle…, the honourable prince John Balliol king of Scotland, did homage in person to the king of England as lord superior of the kingdom of Scotland, for the kingdom and all that belongs to it, saying the words of homage himself in French: ‘My lord, Lord Edward, lord superior of the realm of Scotland, I, John Balliol, king of Scots, hereby become your liegeman for the whole kingdom of Scotland with all that belongs to it and goes with it and I hold…that kingdom…of you and your heirs, the kings of England; and I will keep faith and fealty to you and your heirs, the kings of England, in matters of life and limb and of earthly honour against all mortal men’. Q7 How fully does Source 7 explain the difficulties which faced John as king of Scots from 1292 to 1296? (10 marks) 11 Source 8: King John renounces his homage to Edward I, 5 April 1296 Since you and others of your kingdom have committed repeatedly and notoriously by violent force intolerable injuries, insults and oppressions and severe damages against us and the inhabitants of our kingdom and against God and justice... and now you have come to the frontiers of our kingdom in a warlike array with a vast crowd of soldiers… and have crossed into our kingdom and brutally committed acts of slaughter and burning… we cannot any more endure these injuries, insults and grievous wrongs… Nor can we remain in your fealty and homage (which it may be said were extorted by extreme coercion on your part). We renounce the fealty and homage which we have done to you. Q8 How useful is Source 8 as a description of Edward’s treatment of the Scottish kingdom in 1296? ( 5 marks) Source 9 From the chronicle of Walter Bower, the Scotichronicon Then after the capture of the town of Berwick by the English and the piteous slaughter of the Scots from Fife became known, the Scots who were sent by King John to help the town of Berwick fought in the same year on 27th April with the English at Dunbar. Where Patrick de Graham and many nobles fell wounded. And very many other knights and barons, on fleeing to the castle of Dunbar in the hope of saving their lives, were received there with ready welcome. But the custodian of the castle in question, Richard Siward by name, handed them all, to the number of seventy knights, besides the Earl of Ross and the Earl of Menteith, to the King of England, like sheep offered for slaughter. Without pity, he handed them over to suffer immediately various kinds of death and hardship. Question 9: How far does this source explain why the Scots resistance collapsed in 1296? (10 marks) 12 Topic 3: 1297‐ 1306 Who was most important in Scottish resistance to the English? Take notes under the following key headings (2‐3 bullet points under each) Key dates of the resistance: Who was most successful at starting the resistance 1296:  Wallace  Murray  others Who won or lost the Battle of Stirling Bridge  English  Wallace  Murray How successful was Wallace’s Guardianship? How successful was Scottish resistance 1302‐5 Did Scots want to fight on? Barrow says the English victory was ‘superficial’ = so quick that most Scots hadn’t really had time to surrender, and were still ready to fight on. (Robert the Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, Barrow, p 80). May 1297 Rebellion in South West under Wallace Which is the most useful source on Rebellion in North East under Murray July 1297 William Wallace? Sept 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge – Scots win Wallace and Murray Guardians of Scotland, Murray Rank the 3 sources highlighted and dies explain why one is more useful and one is July 1298 Scots lose Battle of Falkirk less useful. Use 1302‐5 Scots continue to fight under Bruce and Comyn 1305 Scots surrender, Wallace executed  Who wrote it  Why they wrote it  What they say / miss out of Was William Wallace the most important resistance fighter? importance NO: (more information on them at the back  William Wallace is not known to have been involved in the wars before 1297.  He didn’t sign the Ragman’s Roll  much of the history of Wallace comes from a poem by Blind Harry:  it has many factual inaccuracies and incorrect details  was written in the 1470s, long after Wallace’s activities  Its aim is to create a Scottish hero, not to tell the truth. YES:  Wallace’s revolt began in May 1297.  English Lanercost chronicles (written at the time) say he was encouraged by Sir William Douglas, Bishop Wishart and James the Stewart.  John of Fordun said that Wallace killed the English Sheriff of Lanark and then people who were opposed to the English flocked to him 13 





Wallace was joined by Sir William Douglas Attacked Dumfrieshire, capturing castles and killing Edward’s supporters went north to attack the English justiciar, William Ormesby, at Scone, winning many riches. Then joined by Bishop Wishart of Glasgow, James the Stewart and Robert Bruce, the future king. Wishart, Stewart, Bruce surrendered without fighting at Irvine. Kept on fighting even when they stopped: Hugh de Cressingham, Edward’s treasurer in Scotland, told Edward he was worried about him in Selkirk forest July 1297 NO: 
The nobles eventually surrendered after 2 months. NO: Andrew Murray was also an important resistance fighter  Fought first at the Battle of Dunbar  Escaped from prison  Started Northern rebellion and recaptured many castles: Inverness, Urquhart, Nairn and Banff.  By July 1297 he had driven the English out of north Scotland was was near Dundee and Perth.  Joined with Wallace and called themselves the Commanders of the Army of Scotland  Said they were fighting for King John Balliol Who won the Battle of Stirling Bridge, 11 September 1297? 1. The English lost it stupidly  army was led by Edward’s Lieutenant of Scotland, Warenne, the Earl of Surrey and, Hugh Cressingham, the Treasurer of Scotland.  Cressingham was over confident‐ he sent some soldiers home  The Earl of Surrey slept in, so not all the soldiers could cross the Bridge to Stirling in time.  Orders about where and when to cross kept changing  The Scots could easily see and plan what to do 2. Scots won it  When roughly one‐third of the English troops had crossed they ordered their spearmen, walking close together in a formation called a schiltron, to charge the English.  They cut them off from the rest of the English army on the other side of the bridge.  Unable to retreat, many English drowned.  Many others were killed including Hugh Cressingham: he was skinned and made into souvenirs. 3.Wallace won it  Blind Harry’s epic poem and films such as Braveheart show Wallace as the Scots leader.  He was an outlaw in the Selkirk Forest, making him a good guerrilla leader.  He had always won up to 1297, Murray had lost badly at Dunbar 4. Murray won it  Surviving documents from the time clearly show him as joint commander of the army of Scotland.  Wallace was not a noble so he couldn’t have learned to be a knight  He was experienced at the Battle of Dunbar and driving out the English in the north east.  After the death of Murray, Wallace’s only other big battle, the Battle of Falkirk, was a disaster. 14 How successful was Wallace as Guardian of Scotland? William Wallace was the son of a minor knight or a commoner outlaw so why choose him? Explain which one you think is right: 1. Was it fear of Civil War? = nobles were Successful because: willing to follow Wallace rather than  Wallace and Murray were made joint Guardians fight among themselves as to who of Scotland by the nobility. would succeed. Because he didn’t want  ? Did nobility avoid being Guardians because to be king it was easier to accept his were worried they might lose? rule.  Murray died of his wounds a few weeks later All of his announcements and letters clearly  Wallace and Murray were ruling in the name of show that he was ruling in the name of King the absent king, John. John.  Wallace continued the war with a devastating raid into northern England. 2. Was it fear of losing? = The  a letter written in October 1297 by Murray and nobles all had more to lose than he did. Wallace to the merchants of Lubeck and He could become a convenient scapegoat if Hamburg, informing them that Scotland was no they lost. longer under the control of England and was But this answer less good because both now open for business. This shows Wallace’s Robert Bruce and John Comyn became joint confidence. guardians later. 3. Was it hero worship? = nobles Unsuccessful because: both impressed and awed by Wallace  The Battle of Falkirk July 1298  Wallace failed to avoid Edward’s new army  Wallace had a strong position: o three circular schiltrons facing the enemy. o archers were in between to protect them from English archers, o cavalry on the sides to protect his archers from being swept away by an English charge o protected by stakes driven into the ground, and a bog  The English cavalry (knights) were too strong, and English archers destroyed the schiltrons  Wallace managed to flee north into the woods with most of his commanders.  he resigned as Guardian of Scotland.  John Comyn and Robert Bruce became joint Guardians, but hated each other How successful was Scottish resistance? Successful at first:  In 1299, Scots persuaded Pope Boniface VIII to take their side against Edward I and secure the release of King John to the Pope. (the French helped) The Pope issued a papal bull condemning Edward’s conduct against the Scots.  The guardians were governing in the name of King John.  The Scots attacked English garrisons and burned fortifications.  They took control of the north of Scotland and made the English occupiers feel under threat throughout the country. 15 
In 1299, Stirling Castle fell to the Scots, having been starved into submission. Wallace himself went to Europe to lobby on behalf of the Scottish cause. Not that successful:  Only because Edward I was busy in France at this time.  Robert Bruce resigned his guardianship in 1300, switching sides to join Edward in 1302.  He wanted to be king, and the release of Balliol made this less likely  1300 Edward captured Caerlaverock Castle,  He followed this up with further raids in 1301 and 1302.  John Comyn and the new guardian, John Soules, refused to give battle to the English king, retiring the army north, until the English were forced to retreat for the winter.  The only pitched battle in 1303 was actually a victory for Comyn. The Battle of Roslin (May 1303) saw an English force wiped out during a night raid. The guardians continued to resist as best as they could, joined again by William Wallace. And getting worse:  1303 Scots lost their French ally when the French and English agreed a treaty in May 1303 which excluded the Scots,  The Scots also lost the support of the Pope, who wrote blaming the Scottish bishops for the continuing the war in August 1302. (because the Pope and the King of France had fallen out)  Edward’s final invasion in 1303–04  crossed the Forth 1 st time into Comyn lands.  Edward wintered in Fife, to maintain the pressure on the Scots.  The garrison of Stirling finally surrendered in July 1304, after a three‐month siege.  Comyn and most other leaders surrendered to Edward in February 1304,  Edward promised to respect the laws and customs of Scotland. Edward restored lands to those who surrendered and gave Scots positions in the government.  BUT Scotland was no longer to be a kingdom, = ‘ the land of Scotland’  William Wallace was not allowed to surrender. He went on the run, continuing the fight against the English, but was eventually betrayed by Sir John Menteith in 1305. Did Wallace’s execution inspire Scots to rebel? His body was quartered, and parts sent to Newcastle, Perth, Berwick and Stirling (or Aberdeen). At Newcastle his remains were mocked, hung above the sewer entrance and jeered by the crowds. But in the Scottish burghs, there was no recorded reaction. No jeers greeted the body parts, but also there was no violent reaction seeking revenge for his death. Fiona Watson says ‘yes’ = unusually harsh and violent‐ led to Bruce’s uprising 5 months later 1. No: There is no real evidence that Bruce was ‘inspired’ by Wallace in any way. 2. No: Bruce was quick to accept Wallace’s betrayer, Menteith, into his fold. Menteith’s seal was attached to the Declaration of Arbroath, and he was seen as one of King Robert’s most loyal men. 3. No one spoke up for Wallace at his trial, nor were there any records of a disturbance at his execution. 4. No: the punishment was pretty ordinary for its time, especially for an outlaw 5. No: most Scots nobles were working with Edward in order to keep their lands and peace. 16 Source 10 : Letter of William Wallace and Andrew Murray, 11 October 1297 Andrew Murray and William Wallace, leaders of the army of the kingdom of Scotland, and the community of the realm, to their wise and discreet beloved friends, the mayors and common people of Lubeck and Hamburg, greetings and ever‐increasing sincere affection. We have been told by trustworthy merchants of the kingdom of Scotland that you, because of your kindness and not because of what we deserve, are considerate, helpful and well disposed in all cases and matters affecting us and our merchants and we are therefore more obliged to give you our thanks and a worthy repayment: to this end we willingly enter into an undertaking with you, asking you to have it announced to your merchants that they can have safe access to all ports of the Scottish kingdom with their merchandise, because the kingdom of Scotland, thanks be to God, has been recovered by war from the power of the English. Q10 How useful is Source 10 as evidence of Wallace’s role as Guardian? Source 11: Extract from the Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough A public robber called William Wallace, a vagrant fugitive, called all the exiles to himself and made himself almost their prince; they grew to be numerous. With him was associated also Sir William Douglas… Robert Bruce the younger, earl of Carrick,… called together the knights of his father from the land of Annandale and said to them, ‘…I must go to my people and join my nation from which I am born…’. He (Bruce) indeed aspiring to the kingdom, as was publicly said, joined a perverse people, and was allied with the Bishop of Glasgow and the Steward of Scotland, who were the authors of the whole evil. From then on that wicked race and faithless Scots killed all the English whom they could find. Q11: How far does Source 11 demonstrate the strength of Scottish resistance to Edward I in 1297? 17 Topic 4: 1306‐1328 How did Robert Bruce win? Take notes under the following key headings (2‐3 bullet points under each) How did Bruce win?  1306 Removal of rivals by...  Keeping fighting...  1307 Death of Edward I...  1308 Winning Civil War...  Pushing English out of Scotland...  1314 Winning Bannockburn by...  Controlling nobles (Statute of Cambuskenneth )by...  Getting Pope’s support by... (explain Declaration of Arbroath)  1315‐18 Worrying the English by... (Ireland, Northern England)  1322 Scorched earth tactics  1327 Death of Edward II  1328 Treaty of Edinburgh... How did Bruce win? 1. Bruce removed his rivals  Church wanted Bruce and Comyn to agree to stop the English  Bruce then murdered John Comyn in the Greyfriars Kirk at Dumfries on 10 February 1306  worse because done in a Church, and to a relation  ? planned because Comyn wanted to be king? Or because Comyn had betrayed him to Edward (but Bruce did both himself)  likely a mistake because results were very serious for himself and for Scotland (excommunicated by Pope = can’t go to heaven)  also set off civil war vs Comyn family  quickly got pardon from Bishop Wishart  Churchmen (Wishart) then crowned him king as quickly as possible at Scone to try to avoid civil war 2. Bruce was pragmatic = did anything to be king  Eg switching of support between the English and Scottish causes several times in an effort to win the favour of Edward I and leading Scottish nobles. 3. Kept fighting even when losing  ‘King Hob’ = king nobody = Bruce defeated at Methven 1306  Comyn’s supporters ambushed him = civil war  Wife and daughters captured by Edward, brother executed  Ally Bishop Wishart captured  But won battle at Loudon Hill May 1307 4. Edward died July 1307  English busy with other things  Edward II not interested in Scotland  Encouraged Scots to begin to support Bruce 5. Won civil war vs Comyn family  In just a few months defeated most Comyns and captured NE castles 18 




At Battle of Inverurie defeated their ally Buchans So he could give captured land to his allies (feudalism) = more people supported him Held first Parliament 1309 St Andrews = people supporting him to come Declaration of the Clergy = Church backing him as king (or does it just show desperation to have to get them to write it in the first place?) 6. Pushed English out of Scotland  captured Perth castle January 1309, Dumfries (1313), Isle of Man (1313), Linlithgow (1313), Roxburgh (1313) and Edinburgh (1314).  October 1313, King Robert issued an ultimatum to those Scots who supported Edward II. He gave them one year to submit to his authority or they would face the permanent loss of their lands = made them chose sides 7. Won the Battle of Bannockburn June 1314  Edward II had control of just 2 castles : Stirling and Berwick  Scots nobles wanted his support to protect their lands from Robert Bruce’s ultimatum (above)  Edward took large army up & met Bruce at Bannockburn just outside Stirling How did Bruce win Bannockburn? 1. Day 1: Won a duel with English knight called Henry de Bohun to stop one scouting mission 2. Day 1: Sir Robert Clifford’s scouts were unable to penetrate the thick wall of Scots pikes. 3. Day 1: After hearing about the two disastrous scouting missions, Edward and his advisers decided to move the entire army during the night. This meant that the English spent a restless night, coupled with the blows to morale inflicted by the two defeats. 4. Day 2: English become terribly confused. The archers were not in a position to fire on the Scots, for fear of hitting their own men. 5. The ground was soft underfoot, making it slippery for the horses so the knights were cut down. 6. English archers destroyed by Scots knights 7. King Edward was eventually led away and managed to escape. Overall it was a most impressive victory. Why did Bruce win? 1. Leadership  King Robert’s captains were veterans of the wars and had the loyalty and love of their men.  Robert was a good general = eg used holes in ground to push English the way he wanted 2. Discipline  schiltron trained at moving and staying in formation (unlike Wallace’s men at Falkirk) 3. Morale  Cheered by events of Day 1, especially Bruce beating de Bohun 4. English Leadership  Edward II, took almost no interest in the planning of the battle,  Nobles couldn’t agree  Particularly as were stories of Edward’s lovers being promoted instead of experienced leaders  Eg archers put in wrong place so couldn’t attack schiltrons effectively 19 
5. English Discipline English knights charged at wrong times= proud men looking for glory 


6. English Morale The entire army had moved during the night to take up new positions on the Carse, few had any sleep; not enough food and shelter for all the men. Unlike the Scots, these men were not fighting for their homes or a cause they could believe in. Many were Irish and Welsh and had little love for their king. How did Bruce win independence 1314‐28? 










For another 14 years Robert struggled for recognition as King of Scots. Bruce issued the Statute of Cambuskenneth in 1314. = forced the holders of land in both England and Scotland to choose to keep their land in Scotland by losing their land in England 1315 he sent his brother Edward Bruce to attack English land in Ireland. They wanted to drive the English out of Ireland and crown Edward Bruce King of Ireland. The plan was then to invade Wales, and surround England. The plan failed but it did worry the English. King Robert invaded the northern counties every year between 1315 and 1318. By the end of 1318, Berwick had been recaptured and the north of England devastated. This harassed the English and collected much money. Cost of wars with Scotland becoming too much for English 1319 Edward and the Earl of Lancaster had raised an army and laid siege to Berwick. 1322 Edward led an invasion, but Bruce retreated north of the Forth, having removed all livestock from Lothian. This ‘scorched earth’ tactic meant the English couldn’t easily win. Edward retreated and Bruce chased him and in fact came close to capturing the English king. How important was the Declaration of Arbroath 1328?  Edward persuaded the Pope against Bruce  Pope John XXII had excommunicated Robert as punishment for the murder of Comyn.  = Bruce (and therefore Scots) couldn’t go to heaven  In response, a letter to the Pope was sent from the Scots nobles to plead for the Scottish cause  = the Declaration of Arbroath. o gives reasons for Scottish independence o justifies King Robert’s usurpation of the throne in 1306. o shows that the Scottish people desire freedom o says that if the king is not successful in maintaining the freedom of the kingdom then he may be replaced with someone who will = very unusual at this time So... Very important?  Traditional historians = patriotic support for the Wars of Independence and King Robert  by the freemen of the kingdom of Scotland.  = first ideas of a constitutional monarchy = American Declaration of Independence Or... Not so important?  Who wrote it = not the nobles, most couldn’t read and wouldn’t have even been there when it was written. 20 








Why written = to persuade Pope not to excommunicate King and Scotland... Why written = to test loyalty of his barons eg ‘Soules Conspiracy’ led by William Soules, a member of the Comyn family perhaps with support of Edward Balliol, son of King John Balliol, now living with Edward II Soules was also a possible heir to the Scottish throne had attempted to assassinate the king only a few months after the Declaration of Arbroath. Some of those whose seals appear on the document had supported the English up until 1314. several of the names that appear on it were to be charged with treason later in 1320. As possible support to this theory, Edward Balliol did invade Scotland alongside supporters following Bruce’s death in 1332. Victory = The Treaty of Edinburgh 1328  1327 when Edward II was deposed by his wife and her lover, Mortimer.  A coalition of English nobles seized power and murdered the king (google it!)  The young prince was hastily crowned Edward III,  King Robert quickly ordered his friend Douglas to invade northern England, while he visited Ireland in the summer of that year.  The English were unable to counter the swift Scottish attacks.  Mortimer and Edward’s mother, Isabella, agreed to the Scottish terms for peace.  The Treaty of Edinburgh officially recognised King Robert as King of Scots, and independence.  In return paid £20,000 and withdrew from Northern England  King Robert died in 1329. 21 Source 12: Walter of Guisborough, writing around 1307, describes the encounter between Robert Bruce and John Comyn in 1306 Robert Bruce aspired to the kingdom of Scotland. Fearing the lord John Comyn, lord of Badenoch, who was a powerful man in the land and faithful to the king of England and knowing that he could be stopped by him, he sent in deceit two of his brothers, Thomas and Nigel, asking that he would please come to him at Dumfries to deal with a certain business touching them both. Comyn, suspecting nothing, came to him with a few men. When they were speaking together with words which seemed peaceful Bruce suddenly, with very different words, began to accuse him of betrayal. Comyn spoke peaceably and excused himself but, as Bruce had conspired, he struck him with his foot and sword and went away. Bruce’s men cast him down on the paving of the altar, leaving him for dead. A certain knight of his, lord Robert Comyn, his uncle, ran to bring him help. But Christopher Seton, who had married Bruce’s sister, met him, struck his head with a sword and he died… At the beginning of 1306 Robert Bruce had himself crowned king of Scotland. Source 13: John of Fordun, writing in the 1370s, describes the same sequence of events A day was appointed for Robert Bruce and John Comyn to meet together at Dumfries. John Comyn was accused of treachery and he denied it. The evil‐speaker was stabbed and wounded in the church of the Friars. On being asked by those around if he would live, he straightaway answered ‘I can’. His enemies, on hearing this, gave him another wound as he died. A few days after John’s death, Robert Bruce, taking as many men as he could get, hurried to Scone. And after being set on the royal throne, he was crowned in the same manner as kings of Scotland usually were. Q 12 To what extent do Sources 12 and 13 agree about the murder of John Comyn? Source 14 A description of the Battle of Bannockburn (day 2), from the Lanercost Chronicle Now when the two armies had approached very near each other, all the Scots fell on their knees to pray, commending themselves to God and seeking help from heaven; after which they advanced boldly against the English. They had so arranged their army that two columns went abreast in advance of the third, so that neither should be in advance of the other and the third followed with Robert in it. When both armies engaged each other and the great horses of the English charged the pikes of the Scots like into a dense forest, there arose a great and terrible crash of spears broken and of the houses wounded to death. Now the English in the rear could not reach the Scots because the leading division was in the way, nor could they do anything to help themselves, so there was nothing for it but to take flight. This account I heard from a trustworthy person who was present as an eyewitness. 22 In the leading division the Earl of Gloucester, Sir John Comyn, Sir Pain Tiptoft, Sir Edmund Mauley and many other nobles were killed, besides foot soldiers who fell in great numbers. Another calamity which befell the English was that whereas they had shortly before crossed a great ditch called Bannockburn, into which the tide flows, they now wanted to recross it; in confusion, many nobles and others fell into it with their horse in the crush, while others escaped with much difficulty, and many were never able to extricate themselves from the ditch. Thus Bannockburn was spoken about for many years by the English. Q14 How fully does Source 14 explain the reasons for the Scottish victory at Bannockburn? Source 15 An extract from the Declaration of Arbroath, 1320 Thus our people (the Scots), under their protection lived in freedom and peace until that mighty prince Edward, King of the English, came in the disguise of a friend and ally to invade us as an enemy. His wrongdoing, killings, violence, looting, arson, imprisonment of prelates, burning down of monasteries, despoiling and killing of religious and still other innumerable outrages, sparing neither age nor sex, religion nor order. No‐one could fully describe or fully understand unless experience had taught him. But from these innumerable evils we have been freed with the help of our most valiant prince, king and lord the lord Robert, ... Yet if he should give up what he has began, seeking to make us or our kingdom subject to the King of England or to the English we would at once drive him out as our enemy ...and we would make some other man who was able to defend us as our king. For as long as a hundred of us remain alive, we will never on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. For we fight not for glory or riches or honours, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up except with his life. Q15 How useful is Source 15 as evidence of the strength of Robert I’s position in 1320? Source 16: From Robert Bruce: Our most valiant prince, king and lord by Com McNamee, 2006 Moorland, marshland, and hill country, impenetrable to heavy cavalry became his ‘favourable territory’, where he was safe, and the enemy ill at ease. He relied on ambush and surprise to make the best use of his small force. Choosing his ground carefully, he would suddenly emerge to win a minor skirmish and then retreat once more into the wilderness. He preferred small engagements…He never engaged the enemy unless sure of victory. Source 17 : from Medieval Scotland by A.D.M. Barrell, 2000 The opportunity to end the long conflict with a formal recognition by the English crown of Scottish independence came amid the chaos which accompanied the deposition of Edward II in 1327… Dissensions in England gave the Scots a favourable opportunity to renew the war, hence Robert’s fresh intervention in Ireland in order to try and force the English to come to terms. In the Borders, an unsuccessful English campaign against a raiding Scottish force in 1327 was followed by an assault on Norham by Robert and rumours that the Scots intended to occupy Northumberland. Q17 How fully does Source 17 explain the reasons for the ultimate success of Robert I in securing Scottish independence? 23 Perspective: Did the wars of independence help create Scotland? Edward I was nicknamed the Hammer of the Scots, and for many years the Scottish Wars of Independence have been credited with the creation of a sense of Scottish identity. Yes: People fought  During the wars there was always some support for the resistance to Edward.  Despite what appears to be a crushing victory for Edward in 1296, the cause of independence doesn’t go away.  Similarly the final surrender of the nobles in 1305 merely gives way to rebellion by Bruce a year later.  the middling sorts and the Scottish Church consistently supported the cause of independence,  the nobles were often inconsistent with their support  there were always some willing to lead the resistance, the Douglases, the Murrays, Wallace and Bruce. Yes: Scottish identity  When Stirling Castle was under siege in 1304, the defenders stated that they were holding it for ‘the Lion’ (of Scotland), rather than for any king.  The Declaration of Arbroath has stirrings of national identity. It also talks of getting rid of a king if he doesn’t defend Scotland NO:  Historians suggest that there is evidence of a sense of Scottish identity before the wars.  Unlike Wales, Scotland was an independent kingdom.  Scotland was a different kingdom from England, and its nobles had a tradition of acknowledging a Scottish king.  the guardians were able to keep control of the kingdom and rule in the name of the idea of the Scottish crown, even in the absence of a king.  The guardians’ seal, rather than bearing a likeness of the king, had images of the Lion rampant and St Andrew’s cross. It bore the inscription ‘The Seal of Scotland appointed for the government of the kingdom’.  As Alexander Grant points out, this is ‘one of the earliest and most striking examples of the appearance of the abstract concept of the state in medieval Europe’.[1] Yes: How important was the Scottish Church to creating independence?  Scottish church was determined to remain free from the interference of the Archbishop of York.  They were worried that if the English king took over then he might help York control the Scottish Church.  Bishops were very important throughout the period o Even kings had to rely on them to get to heaven o Bishop Fraser (St Andrews) asked Edward to judge the great cause, probably to avoid civil war o Bishop Wishart of Glasgow encouraged Wallace to start fighting o The Pope helped Scotland against England o When he excommunicated Robert Bruce for killing John Comyn... o The declaration of Arbroath was organised to persuade the Pope to change his mind 24 No: Bruce propaganda  some historians believe that the Scottish kings manufactured a sense of separate identity after the wars in order to justify the Bruce’s usurpation of the throne.  Barbour’s epic poem, The Brus, re‐wrote history, making the Comyns less important and vilifying King John.  These official histories of the conflict emphasised the distinctions between England and Scotland. Yes: ‘The Community of the Realm’  idea of the Community of the Realm which played a role in maintaining Scottish independence  First appeared 1286, = partnership between king and nobles + Church clergy.  = suggests the wider political community relied upon by the king to help him rule  Barrow suggests that this community, in times without a king, would act to protect national interest.  = start of a Scottish nation  Eg: The guardians did refuse to acknowledge the overlordship of Edward at Norham, and only reluctantly agreed to do so when the competitors submitted.  echoed in the Declaration of Arbroath  and Scots did support each other from time to time No: ‘The Community of the Realm is a myth’ 



But Arbroath is too much Bruce propaganda to believe Bruce faction took time to accept some of the decisions favoured by other leading nobles. Bruce changed sides often Nobles only supported Scotland when forced to by Bruce eg by Statue of Cambuskenneth 1314 25 Key figures Alexander III (reigned 1249–1286) King from the young age of seven, Alexander nevertheless is seen as an effective king. Alexander had been on good terms with England, firstly with Henry III, who allowed his eldest daughter to marry the Scottish king, and then with his brother‐in‐law Edward I. Alexander had sworn fealty to Edward for his English lands, but had steadfastly refused to accept Edward as overlord for his kingdom of Scotland. Alexander III reigned over Scotland during a time of peace and prosperity. More land was turned over to agriculture, and monasteries and abbeys continued to grow and flourish. Trade with the continent brought much needed supplies and bolstered the economy. Alexander even managed to push the boundaries of Scotland further west, when he defeated the Norwegian king at the Battle of Largs (1263) and added all of the Western Isles to his domain. With both his first wife and last remaining son dead, Alexander agreed to marry again. It was during a trip to visit his new wife, Yolande, that he was killed falling off his horse. This left only the three‐year‐old Margaret, Maid of Norway as the heir to the Scottish throne. The Tailize of 1284 secured the agreement of the Scottish nobles that she would inherit the throne. Margaret Maid of Norway (reigned 1292–1296) Margaret was the daughter of King Eric II of Norway and Margaret, daughter of Alexander III. She was born in 1283 and her mother died in childbirth. Margaret had been accepted as heir apparent by the Scottish nobility, while Alexander III still lived. However, it was hoped at the time that the king would father another son. After his death, however, Margaret’s father, the King of Norway, was anxious that his daughter would receive her birthright and become queen of Scots. She died on her way to Orkney in 1290; her remains were taken back to Bergen and buried alongside her mother. Edward I, King of England (reigned 1272–1307) Edward was a powerful and successful king, who had taken part in the ninth crusade, conquered Wales and incorporated it into the kingdom of England in 1284. Edward was a keen lawyer, and took a great deal of interest in the workings of the government. An able tactician and brave warrior, Edward was admired by his barons, but not always liked. His heavy‐handed approach and constant interference in their business was quite often resented. There is a lot of historical debate concerning Edward’s motives after the death of Alexander III. Did he, as some historians believe, see a chance to profit through Scotland’s misfortunes by exerting his claim of overlordship? Or, as other historians argue, was he simply looking to maintain a secure northern border during this period of troubles with France? The Scottish clergy The Scottish church was determined throughout this period to maintain its independence from the authority of the Archbishop of York. Scotland had no archbishop, but had secured the status of ‘special daughter, no one between’ from the Pope in 1174. This was further enforced by a papal bull in 1192 emphasising the freedom of the Scottish church from interference from York. Any threat to the independence of Scotland would have been a threat to the independence of the Scottish church. In part, this explains the almost fanatical support of the Scottish church throughout the war. Bishop William Fraser As Bishop of St Andrews, Fraser held an important position within the kingdom. He was a staunch supporter of the Community of the Realm, having served as guardian for the Maid of Norway. Fraser and 26 Bishop Wishart of Glasgow were instrumental in getting the Parliament of Scone to accept Margaret as heir and queen. Fraser was keen to avoid civil war in Scotland, and when Margaret’s death was discovered he feared a coup d’état by Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale. His decision to ask Edward for help has often been criticised by some historians. However, this is with the benefit of hindsight. He worked tirelessly in his defence of the independence of the church. Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale Also known as ‘Robert the competitor’, the Lord of Annandale was the grandfather of the future King Robert I. An elderly man full of ambition, he must have realised that his claim was inferior to that of John Balliol. Some historians believe that his posturing and aggressive threats to make war before and after the death of Margaret show he suspected that his legal position was weak. John Balliol (reigned 1292–1296) John was a significant landholder in Scotland, England and France. His grandmother, Margaret, was the eldest daughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon, thus giving him a strong claim to the vacant throne. Some historians have put forward the idea that John was a weak man, and this was the reason that he was chosen by Edward to become King of Scots. It is widely accepted, however, that his claim was legally the strongest, something Edward, an expert in the law, would have understood. King John’s reign was short, and he didn’t have the time to effectively stamp his authority on Scotland. He is remembered chiefly as ‘Toom Tabard’ or empty coat, the humiliated Scottish king who had his kingly garments ripped from him by Edward I. King’s John’s reputation was forever tarnished by this one event. Future kings of Scots would refrain from naming their children John because it was considered unlucky. When Robert III came to power in 1371 he changed his name from John to Robert, as no king should be called John, but Robert was a more fitting name. However John’s reputation was perhaps tarnished on purpose. Chroniclers like John Barbour, writing at the time of Robert II, were attempting to justify the usurpation of the throne by Robert Bruce’s family and eventually the accession of the Stewart family in 1371. Chroniclers were therefore encouraged to write a somewhat patriotic and damning history of King John’s reign and the glorious rebellion by Robert Bruce. Historians have for the most part gone along with this, although they are more scientific in their criticisms. John’s short reign was dominated by the question of overlordship, and he was humiliated by Edward on several occasions. It is clear that Edward had considerable influence over John’s government. However, it would be wrong to think that, because of the external pressure, John was a bad king or an incompetent one. Nor would it be fair to simply judge him as a coward or a failure. It is difficult to see how anyone could have managed to do well under the difficult conditions under which John found himself. Scotland had not had a king in charge since 1286. The Community of the Realm had found itself capable of running its own affairs since then. It was always going to be difficult for anyone to establish their authority after that length of time. Similarly, anyone would have had the same problems with Edward I. A suggestion has been put forward that Robert Bruce was not chosen as King of Scots by Edward because he was a strong‐willed man who would have stood up to Edward. The idea that John Balliol would not have stood up to Edward has no basis in fact. Indeed Bruce acknowledged Edward as his overlord far more quickly than Balliol ever did. Was John a bad king? It is hard to say as he didn’t really have enough time to settle into the role. He held several parliaments, and set out his agenda in Argyll, Kintyre and in other areas by establishing sheriffs and making plans against powerful locals who balked at the king’s rule. None of these activities seem to be weak orindecisive. Was he an unlucky king? It is easier to agree with this; he didn’t need to go looking for his problems. 27 John of Hastings An English knight who had fought several times for Edward I in the Welsh wars, John was the grandson of Ada, the youngest daughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon. John had argued that Scotland should be split up into three, and each of the surviving descendants of Earl David given an equal share. There were precedents for this happening in feudal law, and it had applied to baronies before. However, Edward I agreed that Scotland was a kingdom in its own right and that this case should not apply. The Earl of Surrey John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, was a close friend of Edward, having fought with him during the wars in Wales, and having accompanied him to Spain to collect his bride. He was in charge of the English vanguard that fought the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar. His quick thinking and highly manoeuverable force outwitted the Scots and won a tremendous battle. His reward was to be named ‘warden of the kingdom and land of Scotland’, Edward’s chief lieutenant in the north. However, Warenne was tiring of the life of constant campaigning and often complained about his health. He did not stay long in Scotland; he blamed the inclement weather for his poor condition and returned to his estates in England. He was slow to deal with the rebellions in 1297, and allowed his second‐in‐command, the Treasurer of Scotland, Hugh Cressingham much leeway in handling the affairs of the kingdom. Eventually he was forced to return to Scotland because of Wallace and Murray’s rebellion. As a result of his poor leadership and bad choices he lost the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and was forced to retreat to Berwick in 1297. Despite this it would seem that Edward continued to show him favour. He led the recapture of Roxburgh and Berwick in 1298 and was one of the field commanders at the Battle of Falkirk. William Wallace William Wallace was the famous patriotic leader of Scotland during the first phase of the Wars of Independence. The subject of an epic poem, a famous, if somewhat misleading film and countless books, his name has become synonymous with the Scottish wars. However, we actually know very little about him and his motivations. Most of what we know about Wallace’s origins comes from a poem written by Blind Harry. Most historians agree that this epic prose is not a historical document. It exaggerates much about his life, and many of the passages can be proven to be inaccurate. Thus, very little can be shown to be true and the poem has served to create the myth of William Wallace rather than reveal the reality of the man or his involvement in the Wars of Independence. It is important to remember that Blind Harry was writing in the 1470s with the purpose of creating a mythologised view of Wallace as James III sought peace with England, and yet strong anti‐English sentiment remained amongst the majority of Scots who were, therefore, unhappy with this policy. The film Braveheart is based on Blind Harry’s poem, rather than real life. From the contemporary chronicles, the Scotichronicon, written by Walter Bower, around the end of the fourteenth century describes Wallace as ‘a spirited fighting man’. Similarily, John of Fordun describes Wallace as ‘wondrously brave and bold’. In contrast to this, the English chroniclers highlight that Wallace 28 was an outlaw. Walter of Guisborough describes him as a ‘public robber’, while the Lanercost Chronicle names him, ‘a certain, bloody man’. More recently, Wallace’s father’s seal was found at the Mitchell Library in 1999. This has pointed to Wallace’s family originating in Ayrshire, and his father’s name being Alan, a crown tenant of Ayrshire whose seal was attached to the Ragman’s Roll. This has given some more concrete evidence on the origins of Wallace and has helped to end the previous speculation and disagreements amongst historians. The seal also features a longbow, suggesting that this was the way in which Wallace made his living as a younger son of a man of middling status (‘A report into the association of Sir William Wallace with Ayrshire’, Watson, F., March 1999). Evidence for further information on Wallace’s background is still lacking. Andrew Murray Young Andrew Murray was the son of the respected Andrew de Moray, justiciar of Northern Scotland. Both Andrew and his father had fought at the Battle of Dunbar, where they were captured along with the majority of the nobility on that fateful day. Young Andrew was taken to Chester castle to be imprisoned. However, he managed to escape and by May 1297 had returned to his familial lands and raised a rebellion that culminated in the removal of all English Garrisons north of the River Tay. Hugh Cressingham had ordered the nobles of the north east, notably the Earl of Buchan and other leading Comyns, to hunt down Andrew and his followers. This, he claimed, would prove their loyalty to Edward. While Buchan took his men and chased Andrew for a while, his efforts were somewhat lacklustre. By August the young commander had marched to Dundee, where he joined forces with Wallace in the siege of the town. Andrew Murray was wounded at Stirling Bridge, and is said to have died soon afterwards due to those same wounds. However, after the battle he was made joint guardian along with Wallace, and was referred to as joint commander of the army of Scotland. His role in the early part of the rebellion is often overlooked. A school of thought among historians credits Murray with the success of Stirling Bridge. He was, after all, a trained knight, when Wallace was at best a guerrilla leader, at worst the head of a band of outlaws. Those same historians point out that without Murray, Wallace’s only other battle, Falkirk, ended in disaster. Hugh Cressingham After Edward’s successful annexation of Scotland in 1296, Hugh Cressingham was named Treasurer of Scotland. Hugh Cressingham was in charge of the finances. In reality hewas left with the day‐to‐day running of the whole kingdom. As a result he was not a very popular individual. His primary goal of collecting taxes from Edward’s new subjects was hampered by the fact that he was considered to be a very rude and arrogant man. His casual disregard of the Scots and their laws and customs turned many against him.Cressingham was both rich and lazy, but in the Welsh wars he had proven that he was a reasonably able soldier. Nevertheless, his performance at the Battle of Stirling Bridge left a lot to be desired. He was more interested in keeping costs down than in defeating the Scots. Inevitably his poor advice and cost‐cutting measures contributed to the English defeat. After the battle, several chronicles claim that his skin was stripped from his body so it could be made into souvenirs. 29 Bishop Wishart Bishop Robert Wishart of Glasgow was a central figure during the Wars of Independence. He was one of the six guardians appointed following the death of Alexander III in 1286. Wishart then joined the rebellion in 1297, following Edward’s invasion. As a leading figure within the Scottish church, Scottish independence and the independence of the Scottish church from the English church were inextricably linked. For this reason, the church remained heavily involved in the Wars of Independence for the duration of the conflict. Bishop Wishart was condemned in the Lanercost Chronicle for supporting Wallace’s rebellion: ‘Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, ever foremost in treason’. Along with Robert Bruce, the future king, and James the Stewart, he led a rebellion in south‐west Scotland which ended with the surrender of the nobles at Irvine. It has been suggested that this rebellion was possibly designed to give Wallace time and space to launch his campaign. Wishart was also involved in military campaigns, such as the capture of Cupar Castle in 1306. Bishop Wishart’s support was crucial to Robert the Bruce following the murder of Comyn. Bruce went to Glasgow and met Bishop Wishart, who absolved him, and then accompanied him to Scone for the coronation. He supplied the robes for Bruce’s coronation in 1306, along with timber for siege engines in preparation for battle. Wishart was captured in 1306 following the Battle of Methven Woods. He was imprisoned and was only released after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, dying in 1316. Robert I, King of Scots (reigned 1306– 1329) Son of the Lord of Annandale and the Countess of Carrick, Robert was already an important and wealthy man. However, he also took up his grandfather’s claim to the throne of Scotland. It was this claim more than anything else that drove Robert to become King of Scots. Everything else was of secondary importance: friends, alliances and even family. Robert was equally prepared to side with Edward I or the cause of Scottish rebellion if he thought it would enhance his chances of becoming king. It is because of his single‐minded determination to win the throne of Scotland, and his willingness to change sides when it suited his purpose, that many have criticised Robert for not being as patriotic as William Wallace. However, this does him something of a disservice. Robert and his contemporaries would not have seen his actions as being contrary to the future benefit of Scotland. Certainly, when he became king, Robert fought tirelessly for his new realm, and suffered many personal hardships. Edward II, King of England (1307–1327) Edward II has long been considered a weak and ineffectual king when compared to either his father or King Robert. It is certainly true that he was a much more cultured man than his father. He enjoyed hunting and fine arts and was an accomplished musician. It is also fair to say that he was neither a poor knight nor cowardly; he had to be forcibly led from the field at Bannockburn. However, he was not a particularly ambitious man, and lacked his father’s drive and forceful personality. His failure in the wars with Scotland was mainly due to this. He constantly failed to grasp the larger picture and often assumed that superior numbers and equipment would be enough to cow the Scots, as his father had done in 1296. 30 The Comyn family The Comyns were descendants of Richard Comyn, a Norman who had arrived in England in 1066. Richard was a companion of David I and accompanied him when he returned to Scotland in 1124. Since that time the family had continued to grow in influence and wealth. By the time of the Scottish wars, members of the family had become earls of Buchan, Angus and Menteith. The head of the family (or clan) was the Lord of Badenoch. He controlled a vast amount of land in the north and rivaled the king in both power and prestige north of the Tay. The family fought for a Balliol restoration until it was apparent that King John did not want to return. Edward Bruce Edward Bruce was one of five brothers: Robert, Edward, Niall, Alexander and Thomas. The eldest was Robert who went on to become King of Scots. Niall and Alexander were captured and executed by Edward I following Robert’s inauguration in 1306. Thomas was killed in battle. Edward Bruce became his brother’s most loyal commander. He stuck with Robert during the early defeats and ably led several attacks on castles in the south west of the country. He commanded one of the schiltrons at the Battle of Bannockburn and fought bravely next to the common pike men, helping his brother achieve his most famous victory. In 1315, Robert dispatched Edward to Ireland with a Scots army to open up a second front against Edward II. Once there Edward had himself declared High King of Ireland. Unfortunately his bid was unsuccessful and he died in 1318 at the Battle of Faughart, which saw the Scottish/Irish cause destroyed. Isabella and Mortimer (reigned as Guardians 1327–1330) Queen Isabella and Lord Roger Mortimer overthrew Edward II in 1327 and they jointly became regents for her young son, the newly crowned Edward III. Isabella, daughter of the King of France, had married Edward II in 1307. The marriage was not a happy one. Despite bearing Edward II several sons, it was well known that he had little time for her, and was allegedly more interested in his male companions, such as Piers Gaveston. When Edward II sent Isabella to France in 1325 to act as an ambassador to her father’s court she met Roger Mortimer, an English lord who had been banished after a failed baronial rebellion. Isabella and Mortimer both hated the king’s favourite, Hugh Despenser, and soon began to plot a new rebellion against her husband. It was at this time that the two became lovers. The two organised an invasion of England, but they had few followers initially. Edward II, however, found that his support had withered away and was unable to gather much of an army himself. The king eventually was forced to surrender and abdicate in favour of his son, Edward III. In 1330, when Edward III assumed his own private rule he had Roger Mortimer put to death, and his mother was forced to retire from public life. 31 Mark schemes: Scotland: Scottish Wars of Independence 

Easier things to do come first, then the harder things. Check off as you do each thing in your answer. However the examiner will still give you extra marks even if you haven’t done the easier things. Question type Usefulness How useful is Source A… How valuable is source B… Mark out of: /5 Comparison To what extent do Source A and B agree on… Compare sources A and B… Mark out of: /5 M
ar
ks You must give… 1 content of source –to explain how / useful it is (does it tell us useful 2 information) For example… Source A is useful because it tells us that… and this is vital to understanding the Q 1 own knowledge (recall) to evaluate It tells us that Bruce wanted to be King and this fits / how useful‐ does it fit with what with what I know... 2 you know or miss out key things? However there are reasons why it is less useful‐ it doesn’t mention that… and this is important because... 1 Date / origin = where / when It was written at the time (1328) by Robert Bruce / written and this makes it useful because 2 to show how source is useful or It was written for public / private use / to persuade / to tell truth … and so it is useful.. Not useful less useful. because Bruce was trying to persuade Edward to Interprets= purpose / author = why make him king so we would expect him to be in / who wrote favour to show how source is useful or less useful. 1 Overall ways they agree and / or Source A agrees with Source B because both say / disagree they are in favour of Scottish independence 2 1 Quotes and explains what sources Source A says “killed brutally” which means he is against the Bruce‐ but source B disagrees by... / say on both sides 2 3 4 1 Explain why they are different (add They disagree because Source A was written by / in own knowledge) Come to someone who was politically against independence 2 conclusion overall: agreement? whereas Source B hoped to get a share of the the kingdom, perhaps some land, and so profit from it. Overall they agree on more things… There will be x2 ten mark context questions. 1 / 2 Describes what source says Context: (x2) 3 / 4 Explains what this means How fully does A explain… 1 / 2 Use own knowledge to give How far do you agree context / explain what’s missing that... 3 / 4 so can: Conclude giving ways that you Mark out of: agree or disagree with question.
/10 Source C says… This means... However the source misses out crucial information.
From my study I know that the Bruce’s success at Bannockburn was partly caused by the absence of a good English leader like Edward I And so although the source covers several of the main reasons, it misses out the most important one... so it doesn’t fully answer the Q 32