To what extent were the Scots guilty of naivety in their dealings with Edward I in the period 1286 – 1292?
To what extent were the Scots guilty of naivety in their dealings with Edward I in the period 1286 – 1292?
“The Crown of medieval Scotland is dominated by the crisis of inheritance of 1286 to 1292, events which in turn provoked the bitter Wars of Independence against England.”1 ***
The actions of the Scottish kingdom towards Edward I and England within the time period of 1286 – 1292 has provided a basis of great scrutiny and speculation over the years. With the death of Alexander III, Scotland was plunged into a Succession Crisis, from which a guardianship was formed to provide governance over the kingdom of Scotland. During the time following Alexander III's death, Edward I became an influential and involved constituent towards this guardianship. However, can the Scottish kingdom's decision to involve the King of England in the country's affairs be perceived as an act of naivety or was it a piece of sensible pragmatism? Furthermore, in events such as the Treaties of both Birgham and Salisbury, along with those of the Great Cause and election of John Balliol as King of Scots, all including Edward I's presence, it is possible that the kingdom of Scotland blindingly accepted the aid of their most powerful neighbour without truly considering the English king's own intentions. Death of Alexander III, 1286 With the death of Alexander III in 1286, also came the threat of civil war and the crisis of succession. Being outlined as an act of pragmatism by historian Neil Oliver2, it had been agreed following the death of Alexander III’s son, the Prince of Scotland, that Eric II’s daughter (and Alexander III’s grand-daughter) Margaret, known as the ‘Maid of Norway’, would become the accepted heir to the Scottish throne. Therefore, from 1286 – 1292, in the absence of a monarch, Scotland was governed by six Scottish nobles (Bishops Fraser and Wishart, representing the church; earls Alexander Comyn of Buchan and Duncan MacDuff of Fife; and barons John Comyn of Badenoch
“The Crown of medieval Scotland is dominated by the crisis of inheritance of 1286 to 1292, events which in turn provoked the bitter Wars of Independence against England.”1 ***
The actions of the Scottish kingdom towards Edward I and England within the time period of 1286 – 1292 has provided a basis of great scrutiny and speculation over the years. With the death of Alexander III, Scotland was plunged into a Succession Crisis, from which a guardianship was formed to provide governance over the kingdom of Scotland. During the time following Alexander III's death, Edward I became an influential and involved constituent towards this guardianship. However, can the Scottish kingdom's decision to involve the King of England in the country's affairs be perceived as an act of naivety or was it a piece of sensible pragmatism? Furthermore, in events such as the Treaties of both Birgham and Salisbury, along with those of the Great Cause and election of John Balliol as King of Scots, all including Edward I's presence, it is possible that the kingdom of Scotland blindingly accepted the aid of their most powerful neighbour without truly considering the English king's own intentions. Death of Alexander III, 1286 With the death of Alexander III in 1286, also came the threat of civil war and the crisis of succession. Being outlined as an act of pragmatism by historian Neil Oliver2, it had been agreed following the death of Alexander III’s son, the Prince of Scotland, that Eric II’s daughter (and Alexander III’s grand-daughter) Margaret, known as the ‘Maid of Norway’, would become the accepted heir to the Scottish throne. Therefore, from 1286 – 1292, in the absence of a monarch, Scotland was governed by six Scottish nobles (Bishops Fraser and Wishart, representing the church; earls Alexander Comyn of Buchan and Duncan MacDuff of Fife; and barons John Comyn of Badenoch