The Golden Age of Scotland
Background
• The reign of Alexander III has often been described as the Golden Age of Scotland • His reign saw a steady increase in wool export to Flanders, an increase in the amount of money in circulation and the Western expansion of the kingdom Alexander III (1241-1286)
Background
At the beginning of Alexander’s reign, the Western Isles, including Orkney and Shetland, were controlled by the King of Norway – Haakon IV
Background
• Haakon assembled his fleet in order to protect the Western Isles – But delays meant that he was not able to sail until July 1263
• The fleet reached the Western Isles in the autumn however it was wrecked by a storm near Largs
Background
Largs
Background
On 1 and 2 October, the (smaller) Scots army met the Norwegian army. Haakon withdrew his forces and retreated to Orkney, where he died in December.
Background
Alexander followed this victory by invading the Isle of Man in 1264.
Background
In 1265, Alexander launched a campaign into Ross, Caithness and Skye He forced the nobles, who were somewhat independent of the King, to submit to his will
Background
In 1266, Alexander signed the Treaty of Perth with the Norwegian King – this officially transferred ownership of the Western Isles to Scotland
This is one of the Norwegian seals attached to the Treaty. Two copies were once in existence.
Background Scotland was now seen as a profitable trading partner and political ally. Ships built in Inverness were used in the Crusades, Aberdeen was an important economic hub and Berwick was prosperous due to the wool industry
Relationship with England
Relationship with England
For the most part, relations between Scotland and England were good – only two issues remained: 1.Lack of permanent borders 2.Question of Overlordship
RelationshipBackground with England
The disputed land was Northumbria and Cumbria. However, the Scots formally gave up their claims in 1237 at the Treaty of York
RelationshipBackground with England
The issue of Overlordship was seen as the major sticking point in Anglo-Scots relations William the Lion agreed to English Overlordship in 1174 when he signed the Treaty of Falaise This meant that the King of Scotland had to answer to the King of England and pay homage to him – either in the form of taxes of military aid
RelationshipBackground with England
However, in return for financial aid to help with his Crusade, Richard I agreed to release Scotland from the Treaty.
RelationshipBackground with England
• Problems arose again during the reign of Alexander III, due to the young age he ascended to the throne • When he assumed his personal rule of Scotland, he protected her independence • He told Edward I:
Alexander III came to power at the age of 7
RelationshipBackground with England
No Noman manhas hasthe theright rightto to homage homagefor formy mykingdom, kingdom, as asIIhold holdititof ofGod Godalone alone
Despite this, relations were overall good: Edward I holidayed in Scotland and Alexander was married to Edward’s sister Margaret.
Alexander III (1241-1286)
Tragedy Strikes Scotland
Tragedy strikes In the mid-1280’s, Alexander’s wife Margaret and his children all died he was left with no living heirs In 1285, Alexander married Yolande, a daughter of a powerful French noble family In 1286, after a meeting in Edinburgh, Alexander rode to be with his wife. He never made it.
Brechin Tragedy
strikes
Angus Dundee King Alexander fell to his death here
Fife
Kinghorn
Yolande, his new Queen, was waiting here
Dalmeny
Edinburgh Ferry crossing
King Alexander attended a meeting here
Tragedy Strikes
It was thought that Yolande was pregnant – however this was not the case.
It was feared the the ambitions of the Bruce and Balliol families would engulf Scotland in a Civil War – however there was one other potential heir
Tragedy Strikes
Tragedy Strikes
Alexander had a granddaughter – Margaret the Maid of Norway – whom he got the nobles to accept as his heir in 1284 if he were to die without a direct heir.
Tragedy Strikes
• However there were 2 issues: 1. The Maid was only 3 at the time 2. Margaret was a female and therefore could not rule on her own
Margaret the Maid of Norway
Tragedy Strikes
• It was decided that Margaret would marry the future King of England, Edward. • This was formalised in the Treaty of Birgham in 1290 • Other terms of the Treaty were that Scotland would remain independent of England and that no Scottish Parliament would be held outside its borders
Tragedy Strikes
• With this Treaty signed and civil war avoided, the nobles set about bringing their new queen to Scotland
Historians’ Views
Historians’ Views
If there ever was a golden age in thirteenth-century Scotland, then it was in the 1260s and 1270s between the treaty of Perth and the death of Queen Margaret. G.W.S Barrow
Revision
Revision
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/history/war