Edward I and the Occupation of Scotland
1296-1297
Background/Context
-In March 1296, Edward I led his army north to crush the next of his rebellious
vassal lards, King John I of Scotland, having already dealt with the Welsh in
1295.
-John’s failure to attend an English Parliament in 1295 over the ongoing
Macduff legal case gave Edward the justification to use force against his
northern lands.
-In addition to such a disobeying of homage and vassalship, it didn’t help that at
some point en route to Scotland Edward likely received confirmation that the
Scot’s had committed treason by signing the Auld Alliance with England’s
French enemies, only fueling his anger further.
-The subjugation of Scotland was swift and relatively easy for the English King.
His army were among the most experienced in Europe, while the Scots had not
fought a battle since 1263 Largs, thus their military techniques were old
fashioned and out of date.
-On July 22,1296 King John surrendered to King Edward I of England at
Kincardine castle. John was stripped of his royal authority and forced to write a
letter admitting that he had broken his oath to Edward as his rightful overlord.
Later his nickname by Edward I ‘Toom Tabard’ flourished after a public
humiliation when Edward ripped the royal insignia from his coat. Balliol was
imprisoned in England at the Tower of London and later exiled to France, where
he died in 1313.
-With John Balliol in captivity, Scotland was again without a king.
-It is suggested that Robert Bruce asked Edward to make him king, as a result of
his loyalty.
-However, edward I refused, stating “Have we nothing to do but win kingdoms
for you?”
-After Edward famously refused to install Robert Bruce as king of Scot’s in
Balliol’s place, Scotland was to be ruled directly by Edward himself, from
London, with English officials placed in various Scottish roles to manage the
day to day running of the kingdom.
, -Edward could not simply make Scotland part of his kingdom as he had done
with Wales. However, it seems that this is what he intended to do.
-He removed the Stone of Destiny on which Scottish kings were inaugurated
from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in London. This consequently would mean
it would be difficult for the Scots to make a new king in the future.
-Hundreds of official documents and legal records were also removed to
London, with the exception of those Scottish records which were lost at sea
during transit.
-Edward reinforced his direct rule over Scotland with the creation of the
Ragman’s Roll. Having found the Scots to be faithless with their verbal
acceptance of his overlordship given during the Great Cause, Edward now
insisted on a written submission. Signed by the leading men of the kingdom,
they accepted Edwards terms on behalf of their subordinance throughout
Scotland, in accordance with the feudal system. Hence, even those whose
names did not appear on the document were still bound by it, as their feudal
lords had accepted its terms on their behalf.
Revolt
Edward believed that his rapid conquest of Scotland and easily established
control over the country through his imposed administration reflected the fact
that his dominance was now firmly established and his authority unquestioned.
However, he badly misread the situation.
-By Spring 1297, the Scot’s were in open revolt involving at least 5 separate
uprisings across the country.
-And in September, the Scots 1297 the Scots were to inflict upon the English
one of their best known and most humiliating military defeats of the Middle
Ages at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
-The topic investigates the English administration in Scotland and its origins of
resistance around the country in order to explore what led to the collapse of the
English occupation so quickly after it had been established in 1296.
-Englishmen were appointed to govern Scotland – John de Warrenne was placed
in overall command; Hugh Cressingham was appointed as treasurer and William
Ormsby became Chief Justiciar.
1/ Humiliation of the Scottish kingdom and its king
-While Edward insisted on recording Scottish oaths of allegiance in the Ragman
Roll in 1296, the total number of names recorded came to around 1,764 a
comprehensive cross section of those who mattered in Scottish society, perhaps
they could be called ‘A community of the realm’.
1296-1297
Background/Context
-In March 1296, Edward I led his army north to crush the next of his rebellious
vassal lards, King John I of Scotland, having already dealt with the Welsh in
1295.
-John’s failure to attend an English Parliament in 1295 over the ongoing
Macduff legal case gave Edward the justification to use force against his
northern lands.
-In addition to such a disobeying of homage and vassalship, it didn’t help that at
some point en route to Scotland Edward likely received confirmation that the
Scot’s had committed treason by signing the Auld Alliance with England’s
French enemies, only fueling his anger further.
-The subjugation of Scotland was swift and relatively easy for the English King.
His army were among the most experienced in Europe, while the Scots had not
fought a battle since 1263 Largs, thus their military techniques were old
fashioned and out of date.
-On July 22,1296 King John surrendered to King Edward I of England at
Kincardine castle. John was stripped of his royal authority and forced to write a
letter admitting that he had broken his oath to Edward as his rightful overlord.
Later his nickname by Edward I ‘Toom Tabard’ flourished after a public
humiliation when Edward ripped the royal insignia from his coat. Balliol was
imprisoned in England at the Tower of London and later exiled to France, where
he died in 1313.
-With John Balliol in captivity, Scotland was again without a king.
-It is suggested that Robert Bruce asked Edward to make him king, as a result of
his loyalty.
-However, edward I refused, stating “Have we nothing to do but win kingdoms
for you?”
-After Edward famously refused to install Robert Bruce as king of Scot’s in
Balliol’s place, Scotland was to be ruled directly by Edward himself, from
London, with English officials placed in various Scottish roles to manage the
day to day running of the kingdom.
, -Edward could not simply make Scotland part of his kingdom as he had done
with Wales. However, it seems that this is what he intended to do.
-He removed the Stone of Destiny on which Scottish kings were inaugurated
from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in London. This consequently would mean
it would be difficult for the Scots to make a new king in the future.
-Hundreds of official documents and legal records were also removed to
London, with the exception of those Scottish records which were lost at sea
during transit.
-Edward reinforced his direct rule over Scotland with the creation of the
Ragman’s Roll. Having found the Scots to be faithless with their verbal
acceptance of his overlordship given during the Great Cause, Edward now
insisted on a written submission. Signed by the leading men of the kingdom,
they accepted Edwards terms on behalf of their subordinance throughout
Scotland, in accordance with the feudal system. Hence, even those whose
names did not appear on the document were still bound by it, as their feudal
lords had accepted its terms on their behalf.
Revolt
Edward believed that his rapid conquest of Scotland and easily established
control over the country through his imposed administration reflected the fact
that his dominance was now firmly established and his authority unquestioned.
However, he badly misread the situation.
-By Spring 1297, the Scot’s were in open revolt involving at least 5 separate
uprisings across the country.
-And in September, the Scots 1297 the Scots were to inflict upon the English
one of their best known and most humiliating military defeats of the Middle
Ages at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
-The topic investigates the English administration in Scotland and its origins of
resistance around the country in order to explore what led to the collapse of the
English occupation so quickly after it had been established in 1296.
-Englishmen were appointed to govern Scotland – John de Warrenne was placed
in overall command; Hugh Cressingham was appointed as treasurer and William
Ormsby became Chief Justiciar.
1/ Humiliation of the Scottish kingdom and its king
-While Edward insisted on recording Scottish oaths of allegiance in the Ragman
Roll in 1296, the total number of names recorded came to around 1,764 a
comprehensive cross section of those who mattered in Scottish society, perhaps
they could be called ‘A community of the realm’.
