'In 1292, the candidates, called upon to that effect, solemnly acknowledged Edward's right as lord paramount of Scotland, and submitted their claims to his decision. We shall endeavor to explain hereafter why these Norman nobles were not unwilling to consent to a submission which, as children of the soil, they would probably have spurned at. The strengths and fortresses of the kingdom were put into the king of England's power, to enable him to support, it was pretended, the award he should pronounce. After these operations had lasted several months, to accustom the Scots to the view of English governors and garrisons in their castles, and to disable them from resisting a foreign force, by the continued disunion which must have increased and become the more embittered the longer the debate was in dependence, Edward I. preferred John Baliol to the Scottish crown, to be held of him and his successors, and surrendered to him the Scottish castles of which he held possession, being twenty in number.'
The text above is from "Scotland" by Walter Scott and Mayo Hazeltine. On November 17, 1292, John Balliol became King of Scotland, officially succeeding Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who had died two years earlier. It was to be a short reign, lasting less than four years. Balliol was in power when the Auld Alliance was formalized with France, after which Edward I of England marched on Scotland. The Battle of Dunbar began the Scottish Wars of Independence.
Showing posts with label John Balliol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Balliol. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Auld Alliance
John Balliol has come down in history as a puppet king of England's Edward I. Little positive is said of his short reign (1292 - 1296). Sir Walter Scott writes disparagingly of Balliol's recognition from King Edward: 'Upon examining the claims of the candidates, the right of succession to the throne of Scotland was found to lie chiefly betwixt Robert Bruce, the Lord of Annandale, and John Baliol, who was the Lord of Galloway. Both were great and powerful barons; both were of Norman descent, and had great estates in England as well as Scotland; lastly, both were descended from the Scottish royal family, and each by a daughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of William the Lion. Edward, upon due consideration, declared Baliol to be King of Scotland, as being son of Margaret, the eldest of the two sisters. But he declared that the kingdom was always to be held under him as the Lord Paramount, or sovereign thereof. John Baliol closed the disgraceful scene by doing homage to the King of England, and acknowledging that he was his liege vassal and subject. This remarkable event took place on 20th November, 1292.
Soon after this remarkable, and to Scotland most shameful transaction, King Edward began to show to Baliol that it was not his purpose to be satisfied with a bare acknowledgment of his right of sovereignty, but that he was determined to exercise it with severity on every possible occasion. He did this, no doubt, on purpose to provoke the dependent King to some act of resistance, which should give him a pretext for depriving him of the kingdom altogether as a disobedient subject, and taking it under his own government in his usurped character of Lord Paramount.'
With all of Balliol's failings as a king, he can claim responsibility for one of the most important and enduring alliances in Scotland's history; the Auld Alliance with France. In a treaty dated October 23, 1295, Balliol and Philip IV of France promised each other mutual aid against the English. The agreement lasted 265 years, until the Treaty of Edinburgh (July 5, 1560). As early as 1346, the Auld Alliance provided King David II a reason to invade England, which led to his capture at the Battle of Neville's Cross. During this time, the treaty was invoked six times in military action against the British.
Soon after this remarkable, and to Scotland most shameful transaction, King Edward began to show to Baliol that it was not his purpose to be satisfied with a bare acknowledgment of his right of sovereignty, but that he was determined to exercise it with severity on every possible occasion. He did this, no doubt, on purpose to provoke the dependent King to some act of resistance, which should give him a pretext for depriving him of the kingdom altogether as a disobedient subject, and taking it under his own government in his usurped character of Lord Paramount.'
With all of Balliol's failings as a king, he can claim responsibility for one of the most important and enduring alliances in Scotland's history; the Auld Alliance with France. In a treaty dated October 23, 1295, Balliol and Philip IV of France promised each other mutual aid against the English. The agreement lasted 265 years, until the Treaty of Edinburgh (July 5, 1560). As early as 1346, the Auld Alliance provided King David II a reason to invade England, which led to his capture at the Battle of Neville's Cross. During this time, the treaty was invoked six times in military action against the British.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Ragman Roll
" If you mean the observation as a sneer at my ancestry," said the knight with an assumption of dignified superiority and composure, " I nave the pleasure to inform you, that the name of my ancestor, Gamelyn de Guardover, Miles, is written fairly with his own hand in the earliest copy of the Ragman-roll."
...
" Right, right, that's right too—I should like to see the son of Sir Gamelyn de Guardover on dry land myself—I have a notion he would sign the abjuration oath, and the Ragman-roll to boot, and acknowledge Queen Mary to be nothing better than she should be, to get alongside my bottle of old port that he ran away from, and left scarce begun. But he's safe now, and here a comes—(for the chair was again lowered, and Sir Arthur made fast in it, without much consciousness on his own part)—here a comes—bowse away, my boys—canny wi' him—a pedigree of a hundred links is hanging on a tenpenny tow—the whole barony of Knockwinnock depends on three piles of hemp—respice finem, respice funerrv—look to your end —look to a rope's end.—Welcome, welcome, my good old friend, to firm land, though I cannot say to warm land or to dry land—a cord for ever against fifty fathom of water, though not in the sense of the base proverb—a fico for the phrase—better sus. per funein, than sus. per coll."
The text above is from Walter Scott's "The Antiquary".
On August 28, 1296, Edward I of England held a Parliament at Berwick, where he heard cases presented by Scottish nobles, as to who should wear the crown of Scotland. Edward had the nobles sign oaths of loyalty to him. Signings such as these began by 1291, and were used by Edward to manipulate the nobles to his advantage. These signed papers became known as the Ragman Rolls. From the Encyclopedia Britannica, the term may derive from the Statute of Rageman, referring to reporting required of clerics by a legate named Rageman. John Balliol was the temporary beneficiary of Edward's maneuverings.
...
" Right, right, that's right too—I should like to see the son of Sir Gamelyn de Guardover on dry land myself—I have a notion he would sign the abjuration oath, and the Ragman-roll to boot, and acknowledge Queen Mary to be nothing better than she should be, to get alongside my bottle of old port that he ran away from, and left scarce begun. But he's safe now, and here a comes—(for the chair was again lowered, and Sir Arthur made fast in it, without much consciousness on his own part)—here a comes—bowse away, my boys—canny wi' him—a pedigree of a hundred links is hanging on a tenpenny tow—the whole barony of Knockwinnock depends on three piles of hemp—respice finem, respice funerrv—look to your end —look to a rope's end.—Welcome, welcome, my good old friend, to firm land, though I cannot say to warm land or to dry land—a cord for ever against fifty fathom of water, though not in the sense of the base proverb—a fico for the phrase—better sus. per funein, than sus. per coll."
The text above is from Walter Scott's "The Antiquary".
On August 28, 1296, Edward I of England held a Parliament at Berwick, where he heard cases presented by Scottish nobles, as to who should wear the crown of Scotland. Edward had the nobles sign oaths of loyalty to him. Signings such as these began by 1291, and were used by Edward to manipulate the nobles to his advantage. These signed papers became known as the Ragman Rolls. From the Encyclopedia Britannica, the term may derive from the Statute of Rageman, referring to reporting required of clerics by a legate named Rageman. John Balliol was the temporary beneficiary of Edward's maneuverings.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Battle of Dupplin Moor
Soon after Robert Bruce passed away (June 7, 1329), Edward Balliol, the son of former King John Balliol determined to take advantage of the fact that Bruce's son David was only 4 years old, and unfit to rule. Balliol, who had been living in France, returned to Scotland in 1332, and joined Henry Beaumont to take Scotland from the Bruce faction. The Balliols and Beaumonts had lost much in terms of estates and status by opposing Robert Bruce at Bannockburn and elsewhere. Beaumont arranged for English forces to join with them in the invasion.
The two sides met at Dupplin Moor on August 12, 1332, the battle representing part of the continuing Wars of Scottish Independence. The outcome was a horrendous defeat for the Bruce forces. Beaumont and Balliol introduced a formation of archers and ground troops that helped the English become dominant in warfare for some time.
Sir Walter Scott writes of this battle in his "History of Scotland":
'...Such were the pretexts; but in reality Baliol possessed no interest whatever in Scotland; he was a mere stipendiary and pensioner of England, and Edward was now desirous to be rid of him, and either to acquire the crown of Scotland to himself directly by virtue of Baliol's cession in his favour, or, if that project should fail, to achieve the same object by making some composition with the imprisoned David, whom he found not indisposed to agree to a settlement of the crown on a son of the king of England, in exchange for his own liberty. In guerdon of his pliancy, Baliol, when retiring into private life, was to be endowed by Edward III. with a sum of five thousand marks, and a stipend or annuity of two thousand pounds sterling a year. With this splendid income Edward Baliol retired into privacy and obscurity, and is never again mentioned in history. The spirit of enterprise which dictated the invasion of Scotland in 1332 and the adventurous attack upon the Scottish encampment at Dupplin-moor, shows itself in no other part of his conduct, which may lead us to think that an attempt so daring was no suggestion of his own mind, but breathed into it by the councils of some masterspirit among his counsellors. In battle he showed the bravery of a soldier ; but in other respects he never seems to have displayed talents whether for war or peace. He died childless in the year 136'3 ; and thus ended in his person the line of Baliol, whose pretensions had cost Scotland so dear.
The campaign which Edward designed should be decisive of the fate of Scotland now approached. The Scottish nobles, more wise in calamity than success, taught and convinced by experience of the danger of encountering the enemy in pitched battle and in the open field, resolved to practise the lessons of defensive war which had been bequeathed to them by their deliverer, king Robert. Time was, however, required to lay the country waste, to withdraw the inhabitants, and take the other precautions necessary for this stern and desolating species of resistance. For this purpose earl Douglas was sent to king Edward to protract time as long as he could with offers of negotiation. He succeeded in obtaining a truce of ten days, during the greater part of which he remained in the English camp, and then left it, exulting in having obtained the necessary space for defensive preparations, of which his countrymen had made excellent use.
Scotland was now somewhat in the same condition as when invaded in 1322, but thus far worse situated, that as Edward III. was an heroical character a hundred times more formidable than his father, so the chiefs whom Scotland had now to oppose against the victor, at whose name France trembled, were as far inferior in talents to the Bruce. They were imbued, however, with his sentiments, and were determined to act upon them ; and thus being dead, king Robert might be said still to direct the Scottish army...'
The two sides met at Dupplin Moor on August 12, 1332, the battle representing part of the continuing Wars of Scottish Independence. The outcome was a horrendous defeat for the Bruce forces. Beaumont and Balliol introduced a formation of archers and ground troops that helped the English become dominant in warfare for some time.
Sir Walter Scott writes of this battle in his "History of Scotland":
'...Such were the pretexts; but in reality Baliol possessed no interest whatever in Scotland; he was a mere stipendiary and pensioner of England, and Edward was now desirous to be rid of him, and either to acquire the crown of Scotland to himself directly by virtue of Baliol's cession in his favour, or, if that project should fail, to achieve the same object by making some composition with the imprisoned David, whom he found not indisposed to agree to a settlement of the crown on a son of the king of England, in exchange for his own liberty. In guerdon of his pliancy, Baliol, when retiring into private life, was to be endowed by Edward III. with a sum of five thousand marks, and a stipend or annuity of two thousand pounds sterling a year. With this splendid income Edward Baliol retired into privacy and obscurity, and is never again mentioned in history. The spirit of enterprise which dictated the invasion of Scotland in 1332 and the adventurous attack upon the Scottish encampment at Dupplin-moor, shows itself in no other part of his conduct, which may lead us to think that an attempt so daring was no suggestion of his own mind, but breathed into it by the councils of some masterspirit among his counsellors. In battle he showed the bravery of a soldier ; but in other respects he never seems to have displayed talents whether for war or peace. He died childless in the year 136'3 ; and thus ended in his person the line of Baliol, whose pretensions had cost Scotland so dear.
The campaign which Edward designed should be decisive of the fate of Scotland now approached. The Scottish nobles, more wise in calamity than success, taught and convinced by experience of the danger of encountering the enemy in pitched battle and in the open field, resolved to practise the lessons of defensive war which had been bequeathed to them by their deliverer, king Robert. Time was, however, required to lay the country waste, to withdraw the inhabitants, and take the other precautions necessary for this stern and desolating species of resistance. For this purpose earl Douglas was sent to king Edward to protract time as long as he could with offers of negotiation. He succeeded in obtaining a truce of ten days, during the greater part of which he remained in the English camp, and then left it, exulting in having obtained the necessary space for defensive preparations, of which his countrymen had made excellent use.
Scotland was now somewhat in the same condition as when invaded in 1322, but thus far worse situated, that as Edward III. was an heroical character a hundred times more formidable than his father, so the chiefs whom Scotland had now to oppose against the victor, at whose name France trembled, were as far inferior in talents to the Bruce. They were imbued, however, with his sentiments, and were determined to act upon them ; and thus being dead, king Robert might be said still to direct the Scottish army...'
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Battle of Dunbar (1296)
Popular report states this battle to have been lost by treachery; and the communication between the earls of Dunbar and Angus and King Edward, as well as the disgraceful flight of the Scottish cavalry without a single blow, corroborates the suspicion. But the great superiority of the English in archery may account for the loss of this as of many another battle on the part of the Scots. The bowmen of Ettrick Forest were faithful; but they could only be few. So nearly had Wallace's scheme for the campaign been successful, that Edward, even after having gained this great battle, returned to England, and deferred reaping the harvest of his conquest till the following season. If he had not been able to bring the Scottish army to action, his retreat must have been made with discredit and loss, and Scotland must have been left in the power of the patriots.
From 'Exploits and Death of William Wallace, the "Hero of Scotland" ' by Sir Walter Scott.
The Battle of Dunbar took place on April 27, 1296. Dunbar followed the Massacre at Berwick in the Wars of Scottish Independence. It was the first and final major confrontation between Scots and English during that calendar year. John Balliol led the field for the Scots in what became a complete rout for the English under Balliol's father-in-law, John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey. After the short-lived battle was over, King Edward I rode in to Dunbar Castle, which readily surrendered in the face of a much superior force.
From 'Exploits and Death of William Wallace, the "Hero of Scotland" ' by Sir Walter Scott.
The Battle of Dunbar took place on April 27, 1296. Dunbar followed the Massacre at Berwick in the Wars of Scottish Independence. It was the first and final major confrontation between Scots and English during that calendar year. John Balliol led the field for the Scots in what became a complete rout for the English under Balliol's father-in-law, John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey. After the short-lived battle was over, King Edward I rode in to Dunbar Castle, which readily surrendered in the face of a much superior force.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Massacre of Berwick
AULD MAITLAND.
* * * * *
"There lived a king in southern land,
King Edward hight his name;
Unwordily he wore the crown,
Till fifty years were gane.
He had a sister's son o's ain,
Was large of blood and bane;
And afterward, when he came up,
Young Edward hight his name.
One day he came before the king,
And kneel'd low on his knee--
"A boon, a boon, my good uncle,
"I crave to ask of thee!
"At our lang wars, in fair Scotland,
"I fain hae wished to be;
"If fifteen hundred waled[90] wight men
"You'll grant to ride wi' me."
"Thou sail hae thae, thou sail hae mae;
"I say it sickerlie;
"And I mysell, an auld gray man,
"Array'd your host sall see."
King Edward rade, King Edward ran--
I wish him dool and pyne!
Till he had fifteen hundred men
Assembled on the Tyne.
And thrice as many at Berwicke
Were all for battle bound,
_Who, marching forth with false Dunbar,
A ready welcome found_..."
-From Auld Maitland, collected as part of Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.
Berwick, around 1296, enjoyed a more prosperous foreign trade than Edinburgh. On March 30, 1296, the forces of Edward I of England invaded Berwick, and killed approximately 10,000 of its inhabitants. The invasion was partly precipitated by King John Balliol signing a mutual assistance agreement with the French. Edward soon afterward began an invasion of Scotland, with Berwick being an early stop in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
* * * * *
"There lived a king in southern land,
King Edward hight his name;
Unwordily he wore the crown,
Till fifty years were gane.
He had a sister's son o's ain,
Was large of blood and bane;
And afterward, when he came up,
Young Edward hight his name.
One day he came before the king,
And kneel'd low on his knee--
"A boon, a boon, my good uncle,
"I crave to ask of thee!
"At our lang wars, in fair Scotland,
"I fain hae wished to be;
"If fifteen hundred waled[90] wight men
"You'll grant to ride wi' me."
"Thou sail hae thae, thou sail hae mae;
"I say it sickerlie;
"And I mysell, an auld gray man,
"Array'd your host sall see."
King Edward rade, King Edward ran--
I wish him dool and pyne!
Till he had fifteen hundred men
Assembled on the Tyne.
And thrice as many at Berwicke
Were all for battle bound,
_Who, marching forth with false Dunbar,
A ready welcome found_..."
-From Auld Maitland, collected as part of Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.
Berwick, around 1296, enjoyed a more prosperous foreign trade than Edinburgh. On March 30, 1296, the forces of Edward I of England invaded Berwick, and killed approximately 10,000 of its inhabitants. The invasion was partly precipitated by King John Balliol signing a mutual assistance agreement with the French. Edward soon afterward began an invasion of Scotland, with Berwick being an early stop in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)