Scottish Kings and the History of Titles.

The history of Scotland has been closely related its Kings and its struggle with England for independence. Even now in the twenty-first century that latter war still rages with the second most popular political party in Scotland having a clear agenda of wanting to be a totally independent country from England.

One of the best known worldwide was the subject of a play by Shakespeare the murder of Duncan by Macbeth in 1040. Often for superstitious reasons referred to not by the Scottish Kings name but by the name “the Scottish play”. King Macbeth was later murdered by Malcolm III. A few months later he had to also kill the former Scottish Kings stepson — he had just been crowned King — before Malcolm had been able effectively prove he should be King by killing all other potential contenders.

One other such time was following the death of Queen Margaret (also known as the Maid of Norway) in 1290 when Scottish history books show that there were altogether fifteen potential Kings of Scotland. The two main contenders to be the King of Scotland were John Balliol and “Robert the Bruce”. Both were descendants of Scottish kings but through the two eldest daughters as there were no living sons. Both of these two claimants to the Scottish title were heads of powerful families in Scotland at that time and it looked as through Civil war would break out. Both families were already seizing control of strategic places across the country ready for a major war.

Trying to avoid the war between the two Scottish “Kings” the bishops wrote to the King of England asking him to intervene and choose for them. Edward I (also known as Longshanks because of his very tall height and long legs) after careful assessing the situation and manipulating them both into promising to pay him homage if they were chosen to be the next of the Scottish Kings chose John Balliol. Looking at the family tree Balliol had the strongest title to the Scottish throne but also had the weakest strength of character of the two main claimants to the Scottish Kings Title.  Longshanks then bullied and pushed Balliol into various corners and impossible positions knowing that ultimately he would rebel, which eventually happened. Longshanks declared war and invaded Scotland quickly capturing a country then still strongly divided into fragments following the different families each still holding onto some claim to become one of the future Scottish kings.

Most people are familiar with the film Braveheart that both starred and was directed by Mel Gibson. William Wallace the son of a minor Scottish title initially fled with his father to Dundee to avoid Longshanks retribution but at the age of 19 was caught up with a brawl started by the local administrator’s son who ended up being killed by Wallace. William was named as an outlaw and for several years was hiding in various forests and leading forages on anywhere and everywhere that bore an English insignia.

Although holding a relatively minor Scottish title and never one of the Scottish Kings William Wallace raised an army and led attack upon attack on the English armies even invading and conquering as far south as York several hundred miles into England. You will have seen some of these vicious battles recorded in the film Braveheart.

The death of William Wallace allowed the next of the Scottish kings to step forward and fill his place.  Robert The Bruce known to all Scottish schoolchildren as the Kings who led the most powerful battle against the English in 1314 the battle of Bannockburn.  Many stories abound about Robert the Bruce his setbacks, his having to hide in a cave to escape capture. I remember still, even through I was only about eight or nine at the time, being in that same cave and being proudly told a story by the guide. A spider was trying to build a web and swung by his thread from one position to another but six times fell short but did not give up and succeeded on the seventh time.  At that time Robert had just lost six major battles in a row but was so inspired by the spider’s determination he immediately went out and led his troops into Bannockburn.

As I said at the beginning of this short excursion into the Scottish history and its kings the battle for the Scottish title has been the main plot of the relationship between England and Scotland as long as history records exist.  England has for too long held the upper hand but one thing often forgotten is the fact that the King James I of England was born in Scotland and had already been crowned King James IV of Scotland before taking over the English throne. The present monarch is a descendant of the Scottish kings and her title is now Queen of the United Kingdom.  At the time of writing over half of the British Cabinet (its senior government ministers) are of Scots descent and there is a separate parliament for Scotland but not one for England. Scotland rules OK!

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