Scottish resistance and English invasions, 1298-1305 - was Scottish resistance maintaining their own interests or the county's interests?

Question 1

Introduction - context

Answer 1

• John abdicated July 1296, retaliation to France treaty
• Ragman’s roll August had 1,600 Scots to Edward’s fealty, Edward was now direct ruler of Scotland
• Cressingham and Warenne led rule of Scotland 1296-97, September 1297 Scots won at Stirling bridge but English victory at battle of Falkirk July 1298, English took upper hand
• this Scottish resistance continued led by John Comyn and Robert the Bruce…

Question 2

Introduction - line of argument

Answer 2

• acting in personal interests rather than countrys interests
• this view is held by Oram and Brown, but challenged by Barrow

Question 3

Wider political factionalism - knowledge

Answer 3

• peebles August 1299 ‘great lords of Scotland’ including Carrick and Comyn, the Steward and Bishop Lamberton ended with Lamberton’s appointment as third guardian (but there was disagreements over this decision)
• McDougalls submitted in 1301, Earl of Ross in 1303, disunity made it hard to keep resistance going.
• large English invasion summer of 1303 followed by Guardian submission in February 1304.
• Negotiations in February 1304 led by Comyn on behalf of political community – Comyn negotiated favourable terms to his own family showing personal interests.
• Scot Sir John of Menteith was instrumental in turning William Wallace over to the English in 1305

Question 4

Wider political factionalism - evaluation and historiography

Answer 4

• Oram - Scots remained violently divided over the aims of their international diplomacy and their military campaigns
• this underlies the failing of military endeavours, without unity in factions, there could never be a strong military campaign

Question 5

Military - knowledge

Answer 5

• Scottish resistance remained quite small scale, people acted in their own interests rather than fighting for their kingdom on a united front
• shortly after meeting at Peebles, news of of attack by lords in English allegiance on Scottish people
• John Comyn and Buchan went north to protect their own lands, Steward and cousin Menteith fell back to Clydesdale, and Carrick passed South-west through Ananndale and Galloway.
• Some victory, John Comyn winning at Roslin in Feb 1303, captures Selkirk soon after
• in summer, outdone by the scale of Edward’s army

Question 6

Military - historiography and evaluation

Answer 6

• Santiuste – Scots maintained their resistance to England by learning form the past and avoiding pitched battles for guerrilla methods
• Brown – many Scots of middle rank saw English rule as a direct threat to their security and safety. In the face of these threats they were prepared to take up arms.

Question 7

Bruce self-interest- knowledge and analysis

Answer 7

• Bruce resigned the Guardianship in 1300, possibly due to concern that a Balliol restoration was becoming a real possibility (John allowed to go to France in July 1299 thanks to Pope Boniface)
• Bruce also submitted in 1302, in attempt to save himself.
• June 1304 - then made a pact with William Lamberton, binding themselves to work together at expense of £10,000

Question 8

Bruce self interest - evaluation and historiography

Answer 8

• Nicholson - Robert’s opportunism was to blame for his desertion of the Guardianship and of the Scottish cause
• Bruce epitomises the individual interests of the Scottish leaders at this time