The Guardians

Question 1

The Guardians creation - Explain

Answer 1

• A council was selected to run the country on behalf of the young Maid of Norway.
• The ‘Guardians of Scotland’ were chosen by Scotlands nobility at a Parliament held at Scone at the end of April 1286.
• The Guardians were chosen to represent, ‘the community of the Realm of Scotland’.
• Six Guardians were chosen from different parts of Scotland, two were respected bishops, Fraser of St Andrews and Robert Wishart of Glasgow.
• Two were barons, John Comyn of Badenoch and James the Steward.
• Two were Earls, Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchanan and Duncan, Earl of Fife.

Question 2

The Guardians - what the guardians did

Answer 2

• The Guardians agreed that the nobility of the realm would swear an oath of fealty to the heir, Margaret the Maid of Norway.
• They faced several major issues, one of great concern was each individuals political loyalties, two Guardians were loyal to the Bruce family whilst two others were loyal to the Balliol and Comyn family.
• The Guardians were caretakers, they were only supposed to hold power until the Maid of Norway could take over.
• Robert Bruce of Annandale seized royal castles in Dumfries, Wigtown and Buittle. the Guardians stood firm and mustered an army and stopped Bruce gaining support.
• Death of the Earl of Fife as the fact that one of the 6 key Guardians was murdered, not least by his own kinsman on accusations of corruption.

Question 3

Guardians and the Maid of Norway

Answer 3

• Before his death in 1286, Alexander made his nobles promise that his granddaughter Margaret, known as the Maid of Norway, should be accepted as heir if he died without having any other children. Yet there were clear disadvantages:
• She was a girl, it was deemed she would not have the same military capacity as a man.
• She was only 3 years old, so would need a regent. The selection of said regent(s) would prove controversial. Long term security and peace in the kingdom would be precarious with the assumption to power of a young girl.

Question 4

The Guardians - Weaknesses of the guardians

Answer 4

• Duncan the Earl of fife was murdered outside Brechin. He was not replaced meaning fewer men could exert Guardian power.
• The Earl of Atholl and the Earl of Mar carried out attacks on the Comyn family. This undermined the Guardians and promoted support for the Bruce family.
• The Guardians managed to avoid civil war but they also demonstrated a significant amount of loyalty to the institution of the Scottish throne.

Question 5

The Guardians - Treaty of Salisbury

Answer 5

• Treaty of Salisbury; Scottish nobles in 1284 at the parliament of Scone had sworn an oath to respect Margarets claim to the throne
• Kings Edward and Erik arranged for Margaret to be brought to Scotland by 1 November 1290, Margaret was to be brought to England to stay in Edwards household.
• This Treaty gave Foreign Kings gained more authority over Scottish domestic affairs and in deciding the next King and Queen.

Question 6

death of alexander III

Answer 6

The Death of Alexander III in 1286 started the Succession problem as his untimely death left the Scottish monarchy in confusion as his three children had all died before he had; the last remaining son dying in 1284. This created a problem of Succession as there was no direct heir to the throne of Scotland leaving its governance in a position of vulnerability.