Unit 1 - Alexander III 1249-86 - success/reputation essay Flashcards
Intro - context
- Born September 1241, only son to Alexander II who died in 1249 so king at only 8, leaving gov temporarily in hands of a council of lords and prelates
- By 1258 brought together council of opposing Durwards and Comyns (dominated) and by 1262 full majority
- Treaty of Perth, challenged English overlordsip, advanced economy of kingdom
Intro - overall historiography and line of argument
Despite some exaggeration, Alexander was very successful/deserves reputation
- Oram rejection of success
- Brown and Reid despite some exaggeration, Alexander was successful
Good governance - knowledge and analysis
SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL
- boost of Scottish trade, success on the Port of Berwick, wool, woolfells and hide
- influx in architecture, monasteries and Cathedrals in Galloway and Sutherland, to castles in Bothwell and Kildrummy – indicator of lots of wealth available
- Office of the Chancery - Chamberlain, Chancellor and Stewart governing, three justicars across country
- sheriffs collect royal revenues, mustered royal armies and dispensed royal justice – clear multi-layered system effective, everyone controlled by loyal representative and no major revolts – little personal control
Good governance - historiography and evaluation
- Oram argues that much of Europe was experiencing prosperity at the time, and Alexander wasn’t necessarily the reason for this.
- Despite relevance of Alexander questioned, country was successful both economically and in terms of justice so deserves credit - less directly related to Alexander than external relations.
Internal relations - knowledge and analysis
CONSIDERABLY SUCCESSFUL
- Two factions Durward and Comyns battled for control during minority and majority, in 1258 when Alexander 17 compromise council to rule in Alexander’s stead before he assumed throne
- Not much direct authority of his own, delegating to great lords around kingdom - criticised for delegating royal justice
- John Comyn and the Earl of Atholl in 1269 – did successfully deal with conflict between nobles and prevented situations escalating
Internal relations - historiography and evaluation
- Reid argues that Alexander’s actions in 1258 of refuting the Comyn rule and gaining a positive settlement shows he was not the sort of king to be overlooked, even during his minority
- Oram argues that most political divides had ceased while Alexander was still in his minority, suggesting that it was not his actions that achieved heightened political peace.
- Young argues that because the King kept Alexander Comyn as an important part of his council until his death in 1289 that Alexander was politically intelligent enough to work with those who could be useful to him despite past offences.
- As proven by Young, tactical and calculated in politics, Oram’s argument of good fortune unfair as he managed to build and maintain political hierarchy system through diligence proven by keeping nobles loyal.
Succession - knowledge and analysis
FAILED BUT THROUGH BAD FORTUNE
- First king for three generations to create a secure succession early in reign, three legitimate children with first wife Margaret - proves attempts to settle dynasty
- Used family to develop links in Europe, eldest son married to the count of Flanders and his daughter Margaret to King Eric II of Norway but all died by 1283
- wife died in 1275 and all children died by 1283 remarried November 1285 but died riding horse in March 1286 without new child – could criticize urgency, took 10 years to remarry – did officially recognise Margaret as king before dying
Succession - historiography and evaluation
- Penman - oath was insufficient in preventing noble divisions from resurfacing after 1286, ultimately unsuccessful
- objectively failure, taints and undermines achievements but not through his own fault
External relations - knowledge and analysis
- in 1251 paid homage to Henry III for lands in England but not in Scotland, in 1278, to Edward I refused again, said he held it of God alone
- Edward I pursued right to bring up matter under future kings
- late 1270s dispute on border near Berwick exerted control
- in 1265, expeditions into Ross, Caithness and Skye, forcing Norwegian nobles to surrender
- Treaty of Peth 1266 transferred ownership to King of Scots
External relations - historiography and evaluation
- Oram - Treaty of Perth hugely significant as gaining the Isles extended Alexander’s power dramatically, shifting balance between Scotland and in this region
- Reid - the benefits from the Treaty of Perth made available financial and military resources which, without it, made it unlikely Robert I could have had successfully waged his war against England early next century
- did what father couldn’t proving his fierce ambition and ability to execute ambitious plans
