Unit 3 - King John 1292-96 - betrayal by political community reason for failure - essay

Question 1

Evidence for betrayal being most important - inherited situation

Answer 1

• political community had become used to the additional power of governing during the interregnum and may have been unwilling to give up this new status
• inherited the political factionalism which remained from Alexander III’s reign
• John’s naivety and lack of knowledge about Scotland or its political structure left him vulnerable to the whims of his political community
• John’s political community was dominated by the Comyn family and their allies, and John was related by marriage to John Comyn lord of Badenoch

Question 2

Evidence for betrayal being most important - poor advice

Answer 2

• to deprive MacDuff of his lands. This left him no option but to appeal to Edward I as overlord, escalating the issue
• allowed John to attend the English parliament in Westminster when he was first summoned over the legal appeals rather than sending legal attorneys to act on his behalf, which was a mistake
• Bruce family spent 18 months attempting to avoid paying homage to John, humiliating the new king
• negotiating an alliance with France was a risky strategy, provoking war with England. political community negotiated the terms, which were not all that favourable for the Scots
• political community established the Council of Twelve, to support or replace the king. They decided on fortifying the border with England and invading the north of England — a clear act of aggression Edward could not ignore
• the political community led the Scottish army in 1296, possibly as John had no military experience. It was their tactics that Edward was able to overcome.

Question 3

Lack of experience - knowledge

Answer 3

IMPORTANT
- 4th son, destined for church/clergy role and educated in Durham - anglo-French landholding gave understanding of international relations and where Scotland sat
- no experience running Scottish lands, mother Devorgilla took up this role who did not die until late in life
- little military experience, probably clerk for Edward

Question 4

Lack of experience - evaluation, historiography

Answer 4

• Penman - source of John’s problem lay in the fact he remained regular magnate until middle age, not born and bred into kingship making him unprepared
• This is vital as it shows there was an underlying flaw of lack of character and drive which led to such a pitiful campaign

Question 5

Inability to stand up to Edward - knowledge

Answer 5

• late December 1292 swear fealty, one week later, renounced terms of Birgham
• Macduff summer 1293 forced to go to Westminster where he was embarrassed - Ed pursued advantage by appointing his own official for earldom of Fife, John’s own fault for favouring friend Fraser over deserved MacDuff
• forcing John to speak at court directly rather than replying through a proxy - example of Edward refusing to speak to John like an equal king
• also encouraged other legal appeals - Ed paid travel for claimants to Westminster
• June 1295, summoned Scots to fight France - 26 magnates summoned to expensive obligations, may wish to avoid this and Scottish nobility had avoided it well recently