Episode Details
Episode Details
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Edward I and Scotland

The Maid of Norway

In 1286 the King of Scotland, Alexander III, died. The Scottish King died because he ignored advice from his men to not travel in bad weather back from Edinburgh Castle back to see his wife across the Firth of Forth where she was living. The King managed to take the ferry across the river but at midnight disappeared into the dark and was found dead the next day. Alexander's granddaughter Margaret, the Maid of Norway, was the heir to the Scottish throne. Margaret was living in Norway as Alexander's daughter, also called Margaret and known as Margaret of Scotland, had married Eric the King of Norway. King Edward I of England arranged a marriage between Margaret, the Maid of Norway and his young son Prince Edward, the future King of England. This agreement known as the Treaty of Brigham was meant to bring peace between England and Scotland.

In 1290 Margaret sailed from Norway to Scotland but during the journey she became ill and on the Orkney islands she tragically died. There was now no obvious heir to the Scottish throne.

Claimants to the Scottish throne

There were more than 10 claimants who came forward to claim the Scottish throne. Of these the three most important claimants were all descended from David, the Earl of Huntingdon who was the brother of William the Lion, King of Scotland from 1165 until 1214. The three men were John Balliol, Robert Bruce and John Hastings.

(i) Floris, Count of Holland

Floris, Count of Holland claimed the throne through Ada of Huntingdon, his great-grandmother and sister of William the Lion, King of Scotland. His claim was not taken seriously.

(ii) Robert de Pinkeney

Robert de Pinkeney claimed the Scottish throne through his great-grandmother Marjorie of Huntingdon, the sister of William the Lion, King of Scotland.

(iii) William de Ros

The claim of William de Ros was based on his great-grandfather's marriage to Isabella, the daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland.

(iv) Patrick, Earl of March

Patrick, Earl of March claimed the Scottish throne through his great-grandmother, Ada, the illegitimate daughter of King William the Lion of Scotland.

(v) William de Vesci

William de Vesci's claim to the Scottish throne was through his grandmother Marjory, the daughter of William the Lion.

(vi) Patrick Galythly

Patrick Galythly was the son of Henry Galythly, the son of William king of Scots. The claim was dismissed because his father was an illegitimate child.

(vii) Nicolas de Soulis

Nicolas de Soulis claimed to be the grandson of Marjory, daughter of Allexander II.

(viii) Roger de Mandeville

The claim of Roger de Mandeville was through an illegitimate daughter of William the Lion called Aufrica who married William de Say in Ulster.

(ix) John Comyn Lord of Badenoch

John Comyn Lord of Badenoch claimed to be a descendant of Donand Bane.

(x) Eric King of Norway

Eric King of Norway, the father of Margaret put in a claim to the Scottish throne as hier to his daughter but with little hope of success.

See the timeline below or this graphical version for more detailed information.

Episode Events
Episode Events

1286

Alexander III of Scotland died leaving no male heir. The King died because he ignored advice from his men to not travel in bad weather back from Edinburgh Castle back to see his wife across the Firth of Forth where she was living. The King managed to take the ferry across the river but at midnight disappeared into the dark and was found dead the next day. Margaret the 'Maid of Norway' was next in line for the Scottish throne because her mother was the only one of Alexander's children that had any offspring.

1290

The Treaty of Brigham saw agreement for the marriage of Margaret the Maid of Norway to the first Prince of Wales Edward. Margaret was the granddaughter of Alexander III the king of Scotland and was the successor to the Scottish crown. The death of Margaret on the voyage led to disputed succession in Scotland. ¹
Margaret, the 'Maid of Norway', granddaughter of Alexander III and next in line for the Scottish crown was travelling to Scotland when she died on Orkney during the voyage.

1291

One of many claimants to the Scottish throne was Floris, Count of Holland. He claimed the throne through Ada of Huntingdon, his great-grandmother and sister of William the Lion, King of Scotland. His claim was not taken seriously.
Robert de Pinkeney claimed the Scottish throne through his great-grandmother Marjorie of Huntingdon, the sister of William the Lion, King of Scotland.
William de Ros was one of the many claimants to the Scottish throne. His claim was based on his great-grandfather's marriage to Isabella, the daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland.
Patrick, Earl of March claimed the Scottish throne through his great-grandmother, Ada, the illegitimate daughter of King William the Lion of Scotland.
William de Vesci's claim to the Scottish throne was through his grandmother Marjory, the daughter of William the Lion.
Patrick Galythly was the son of Henry Galythly, the son of William king of Scots. The claim was dismissed because his father was an illegitimate child.
There were more unsuccessful claimants to the Scottish throne including William de Vesci through his grandmother Marjory, the daughter of William the Lion; Patrick Galythly, the son of Henry Galythly, the son of William king of Scots. The claim was dismissed because his father was an illegitimate child; Nicolas de Soulis, who claimed to be the grandson of Marjory, daughter of Allexander II; Roger de Mandeville, through an illegitimate daughter of William the Lion called Aufrica who married William de Say in Ulster; John Comyn Lord of Badenoch, who claimed to be a descendant of Donand Bane; and even Eric King of Norway, the father of Margaret put in a claim to the Scottish throne as hier to his daughter but with little hope of success.
King Edward I met the claimants for the Scottish crown at Norham. There were three main claimants to the throne all of whom were descended from David Earl of Huntingdon, the brother of William the Lion who died in 1214. There were many claimants but the three main contenders were John Balliol, Robert Bruce and John Hastings. The decision was delayed until the following year to allow all the facts to be taken into account.  ¹

1292

At Berwick King Edward I declared John Balliol to be the new Scottish King. ¹

1294

Edward Balliol arrived in London and asked for men and money for Edward's French war. ¹

1295

John Balliol went to France and arranged the Treaty Auld Alliance (Content ?) ¹

1296

The castle on Loch Ness fell to the English. Sir William Fitz Warine was left in charge of the castle as its Constable. ¹
In March of 1296 King Edward I had attacked and sacked Berwick. Balliol renounced homage to England. ¹
John Balliol was defeated at the battle of Dunbar by King Edward I.
The English had taken many castles and in July 1296 Balliol surrendered to King Edward I and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Edward advanced to Elgin and on his return to England took the Stone of Scone. ¹

1297

William Wallace and Andrew De Moray leaders of the Scottish revolt in the South and North joined forces and defeated the English army led by Surrey at Stirling. The Scots caught the English forces as they crossed a bridge across the Forth. ¹

1298

King Edward I held a Parliament at York to discuss the situation in Scotland. It wasn't long before an English army was prepared to go into Scotland. ¹
Edward's army defeated William Wallace. The battle is dominated by the English and Welsh longbows.

1300

After staying briefly at the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, King Edward I travelled north to Carlisle. His son, Edward (II) of Caernarfon remained at the Abbey for a week longer, living as a monk, before following his father. The king ensured his standard had been blessed by every holy relic that the Abbey possessed. ¹
After a short siege lasting only 5 days Caerlaverock Castle fell, the Scots giving King Edward I little resistance. Prince Edward of Caernarfon took control of the rearguard of the English army and apart from a small skirmish, saw no action. ¹
Pope Boniface sent a letter to King Edward I demanding that he should withdraw from Scotland. Edward ignored the letter, but because the campaign was not a success, the English soon left for England anyway. ¹
Edward arranged a truce and returned to England. ¹

1301

King Edward I found the land laid waste as he advanced into Scotland. At Linlithgow he halted and built a castle where he spent Christmas.

1302

King Edward I and the Scots signed a peace treaty. John Segrave was left in charge in Scotland with a force of 20,000 men.

1303

The Scots appointed John Comyn as regent and with Sir Simon Frazer he marched south from northern Scotland to repel the English. Segrave was captured by the Scottish forces.
William Wallace had returned to Scotland from France where he had been in exile and so Edward took an army into Scotland. ¹
As part of Edward's campaign in Scotland he attacked and took control of Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. Sir Alexander Comyn was left in change. ¹
Edward spent the winter months at Dunfermline Abbey where he planned the attack on Stirling Castle. ¹

1304

Edward began a siege of Stirling Castle. ¹
The Scots surrendered Stirling Castle to Edward. The constructions of a huge trebuchet was ordered by the English king to bombard the castle into submission. The siege engine was called Warwolf. ¹

1305

William Wallace was betrayed and captured by the English. ¹
William Wallace was tried and executed. ¹

1306

Robert Bruce murdered John Comyn.
Robert Bruce was crowned King of Scotland At Scone Abbey.

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Related Information

Edward I

Coronation
November 20, 1272
Reign To
July 7, 1307
Succeeded
Henry III
Preceded
Edward II
Royal House
Plantagenet
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