Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
Encyclopedia
With the death of Alexander III of Scotland
in 1286 without a male heir, the throne of Scotland
had become the possession of the three-year old Margaret, Maid of Norway, the granddaughter of the King. In 1290 the Guardians of Scotland, who had been appointed to govern the realm during the young Queen's minority, drew up the Treaty of Birgham
, a marriage contract between Margaret and the then five-year old Edward of Caernarvon
, the heir to the English throne. The treaty, amongst other points, contained the provision that although any offspring of this marriage would be heir to the crowns of both England
and Scotland
, the latter kingdom should be "separate, apart and free in itself without subjection to the English Kingdom". The intent, clearly, was to keep Scotland as an independent entity.
In early October the young Queen died in Orkney on her way to Scotland, leaving Scotland without an undisputed successor to the throne. The Guardians called upon Edward I of England
to decide between various competitors for the Scottish throne in a process known as the Great Cause. One of the strongest claimants, John Balliol, lord of Galloway
, forged an alliance with Antony Bek
, the representative of Edward I in Scotland and began styling himself 'heir of Scotland', while another, Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale
, turned up to the site of Queen Margaret's supposed inauguration with a force of soldiers amidst rumours that his friends the Earl of Mar and the Earl of Atholl
were also raising their forces. Scotland looked to be headed for civil war.
) until the Quitclaim of Canterbury (1189), but the legality of the 13th century claim was questionable. Alexander III, giving homage to Edward, had chosen his words very carefully: 'I become you man for the lands I hold of you in the Kingdom of England for which I owe homage, saving my Kingdom (author's italics).
In line with this desire, Edward demanded in May 1291 that his claim of feudal overlordship of Scotland be recognised before he would step in and act as arbiter. Indeed he went so far as to demand that the Scots produce evidence to show that he was not the lawful overlord rather than presenting them with evidence that he was. The Scots' reply came that without a king there was no one in the realm responsible enough to possibly make such an admission, and so any assurances given by the Scots were worthless. Although technically and legally correct by the standards of the time, this reply infuriated Edward enough that he refused to have it entered on the official record of the proceedings.
The Guardians and the claimants still needed Edward's help, and he did manage to pressure them into accepting a number of lesser though still important terms. The majority of the competitors and the Guardians did eventually step forward to acknowledge Edward as their rightful overlord, even though they could not be taken as speaking for the realm as a whole. They also agreed to put Edward in temporary control of the principal royal castles of Scotland despite the castles in question not being theirs to give away. For his part, Edward agreed that he would return control of both kingdom and castles to the successful claimant within two months. In the ongoing negotiations between the two countries, the Scots continued to use the Treaty of Birgham as a reference point, indicating that they still wished to see Scotland retain an independent identity from England.
Having got these concessions, Edward arranged for a court to be set up to decide which of the claimants should inherit the throne. It consisted of 104 auditors plus Edward himself as president. Edward chose 24 of the auditors while the two claimants with the strongest cases — Bruce and Balliol — were allowed to appoint forty each.
John Hastings, an Englishman with extensive estates in Scotland, could not succeed to the throne by any of the normal rules governing feudal legacy and instead had his lawyers argue that Scotland was not a true kingdom at all, based, amongst other things, on the fact that Scots kings were traditionally neither crowned nor anointed
. As such, by the normal rules of feudal law the kingdom should be split amongst the direct descendants of the co-heiresses of David I
. Unsurprisingly, a court made up of Scots nobles rejected these arguments out of hand.
John Balliol had the simplest,and thus, by some measure, the strongest claim of the four. By the tradition of primogeniture
, he was the rightful claimant, and that tradition had been followed in choosing heirs to the Scottish throne since King Edgar
in 1097. Indeed the other Scottish claimants (including Bruce) had already tacitly acknowledged the tradition of primogeniture in allowing Margaret of Norway to claim the throne. Balliol also argued that the Kingdom of Scotland was, as royal estate, indivisible as an entity. This was necessary to prevent the kingdom being split equally amongst the heirs as Hastings was suggesting should be done.
Robert Bruce was the next in line to the throne according to proximity of blood
. As such, his arguments centered on this being a more suitable way to govern the succession than primogeniture. His lawyers suggested that this was the case in most successions and as such had become something of a 'natural law'. Unfortunately for Bruce, the Scots' tradition for the preceding 200 years had been demonstrably different, relying on primogeniture instead. They also put before the court the suggestion that Alexander II had designated Bruce as heir when he himself was still childless. Whatever the truth of this, the fact remained that Alexander did eventually produce a male heir and that in the same period John Balliol also produced sons, all of whom would have a stronger claim than Bruce. Bruce also began by arguing alongside Balliol that the kingdom was indivisible, but when it became apparent that his own claim was going to fail he instead performed a rapid U-turn and joined Hastings in arguing that it be split amongst the three senior claimants, a fact for which he has been excoriated by many modern historians.
Floris V's argument was that Earl David had resigned the right of himself and his heirs. Although Floris was not a direct descendent of David I, he claimed that David had given up his right to the throne to his brother William
in exchange for a grant of land in Aberdeenshire
. If true, this would make Floris the rightful King of Scotland. Floris claimed that although he did not possess copies of the documents detailing, the handover of power one must exist somewhere in Scotland, and Edward postponed the court for a full ten months while a search was made through various castle treasuries. No copy was found at the time, but copies later surfaced at Pluscarden. One of the early "certified copies", dating the certification seals of the bishop of Moray and the prior of Pluscarden to 1291, is currently located in the Hague
. This document is thought to be a forgery.
Floris's case was rejected for lack of evidence. However, there is evidence that he entered into an agreement with Bruce in which if one of them was to successfully claim the throne, he would grant the other one third of the kingdom as a feudal fief. Other clauses in the agreement strongly suggest that of the two, only Bruce could really expect to be a successful claimant. This has been interpreted to mean that Floris and Bruce were in collusion, with Bruce hoping that taken together their arguments could defeat Balliol, with Bruces's claim then being upheld in favour of Floris'. It is striking that there is no record of Bruce and Floris being at loggerheads during the proceedings.
becoming heir designate. This decision had the support of the majority of Scots nobles and magnates, even a number of those appointed by Bruce as auditors. Of special note was the support of John II Comyn, another competitor and head of the most powerful baronial family in Scotland, who was married to Balliol's sister, Eleanor. In later years the Comyn family would remain staunch supports of the Balliol claim to the throne.
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
in 1286 without a male heir, the throne of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
had become the possession of the three-year old Margaret, Maid of Norway, the granddaughter of the King. In 1290 the Guardians of Scotland, who had been appointed to govern the realm during the young Queen's minority, drew up the Treaty of Birgham
Treaty of Birgham
The Treaty of Birgham, also referred to as the Treaty of Salisbury, comprised two treaties intended to secure the independence of Scotland after Alexander III died without issue in 1286....
, a marriage contract between Margaret and the then five-year old Edward of Caernarvon
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, the heir to the English throne. The treaty, amongst other points, contained the provision that although any offspring of this marriage would be heir to the crowns of both England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the latter kingdom should be "separate, apart and free in itself without subjection to the English Kingdom". The intent, clearly, was to keep Scotland as an independent entity.
In early October the young Queen died in Orkney on her way to Scotland, leaving Scotland without an undisputed successor to the throne. The Guardians called upon Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
to decide between various competitors for the Scottish throne in a process known as the Great Cause. One of the strongest claimants, John Balliol, lord of Galloway
John of Scotland
John Balliol , known to the Scots as Toom Tabard , was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296.-Early life:Little of John's early life is known. He was born between 1248 and 1250 at an unknown location, possibilities include Galloway, Picardy and Barnard Castle, County Durham...
, forged an alliance with Antony Bek
Antony Bek
Antony Bek was a medieval Prince Bishop of Durham.-Early life:Bek and his elder brother Thomas Bek were members of a family of knights. Their father was Walter Bek, who held lands at Ersby in Lincolnshire. Another brother was John Beke, who held the family lands in Ersby...
, the representative of Edward I in Scotland and began styling himself 'heir of Scotland', while another, Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale
Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale
Robert V de Brus , 5th Lord of Annandale , was a feudal lord, Justice and Constable of Scotland and England, a Regent of Scotland, and a leading competitor for the Scottish throne in 1290/92 in the Great Cause...
, turned up to the site of Queen Margaret's supposed inauguration with a force of soldiers amidst rumours that his friends the Earl of Mar and the Earl of Atholl
David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl
David I Strathbogie was the first of the Strathbogie Earls of Atholl.David was the son of John de Strathbogie and Ada, suo jure Countess of Atholl....
were also raising their forces. Scotland looked to be headed for civil war.
Edward I steps in
To avoid the catastrophe of open warfare between the Bruce and Balliol, the Guardians and other Scots magnates asked Edward I to intervene. Edward seized the occasion as an opportunity to gain something he had long desired — legal recognition that the realm of Scotland was held as a feudal dependency to the throne of England. The English kings had a long history of presuming an overlordship of Scotland, harking back to the late 12th century when Scotland had actually been a vassal state of England for 15 years from 1174 (Treaty of FalaiseTreaty of Falaise
The Treaty of Falaise was an agreement made in December 1174 between the captive William I, King of Scots, and the English King Henry II.Having been captured at the Battle of Alnwick during an invasion of Northumbria, William was being held in Falaise in Normandy while Henry sent an army north and...
) until the Quitclaim of Canterbury (1189), but the legality of the 13th century claim was questionable. Alexander III, giving homage to Edward, had chosen his words very carefully: 'I become you man for the lands I hold of you in the Kingdom of England for which I owe homage, saving my Kingdom (author's italics).
In line with this desire, Edward demanded in May 1291 that his claim of feudal overlordship of Scotland be recognised before he would step in and act as arbiter. Indeed he went so far as to demand that the Scots produce evidence to show that he was not the lawful overlord rather than presenting them with evidence that he was. The Scots' reply came that without a king there was no one in the realm responsible enough to possibly make such an admission, and so any assurances given by the Scots were worthless. Although technically and legally correct by the standards of the time, this reply infuriated Edward enough that he refused to have it entered on the official record of the proceedings.
The Guardians and the claimants still needed Edward's help, and he did manage to pressure them into accepting a number of lesser though still important terms. The majority of the competitors and the Guardians did eventually step forward to acknowledge Edward as their rightful overlord, even though they could not be taken as speaking for the realm as a whole. They also agreed to put Edward in temporary control of the principal royal castles of Scotland despite the castles in question not being theirs to give away. For his part, Edward agreed that he would return control of both kingdom and castles to the successful claimant within two months. In the ongoing negotiations between the two countries, the Scots continued to use the Treaty of Birgham as a reference point, indicating that they still wished to see Scotland retain an independent identity from England.
Having got these concessions, Edward arranged for a court to be set up to decide which of the claimants should inherit the throne. It consisted of 104 auditors plus Edward himself as president. Edward chose 24 of the auditors while the two claimants with the strongest cases — Bruce and Balliol — were allowed to appoint forty each.
The competitors
There were fourteen nobles who put themselves forward as candidates for the throne, as follows:- Edward I of EnglandEdward I of EnglandEdward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. Edward's claim to the throne was based on his descent from Malcolm IIIMalcolm III of ScotlandMáel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
's daughter Edith, the wife of Henry I of EnglandHenry I of EnglandHenry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, whose daughter Adelaide (aka Matilda) had been the mother of Edward's great-grandfather, Henry II of EnglandHenry II of EnglandHenry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. Edward was also brother-in-law of Alexander IIIAlexander III of ScotlandAlexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, who had married Edward's sister Margaret of EnglandMargaret of EnglandMargaret of England was a medieval English princess who became Queen of Scots. A daughter of the Plantagenet king Henry III of England and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, she was Queen consort to Alexander III "the Glorious", King of the Scots.- Family :She was the second child of Henry III of...
. Edward, however, was well aware that his claim was not strong, and lodged it only as a formality and to affirm his position as president of the court. - Floris V, Count of HollandFloris V, Count of HollandCount Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
, son of William II, Count of Holland, son of Floris IV, Count of HollandFloris IV, Count of HollandFloris IV , Count of Holland from 1222 to 1234. He was a son of William I of Holland and Adelaide of Geldern....
, son of William I, Count of HollandWilliam I, Count of HollandWilliam I , Count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.-Life:...
, son of Floris III, Count of HollandFloris III, Count of HollandFloris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
by his wife Ada, daughter of Henry, Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, son of King David IDavid I of ScotlandDavid I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. He claimed that Earl David of Huntingdon had renounced his hereditary rights to throne of Scotland. - Patrick Dunbar, 7th Earl of DunbarPatrick Dunbar, 7th Earl of DunbarPatrick III, 7th Earl of Dunbar was lord of the feudal barony of Dunbar and its castle, which dominated East Lothian, and the most important military personage in the Scottish Borders.-Background:...
, son of Patrick, 6th Earl of Dunbar, son of Patrick, 5th Earl of Dunbar, son of Patrick, 4th Earl of Dunbar by his wife Ada, natural daughter of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
. His other claim was as the agnate of the House of Dunkeld, being (a) the closest agnate, and (b) a candidate based on tanistryTanistryTanistry was a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist was the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland, Scotland and Man, to succeed to the chieftainship or to the kingship.-Origins:The Tanist was chosen from...
of agnates of the house where Alexander III belonged to. He descended, in an allegedly legitimate unbroken male line, from a younger brother of King Duncan I of ScotlandDuncan I of ScotlandDonnchad mac Crínáin was king of Scotland from 1034 to 1040...
(who allegedly also was a younger son of BethócBethócBethóc ingen Maíl Coluim meic Cináeda was the eldest daughter of King Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots, who had no known sons.The strongest hereditary claim of succession to the Scottish throne therefore passed through Bethóc. Princess Bethóc married Crínán, Abbot of Dunkeld. The first son of...
, the male line being that of Lords of Dunbar, originally Earls of Northumbria, later Earls of Dunbar (see Earl of MarchEarl of MarchThe title The Earl of March has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of England. The title derived from the "marches" or boundaries between England and either Wales or Scotland , and was held by several great feudal families which owned lands in those border...
). His son became recognized as the Earl of Scottish March. Also, an additional claim in his favour was that made by his wife, Marjory, daughter of Alexander Comyn, Earl of BuchanAlexander Comyn, Earl of BuchanAlexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan was a Scoto-Norman magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century Kingdom of Scotland. He was the son of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, and Marjory, Countess of Buchan, the heiress of the last native Scottish Mormaer of Buchan,...
, allegedly descended from King Donald III. - William de Vesci, Baron de Vesci, son of William de Vesci, son of Eustace de VesciEustace de VesciEustace de Vesci was an English lord of Alnwick Castle, and a Magna Carta surety.-Early life:His parents were William de Vesci and Burga de Stuteville, daughter of Robert III de Stuteville. He paid his relief on coming of age in 2 Richard I . He was with the king Richard I of England in Palestine...
by his wife Margaret, natural daughter of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
. - William de Ros, 2nd Baron de RosWilliam de Ros, 2nd Baron de RosWilliam de Ros, 2nd Baron de Ros of Helmsley was a claimant to the crown of Scotland. He was the son of Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros....
, son of Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de RosRobert de Ros, 1st Baron de RosRobert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros of Helmsley, was an English nobleman.He was grandson to Sir Robert de Ros and Isabel, an illegitimate daughter of William I of Scotland by Isabel Avenal. He was son to Sir William de Ros Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros of Helmsley, (c. 1213 – 13 May 1285) was...
, son of William de Ros, of Hamlake, son of Robert de Ros by his wife Isabella, natural daughter of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
. - Robert de Pinkeney, son of Henry de Pinkeney by his wife Alicia, daughter of John Lindesay by his wife Marjorie, an alleged natural daughter of Henry, Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, son of King David IDavid I of ScotlandDavid I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. - Nicholas de Soules, son of William II de Soules by his wife Ermengarde, daughter of Alan DurwardAlan DurwardAlan Hostarius was the son of Thomas de Lundin, a grandson of Gille Críst, Mormaer of Mar. His mother's name is unknown, but she was almost certainly a daughter of Máel Coluim, Mormaer of Atholl, meaning that Alan was the product of two Gaelic comital families.Alan was one of the most important...
by his wife Marjorie, natural daughter of King Alexander IIAlexander II of ScotlandAlexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
. - Patrick Galithly, son of Henry Galithly, natural son of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
. - Roger de Mandeville, son of ... de Mandeville by his wife Agatha, daughter of Robert Wardone by his wife Aufrica, daughter of William de Say who was son of Aufrica, natural daughter of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
. - John Comyn, Lord of BadenochJohn II Comyn, Lord of BadenochJohn II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lord of Lochaber or John "the Black", also known as Black Comyn, a Scottish nobleman, was a Guardian of Scotland, and one of the six Regents for Margaret, Maid of Norway...
, son of John ComynJohn I Comyn, Lord of BadenochJohn Comyn was Lord of Badenoch in Scotland. He was justiciar of Galloway in 1258. He held lands in Nithsdale and Tynedale.-Life:...
, son of Richard Comyn, son of William ComynWilliam Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of BuchanWilliam Comyn was one of four sons of Richard Comyn, Justiciar of Lothian and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray in 1163 and died in Buchan in 1233 where he is buried in Deer Abbey...
, son of Richard ComynRichard ComynRichard Comyn was a Scottish noble, the nephew of William Comyn.Richard was probably born between 1115 and 1123. In 1144, William Comyn gave him Northallerton Castle, which he had built a few years earlier. Shortly after, he received the castle and honour of Richmond as part of his uncle's...
by his wife Hextilda, daughter of Uchtred of Tynedale by his wife Bethoc, daughter of King Donald BaneDonald III of ScotlandDomnall mac Donnchada , anglicised as Donald III, and nicknamed Domnall Bán, "Donald the Fair" , was King of Scots from 1093–1094 and 1094–1097...
. - John Hastings, 1st Baron HastingsJohn Hastings, 1st Baron HastingsJohn Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings was an English peer and soldier of the Middle Ages. Hastings was a competitor for the Scottish throne in 1290/92 in the Great Cause.- Baron :...
, son of Henry de HastingsHenry de Hastings, 1st Baron HastingsHenry de Hastings was created Baron in 1264 by Simon de Montfort. He led the Londoners at the Battle of Lewes, where he was taken prisoner, and fought at the Battle of Evesham...
, son of Ada, third daughter of David, Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland, 8th Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.-Life:He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His...
, son of Henry, Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, son of King David IDavid I of ScotlandDavid I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. - John Balliol, son of John Balliol by his wife DevorguillaDervorguilla of GallowayDervorguilla of Galloway was a 'lady of substance' during the 13th century, wife from 1223 of John, 5th Baron de Balliol, and mother of the future king John I of Scotland. The name Dervorguilla or Devorgilla was a Latinization of the Gaelic Dearbhfhorghaill...
, daughter of Alan, Lord of GallowayAlan, Lord of GallowayAlan Fitz Roland was the last of the MacFergus dynasty of quasi-independent Lords of Galloway. He was also hereditary Constable of Scotland.-Family:He was the son of Roland, or Lochlann, Lord of Galloway and Helen de Morville...
by his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of David, Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland, 8th Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.-Life:He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His...
, son of Henry, Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, son of King David IDavid I of ScotlandDavid I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. He pleaded primogeniturePrimogeniturePrimogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
in legitimate, cognatic line. - Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, son of Robert de Brus, 4th Lord of AnnandaleRobert de Brus, 4th Lord of AnnandaleRobert IV de Brus, the Noble was a 13th century 4th Lord of Annandale.He was the son of William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale and Christina or Beatrice de Teyden.Robert IV married ca...
by his wife IsabellaIsobel of HuntingdonIsobel of Huntingdon was the daughter of David of Scotland, 8th Earl of Huntingdon and Matilda of Chester. She married Robert Bruce, 4th Lord of Annandale and through her came the claims firstly of her son in 1290 and later in the beginning of 14th century of her great-grandson Robert Bruce, 7th...
, second daughter of David, Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland, 8th Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.-Life:He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His...
, son of Henry, Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, son of King David IDavid I of ScotlandDavid I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. This Robert Bruce was Regent of Scotland sometime during minority of King and was occasionally recognized as a Tanist of the Scottish Throne. In the succession dispute, he pleaded tanistryTanistryTanistry was a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist was the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland, Scotland and Man, to succeed to the chieftainship or to the kingship.-Origins:The Tanist was chosen from...
and proximity in degree of kinship to the deceased King. - Eric II, King of Norway, father of Queen Margaret I and son-in-law of King Alexander IIIAlexander III of ScotlandAlexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
.
The arguments
In reality only four of these men had genuine claims to the throne: John de Hastings, Balliol, Bruce and Floris V. Of these only Bruce and Balliol had realistic grounds on which to claim the crown. The rest merely wished to have their claims put on the legal record.John Hastings, an Englishman with extensive estates in Scotland, could not succeed to the throne by any of the normal rules governing feudal legacy and instead had his lawyers argue that Scotland was not a true kingdom at all, based, amongst other things, on the fact that Scots kings were traditionally neither crowned nor anointed
Anointed
Anointed is a Contemporary Christian music group from Columbus, Ohio, known for their strong vocals and harmonies, featuring siblings Steve Crawford and Da'dra Crawford Greathouse, along with former members Nee-C Walls and Mary Tiller . Their musical style includes elements of R&B, Pop, Rock,...
. As such, by the normal rules of feudal law the kingdom should be split amongst the direct descendants of the co-heiresses of David I
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
. Unsurprisingly, a court made up of Scots nobles rejected these arguments out of hand.
John Balliol had the simplest,and thus, by some measure, the strongest claim of the four. By the tradition of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, he was the rightful claimant, and that tradition had been followed in choosing heirs to the Scottish throne since King Edgar
Edgar of Scotland
Edgar or Étgar mac Maíl Choluim , nicknamed Probus, "the Valiant" , was king of Alba from 1097 to 1107...
in 1097. Indeed the other Scottish claimants (including Bruce) had already tacitly acknowledged the tradition of primogeniture in allowing Margaret of Norway to claim the throne. Balliol also argued that the Kingdom of Scotland was, as royal estate, indivisible as an entity. This was necessary to prevent the kingdom being split equally amongst the heirs as Hastings was suggesting should be done.
Robert Bruce was the next in line to the throne according to proximity of blood
Proximity of blood
Proximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
. As such, his arguments centered on this being a more suitable way to govern the succession than primogeniture. His lawyers suggested that this was the case in most successions and as such had become something of a 'natural law'. Unfortunately for Bruce, the Scots' tradition for the preceding 200 years had been demonstrably different, relying on primogeniture instead. They also put before the court the suggestion that Alexander II had designated Bruce as heir when he himself was still childless. Whatever the truth of this, the fact remained that Alexander did eventually produce a male heir and that in the same period John Balliol also produced sons, all of whom would have a stronger claim than Bruce. Bruce also began by arguing alongside Balliol that the kingdom was indivisible, but when it became apparent that his own claim was going to fail he instead performed a rapid U-turn and joined Hastings in arguing that it be split amongst the three senior claimants, a fact for which he has been excoriated by many modern historians.
Floris V's argument was that Earl David had resigned the right of himself and his heirs. Although Floris was not a direct descendent of David I, he claimed that David had given up his right to the throne to his brother William
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
in exchange for a grant of land in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
. If true, this would make Floris the rightful King of Scotland. Floris claimed that although he did not possess copies of the documents detailing, the handover of power one must exist somewhere in Scotland, and Edward postponed the court for a full ten months while a search was made through various castle treasuries. No copy was found at the time, but copies later surfaced at Pluscarden. One of the early "certified copies", dating the certification seals of the bishop of Moray and the prior of Pluscarden to 1291, is currently located in the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. This document is thought to be a forgery.
Floris's case was rejected for lack of evidence. However, there is evidence that he entered into an agreement with Bruce in which if one of them was to successfully claim the throne, he would grant the other one third of the kingdom as a feudal fief. Other clauses in the agreement strongly suggest that of the two, only Bruce could really expect to be a successful claimant. This has been interpreted to mean that Floris and Bruce were in collusion, with Bruce hoping that taken together their arguments could defeat Balliol, with Bruces's claim then being upheld in favour of Floris'. It is striking that there is no record of Bruce and Floris being at loggerheads during the proceedings.
Election
Edward I gave judgment on the Scottish case on November 17, 1292 in favour of John Balliol, with his son EdwardEdward Balliol
Edward Balliol was a claimant to the Scottish throne . With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.-Life:...
becoming heir designate. This decision had the support of the majority of Scots nobles and magnates, even a number of those appointed by Bruce as auditors. Of special note was the support of John II Comyn, another competitor and head of the most powerful baronial family in Scotland, who was married to Balliol's sister, Eleanor. In later years the Comyn family would remain staunch supports of the Balliol claim to the throne.