1. Balliol’s support

2. Balliol’s support
24/9/18
AIM – Learn how war broke out between Scotland and England.
SUCCESS CRITERIA –
Be able to describe the steps which led to Balliol sharing power in Scotland.
Be able to explain why war broke out between England and Scotland in March 1296.
Be able to make an assessment of which factor was most important in causing the outbreak of war, along with the extent to which Balliol played an active part in it.
TASKS
1. Copy today’s aim and heading into your jotter.
2. Recap the obstacles to Balliol’s rule, along with his many humiliations.
3. Go over our homework questions which were due today.
4. Go through today’s PPt (following this slide), taking notes of information given in bold.
5. Write your answer to today’s ‘big two’ questions’.
HOMEWORK
‘How fully’ question on the succession crisis to be handed in today by everyone.
Friday’s questions to be discussed and your work handed in.

3. Courtroom dramas: Questions & Recap
Friday’s questions were to be completed for homework if not finished in class. Let’s go over our answers together:
Why should we be suspicious about the Bartholomew case?
Why did John defy Edward in the MacDuff case?
Throughout this section of the course, Edward repeatedly set out to humiliate John. Why do you think he was doing this?
Why did John continually ‘give in’ to Edward’s demands?
What does this tell us about the relationship between Edward and John by the end of 1293?
Which obstacles do you remember to Balliol’s rule?

4. The 12 Guardians
Balliol’s humiliation at Edward’s court in 1293 appeared to set in motion a power shift in the government of Scotland.
Between June 1294 and July 1295, John was effectively side-lined by his own nobility. 12 Guardians were appointed to ‘help’ Balliol in this time of crisis.
Most of these new guardians were from the Comyn side of his family. Few – if any – were loyal to the Bruce faction. They were made up of 4 bishops, 4 earls and 4 barons.
The 12 Guardians: Great job, sire! Why don’t you go and put your feet up and we’ll take it from here..?

5. Historical debate: did the nobles sideline King John?
Traditional view:
Traditionally, it was assumed the 12 Guardians effectively took the leadership of Scotland away from King John.
…’their mistrust of Balliol had pushed them to point of a sober constitutional reform.. The government was taken out of Balliol’s hands’. (GWS Barrow)

6. Historical debate: did the nobles sideline King John?
Revisionist (modern) view:
Historians now think there is another possibility. Scottish nobles had a long history of support and loyalty to their monarch. It is possible that at the Parliament of 1294, the nobles, clergy and Balliol agreed to do everything possible to resist Edward’s demands.
As a show of support, the Guardians offered support to the king, putting their own necks on the line along with his.
The surviving evidence of this period in Scottish history is limited so it is open to reasoned historical interpretation as to what could have happened.

7. Edward goes too far
In 1294, Edward and King Philip IV of France clashed over who had the right to hold Gascony and Aquitaine.
Philip IV was trying to assert his power over France and had decided to confiscate Aquitaine from Edward.
Edward was determined to go to war with France to win back his lands. He ordered all of his vassal lords – including King John – to provide soldiers for his army.
Empire building: Edward Plantagenet claimed Aquitaine and Gascony by birthright from his mother.

8. It would all but seal Scotland’s status as a client kingdom.
King John was ordered to assemble an army and bring with him 10 Scottish earls and 16 barons along with their retinues to support Edward’s invasion.
He was expected to meet Edward’s forces in Portsmouth by September 1294.
This was a significant example of the new political landscape: No Scottish king had ever served under English banners in war in such an obvious way.
It would all but seal Scotland’s status as a client kingdom.
There must be some mistake: we’re supposed to fight for the English?

9. The Auld Alliance
Edward’s war with France injected a new and dangerous element into Anglo-Scottish relations. Not only did it provoke Edward into making unprecedented demands of the Scots, it also gave the Scots a potential ally against the English
The 12 Guardians are credited with sending envoys to the French court in July 1295 asking for an alliance of mutual protection against King Edward.
The alliance was ratified in February 1296 in Dunfermline by King John, the Comyn faction of nobles and several bishops.
Bruce and his faction did not sign the treaty.
Balliol: co-architect of the ‘auld alliance’, or powerless puppet?

10. MacDuff rumbles on
As ordered, Balliol had returned to Edward’s court in June 1294 to hear the judgement on the MacDuff case.
His humiliation was to be extended: MacDuff’s case was not considered and was postponed to the next parliament in 1295…
Balliol refused to come back in He also refused to hand over the three Scottish towns and castles demanded by Edward as a security.
By this point the 12 Guardians were ‘assisting’ Balliol’s rule.
MacDuff: My lands! Mine, mine mine! *veins throb in forehead *

11. In retaliation, Edward ordered the seizure of all lands belonging to the Scottish king and his subjects who remained in Scotland.
Significantly at this time, the Bruce family would retain their lands in England…
Unwilling to accept such disobedience by his vassal, Edward prepared his army to deal with John by force.
Edward issued a final summons for John to come to his court at Newcastle in March John ignored it and gathered his army.
English baron: fresh outta Wales…

12. Why didn’t Edward act sooner?
The outbreak of war in March 1296 can be seen as either the outcome of the legal disputes between John and Edward or as Edward’s reaction to the Scots allying with France against him.
Both of these causes were an issue by mid 1295 – 9 months before Edward attacked Scotland.
A major Welsh rebellion in autumn 1294 by Madog Llewelyn required Edward to divert his focus and his military resources into Wales until late 1295.
Caernarfon castle: fell into sneaky Welsh hands for several months.

13. Today’s ‘Big two’ Questions
Take note of the questions in your jotter and write an answer drawing upon the notes you have taken today. Give reasons to support each answer:
Was war with Edward the final stage of a legal argument between the Scottish courts and Edward, or was it Edward responding to a hostile military and strategic threat?
To what extent can Balliol be given the credit for making this stand against Edward?
Dressed to kill: everybody knew Edward meant business when he put his war clothes on.