[MR] Wikipedia: The Auld Alliance, Scotland & France

[Garth Groff]

Noble Friends,

This day in 1295, the Scots signed a major treaty with the French 
without consent of their King John Balloil. Called the Auld Alliance, 
the treaty called for mutual defense should the English attack either 
Scotland or France. This got the very weak Balloil in a lot of trouble 
with the English King Edward I, who had put Balloil on the Scottish 
throne and considered him to be a vassal (he was also Edward's 
brother-in-law). Edward immediately invaded Scotland, kicking off the 
Scottish Wars of Independence. In 1296 Balloil abdicated, was publicly 
stripped of his regalia by Edward, and eventually exiled to his estates 
in France.

The Auld Alliance continued to be a torn in the sides of all three 
countries. The Scots frequently raided into England in support of the 
French, usually dying in large numbers before superior English armies. 
During the Hundred Years War, the Scots sent many troops to the French 
after their main battle army was destroyed at Agincourt in 1415. Few 
returned alive. Scottish King James IV invaded England again at the 
behest of the French in 1513, and he and Scotland's best knights were 
wiped out  at the Battle of Flodden.

The French occasionally sent small groups of soldiers to Scotland. The 
French often took whatever they wanted from the impoverished Scots, and 
were soundly hated. At Flodden, the angry Scottish survivors massacred 
their French advisors.

Here is a brief piece on the Auld Alliance: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Alliance

You can read about John Balliol here: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Balliol .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Who Has Nothing Against the French