[MR] Wikipedia: Auld Alliance

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots,

On this day in 1295, a treaty popularly known as the "Auld Alliance" 
('auld' means 'old' in Scots English) was first signed between Scotland 
and France. The alliance was a mutual defense pact against England, and 
was renewed regularly until the James VI of Scotland also became James I 
of England in 1603: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Alliance .

The first Auld Alliance was between the Scottish King John Balliol and 
Philip IV of France. Balliol had been put on the Scottish throne in 1292 
by Edward I of England to settle the crisis caused by the Scottish royal 
line went extinct. Edward regarded Balliol as his vassal, and was not at 
all amused that the new Scottish king would make common cause with the 
French, England's greatest enemy. In retaliation, Edward invaded 
Scotland, setting off the Scottish Wars of Independence. In 1296 a 
humiliated Balliol was stripped of his title and regalia by Edward I and 
was packed off to what was essentially house arrest in the 
English-controlled part of France. When Edward sacked Balliol, the 
ex-Scottish king was given the unflattering title of "Toom Tabard", 
meaning "empty coat": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Balliol .

Whether the Auld Alliance was a blessing or a curse for Scotland is 
something that can be debated ad nauseum. It kept Scotland and England 
at each other's throats for the next 300 years. They probably would have 
been locked in a fatal sibling rivalry anyway, given that powerful kings 
hate having small independent states on their borders, and the Scot's 
natural tendency to enjoy knocking English heads together. France's 
support for Scotland was generally tepid, and rarely were the Scots 
given much more than verbal support and a few military advisors against 
England. The Scots died in great numbers in diversionary wars against 
England, Flodden in 1513 being the worst example, and also spilled their 
blood all over France during the Hundred Years War. In the 1500s, 
intermarriage between the Scottish Stewarts royals and the French rulers 
almost cost Scotland their freedom as the French attempted to assert 
their own control. OTOH, the ability to make international alliances, 
and to have the diplomatic support of France, did give Scotland 
recognition throughout Europe as an independent nation, for what it was 
worth.

It is a curious twist of history, but James VI eventually won all the 
marbles for Scotland (so to speak) in this high-stakes rivalry when he 
became James I of England. Being king of both countries may have ended 
the Auld Alliance, but it certainly didn't calm the Scottish/English 
rivalry, which continues to play itself out today in more peaceful ways 
(if Rugby matches, Brexit and independence referendums can be considered 
truly peaceful).

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Proud Scot