[MR] Wikipedia: Death of Alexander III, King of Scots

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots:

March 19, 1286, is one of the blackest days in Scottish history, sad for
the death of King Alexander III, but also sad for the beginning of the
Edward I's conquest of the country.

Alexander (1241-1286, ruled from 1249) was a powerful king, and Edward
might have been hesitant to attempt direct conquest of Scotland. He was
still licking his wounds from the long and costly take-over of Wales. But
Alexander made a lustful and fatal mistake that gave Edward his chance to
rule Scotland through a "back door".

Alexander and his Queen Margaret had three children before her death in
1275. Their two sons died young. Their daughter, also Margaret, married to
Eric II of Norway. She died in 1283 after delivering a healthy daughter,
Margaret the Maid of Norway. Alexander had his nobles agree that the infant
grandaughter would be his heir if he failed to produce a son by his next
Queen, Yolanda de Dreux. On 18 March 1286 he left Edinburgh Castle after
dark for Fife to cuddle up to his new Queen. During the dark ride the King
was separated from his escort, and did not arrive at Fife. The next day he
was found at the bottom of an embankment with a broken neck.

The Scottish nobles sent to Norway to retrieve the young Margaret in 1290.
During the return voyage she died of possible food poisoning at just seven
years old. Her death led to chaos in Scotland during a period known as the
"Great Cause", when 13 powerful and not-so-powerful lords disputed the
succession. The Scots agreed to have Edward I and a council of nobles
choose the next ruler. Edward had already badgered the council to agree
that he would be Lord Paramount of Scotland, its feudal overlord, and chose
John Balliol as the next King.

Edward considered Balliol his puppet, and undermined him constantly. The
Scots nobles were not pleased with the way their king was being treated,
and chose 12 Guardians to rule Scotland. The Guardians negotiated a mutual
defense pact with France, the "Auld Alliance", to which John acceded.
Edward considered this high treason, and summoned the Scottish King to
Berwick in 1296. Edward personally stripped away his regalia (earning
Balliol the unofficial title of "Toom Tabard", or "empty coat", though this
might already have been in use to describe his lack of power). Edward had
Balliol arrested, and assumed the throne of Scotland for himself, thus
setting off the Scottish Wars of Independence.

If that isn't enough, you can read about Alexander at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_III_of_Scotland .

Margaret, Maid of Norway, is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret,_Maid_of_Norway .

The unfortunate John Balloil's story is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Balliol .

Whew! That's a lot to digest, but since many of us are under self-imposed
"house arrest" ourselves right now out of fear of the virus, it should give
you an hour or so of historical entertainment.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆