Daniels, Peter William (2013) The second Scottish War of Independence, 1332-41: a national war? MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/4640 Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] THE SECOND SCOTTISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, 1332-41: A NATIONAL WAR? by Peter William Daniels, OBE, MA Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy School of Humanities University of Glasgow March 2013 2 Abstract The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether the second war of independence from 1332-41 was a ‘national’ war or simply a series of regional conflicts. Three separate but overlapping influences are examined: national identity, the extent to which the different regions of Scotland were drawn in, and the landed interests involved in each region. These three issues are considered for the first time using a prosophographical approach, examining the background and actions of the key players in the conflict, the higher nobility of Scotland. The thesis examines, first of all, the role of the higher nobility of Scotland in the 1330s. It then looks at each of the recognisable regions of the country in turn, considering who the key members of the higher nobility were in each region, what their interests were and to what extent they were involved in the region. Finally it looks at the motivations of these individuals, primarily from the perspective of national identity, or perhaps more accurately, regnal solidarity. Its conclusion is that the second war of independence was indeed a national war, centred as it was on the interests of the kingdom as a national entity but that other factors – the legitimacy of the Bruce and Balliol claims, the influence of family allegiances through marriage, the personal safety of the members of the higher nobility, the threat of forfeiture and their personal ambitions - were also at work. 3 Table of Contents Title page 1 Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Acknowledgements 4 Author’s Declaration 4 Abbreviations 5 Part 1: A National War? Chapter 1: Introduction 7 Chapter 2: The Political Establishment of Scotland in the 1330s 10 Chapter 3: War and Landed Interests in the Regions 23 Chapter 4: National Identity and Other Factors 41 Chapter 5: Conclusions 56 Part 2: The Prosopography 64 Bibliography 130 4 Acknowledgements I wish to thank my supervisor, Professor Dauvit Broun, for his indispensable support and guidance in the production of this thesis. His constant encouragement and tolerance ensured that it saw the light of day. I also wish to thank my wife, Anne, for her support and patience over the years and who still cannot quite believe that the work has been completed. Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis, including any final revisions as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. 5 ABBREVIATIONS APS The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, 11 vols, eds. Thomson and C. Innes (Edinburgh, 1814-75). CCR Calendar of Close Rolls CDS Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland in the Public Record Office, ed. J. Bain and others (Edinburgh, 1881-1986). Chron. Avesbury Robert of Avesbury, Adae Murimuth Continuatio chronicarum Robertus de Avesbury De Gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi Tertii, ed. E.M. Thompson (London, 1889) Chron. Bower Scotichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English, 9 vols, general ed. D.E.R. Watt (Aberdeen/Edinburgh, 1987-98). Chron. Fordun Johannis de Fordun, Chronica Gentis Scottorum, ed. W.F. Skene, 2 vols (Edinburgh, 1871-72). Chron. Lanercost The Chronicle of Lanercost: 1272-1346, translated with notes by Herbert Maxwell (Glasgow, 1913). Chron. Wyntoun The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun, edited with introduction, notes and glossary by F.J. Amours (Edinburgh, 1903- 14). ER, i The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland: Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum, vol. 1, 1264-1359, ed. J. Stuart and G. Burnett (Edinburgh, 1878) HBC Handbook of British Chronology. IR The Innes Review Reg. Moray Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensisc: e pluribus codicibus consarcinatum circa A.D. MCCCC., cum continuatione diplomatum recentiorum usque ad A.D. MDCXXIII - Register of the Bishopric of Moray : assembled circa A.D.1400 from many manuscript documents, with a continuation of more recent charters to A.D.1623, ed. C. Innes (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 1837). Reg. Morton, ii Registrum Honoris de Morton: A Series of Ancient Charters of the Earldom of Morton with other Original Papers in Two Volumes, vol. 2 (1141-1580) (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 1853). RMS Registrum Magni Sigilli Regnum Scottorum, ed. J.M. Thomson and others (Edinburgh, 1882-1914). 6 Rot.Scot. Rotuli Scotiae in Turri londinensi et in domo Capitulari westmonasteriensi asservati : printed by command of His Majesty King George III. in pursuance of an address of the House of Commons of Great Britain (London, 1814-19). RPS Records of the Parliament of Scotland to 1707, (St Andrews, c.2007-08) [http://www.rps.ac.uk]. Scalacronica Scalacronica 1272-1363 / Sir Thomas Gray; edited and translated and with an introduction by Andy King (Woodbridge, 2005). SHR Scottish Historical Review TDGNHAS Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society TRHS Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 7 PART 1 CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION The 1330s was a turbulent time for Scotland. A prolonged period of both civil war and war with England from 1296 to 1327 had ended with the apparent defeat of the enemies of Robert I and the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton of 1328, under which the two realms ostensibly made peace. A year later Robert I had died and by 1332 Scotland was once more at war. This renewed conflict has been generally labelled the ‘Second Scottish War of Independence’. While there is no doubt that the second war began in 1332 there is more uncertainty as to when it ended. Unlike the first war, there was no peace treaty between Scotland and England bringing the armed conflict to an end. Scotland’s higher nobility and military leaders largely succeeded in ridding the country of both the supporters of Edward Balliol and English administration by the time David II returned from exile to Scotland in 1341. However, warfare continued in the form of minor skirmishes throughout the 1340s, culminating in the major Scottish reverse at Neville’s Cross in 1346. Neville’s Cross was followed by a small-scale invasion of Scotland by Balliol but by 1354, if not before, the country, with the exceptions of Roxburgh and Berwick, had once again been cleared of Balliol forces and English control. With the surrender by Balliol of his claim to the kingdom in 1356 and the ransom of David II the following year after eleven years in English custody, the independence of Scotland was finally assured. It can be argued therefore that there was no definitive end date for the second war of independence; that it simply petered out. The 25 years from 1332 to 1357, however, can be divided into distinct phases according to the degree to which armed warfare predominated. Between 1332 and 1341 the intensity of the conflict was far greater than during any other phase. During this period, there were three major battles;1 there were two major and other smaller invasions by Balliol/Plantagenet armies; the conflict between the Bruce and Balliol parties and between the Bruce Scots and the English king Edward III was at its height; David II returned to Scotland after seven years of exile in France, symbolically marking a 1 Dupplin Moor in 1332; Halidon Hill in 1333; and Culblean in 1335. 8 turning, if not an end point; and the English presence in Scotland was virtually ended, with only Roxburgh and Berwick remaining in Edward III’s hands. This thesis examines the second war of independence from 1332 to 1341. It does so for the first time from the perspective of the major participants. The supporters of the Bruce and Balliol parties and of Edward III were pivotal to the successes and failures of their respective causes. Given the alleged frequent shifting of alliance that went on during this period, it seems important to consider whether the participants acted purely out of self interest or whether there were deeper loyalties to ‘the cause’ or to the concept of national identity as it was then understood. The difficulty is that, because of the scarcity of primary sources from 1329 to 1341 little is known in detail about these participants compared with the depth of knowledge we have of the major, heroic figures of the first war of independence. This study brings together for the first time what is known about all the major participants in the second war. For the most part they are the higher nobility of Scotland – earls, provincial lords and major barons – but the prosopography also includes ‘Scoti Anglicati’, those Scots owing allegiance to Edward III, and those major English barons who owned land and property in Scotland or who laid claims to such possessions. By examining the background and actions of these individuals as far as they can be ascertained and by considering their motivations, the study examines whether the second war was a national war or simply a series of regional conflicts.