Research Paper On The Scottish Wars Of Independence

The Scottish Wars of Independence The Scottish Wars of Independence were significant events that occurred from 1296, after the death of King Alexander III, until 1328, the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton; these wars shaped the actions of sovereign nations for centuries. Often overlooked, the Scottish Wars created a sense of “patriotism and national pride” (“Historians’ views” 1), sparking the same sense of pride for other revolutions such as the American and French revolutions. After the death of Alexander III, the English king Edward I used this chance to gain dominion over Scotland, and “he saw himself instead as any Scottish king’s feudal overlord who could dispose of Scotland as a fief” (“Scottish War” 2), creating the roots for a rebellion.

In 1291, Edward I chose Balliol to be crowned king of Scotland, and that he would be compliant on his conditions. Edward I asked for Balliol’s assistance in starting a war against France, which backfired as “the Scots took up arms instead against Edward” (“Scottish War” 2), officially marking the beginning of the Scottish Wars of Independence. Historians never clearly saw a reason for the betrayal of the Scots against the English, but assume that they “believed in their kingdom’s rights enough that they banded together, to defend what they referred to as their ancient rights and responsibilities” (“Historians’ views” 1), caused by a sense of patriotism shared among all