Who are the

Scots?

The past is a different

country. . .

In the past, SCOTLAND

is a different country

So who are the Scots?What is Scotland?

Or: How to make your students realize that this is complicated

The book

• Broun, D., Finlay, R.J., Lynch, M. (eds), Image and Identity: the making and re-making of Scotland through the ages,John Donald 1998

• ISBN 0 85976 409 5

• Scoti / Picti / fir nAlaban cluster• 'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster• David I cluster • Administration cluster• Kingship / Allegiance cluster• Edward I cluster• William Wallace and Communitas Regni

cluster• Origins cluster

Seminar groups / exercises

Scoti / Picti / fir nAlaban cluster

• General early nomenclature: Scoti = Gaels/Irish

• Bede > Scoti (Gaels) in Dal Riata (C7th)

• Picti > non-Gael inhabitants of Alba?

• Is Alba Pictland? Is it Scotia?• Gaelic sources: Goideli

(Gaels) living in Alba = fir Alban (C10) - meaning?

• Placenames:– Beinn an Albannaich in Argyll

> what is the 'Albannach' here?

– Stob Coir' an Albanaich > ditto.

'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster

• Holyrood chronicle (1150-1189)– Scotia includes

territory south of Forth - Edinburgh is clearly mentioned

– Unclear about Moray

?

• Holyrood chronicle (1150-1189)•Fordun re 1214

– William I campaign: returned from Moray to Scotia

?

?

?

'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster

• Holyrood chronicle (1150-1189)

• Fordun re 1214• De Situ Albanie

(1202-1214): Scotia=– 1) mainland north of

Forth/Clyde without Caithness ?

– 2) mainland north of Forth, minus Argyll & Lennox

'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster

?

• Holyrood chronicle (1150-1189)• Fordun re 1214• De Situ Albanie (1202-1214)• Melrose Chronicle (1216)

– Scotia: south of Moray, but includes Galloway & Merse

'Where on earth is Scotia' cluster

• Holyrood chronicle (1150-1189)– Includes south of Forth

• Fordun re 1214 – William I returned from Moray to

Scotia

• De Situ Albanie (1202-1214): Scotia = – 1) mainland north of Forth/Clyde

(minus Caithness)– 2) That, minus Argyll & Lennox

• Melrose Chronicle (1216)– Scotia: south of Moray, but

includes Galloway & Merse

?

??

?

'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster

?

David I cluster

• Who does he talk to in his charters?– 'men of Moray and

Scotia'– addressing

French, English, Scots, Galwegians, Flemings, Welsh of his kingdom

– the king's 'probi homines'

• Consider why they are called this; why they are 'his' men, >> questions of allegiance

Administration cluster

• 843 Cinaed mac Alpin• Edinburgh added c. 960• Strathclyde post 1018• Treaties:

– York 1237 (southern border)

– Perth 1266 (Western Isles, Man)

• Other administrative expansion:– Galloway 1235– Creation of sherrifdoms of

Lorn, Kintyre, Skye 1293• > territory-based definition

of 'Scotland' - standard 'central administration' view.

Kingship / Allegiance cluster

• David I charter: king's 'probi homines'

• Documentation from Great Cause or reign of Margaret: Communitas Regni– Authority explicitly derived from king– King as symbol of nation

• Bruce landholding in England pre-Wars of Independence > questions of allegiance

• 1314 Statute of Cambuskenneth limiting landholding to either Scotland or England

• Examine actions with regard to John, 1297:– Removing king– Removing symbols

of kingship– Removing symbols

of royal saints

• > attack on national identity as vested in king

Edward I cluster

• Examine:– Letters & charters– diplomatic missions– Stirling Castle defense

1304

• Focus on:– King

• not democracy or peasant rising or republic

– Communitas Regni• derive authority from,

and represent, the King

William Wallace and Communitas

Regni cluster

Origins cluster• Take the following:

– 1296 verse history of Scots– 1301 Bisset processus– 1309 Declaration of the Clergy– 1317 Letter of Irish Kings in support of Edward Bruce– 1320 Declaration of Arbroath

• Compare:– Account of Scottish origins– Account of Scottish travels– Connections with Irish– Treatment of King John

• Compare with findings of Scoti / Picti / fir nAlabain cluster

Origins cluster - findings

Irish connection King John

1296 - present 1296 - mentioned

1301 - stop-over 1301 - mentioned

1309 - omitted 1309 - called illegitimate

1317 - emphasized 1317 - [not relevant]

1320 - omitted 1320 - omitted

The 1320 situation• Concepts:

– Identity not linked to particular origin - accepted Scottish origin myth rewritten

– Sole allegiance relevant (Cambuskenneth)– Legitimate royal line written out of the

record <> until 1304, fight for legitimate king had been mainstay of motivation

– Kingship of present king 'conditional', not upon legitimacy of lineage but upon proper service and effectiveness

• Division of kingdom's identity and sovereignty' from the 'legitimate dynasty'. (Watson)

• Rhetoric, but not the type available to Guardians in 1290 or even 1297.

Seminar groups / exercises

• Scoti / Picti / fir nAlaban cluster• 'Where on earth is Scotia?' cluster• David I cluster • Administration cluster• Kingship / Allegiance cluster• Edward I cluster• William Wallace and Communitas Regni

cluster• Origins cluster