Economy of Scotland in the High Middle Ages facts for kids

The economy of Scotland in the High Middle Ages covers how people lived and worked in Scotland between 1058 and 1286 AD. This time began when Malcolm III became king. His rule brought big changes, shifting Scotland's focus from Scandinavia towards England and Europe. This period ended with the death of Alexander III in 1286, which later led to the Scottish Wars of Independence. This era is known as the High Middle Ages in Europe and saw a warmer climate, which helped Scotland's farms.

Scotland's Changing Borders

Back then, Scotland wasn't exactly like it is today. King Malcolm III mostly controlled the Lowlands north of the Firth of Forth, plus Lothian and Cumbria. However, he had to promise loyalty to the King of England for these southern lands. Even though the Scottish kings claimed power over places like Moray, Galloway, and parts of the Western Isles, the local rulers often did their own thing. Also, the Earls of Orkney and Caithness sometimes paid loyalty to both the King of Scotland and the King of Norway. This shows how limited Scotland's power was in some areas.

But over time, Scottish kings like David I and Alexander II worked hard to expand their control. They brought new lords into places like Moray, Galloway, and Argyll, slowly uniting the country under royal authority.

How Feudalism Shaped Scotland

This period saw Scotland adopt new ways of organizing society, similar to other parts of Europe. One big change was the introduction of a more formal system called Feudalism.

Feudalism was a way of structuring society based on a hierarchy. Land was given in exchange for service, usually military help, or labor. Besides service, a lord would ask for payments. Kings usually received money from their most important nobles (vassals). Peasants, however, often paid their lords with goods they produced, like crops or animals. In Scotland, this payment was called cáin. The cáin was usually the main product of the area. It could be a regular payment to the king or a special tribute to a higher power.

Lords and Vassals: A System of Loyalty

This system relied heavily on personal relationships and promises of fealty (loyalty). When the king's power was weak, these relationships could be unclear. For example, the Scottish Crown had loose control over the Earls of Galloway. This changed when Alan, Earl of Galloway died in 1234 without a male heir. King Alexander III then divided the land among his own supporters.

Sometimes, this unclear system helped keep things stable, but it meant the king didn't always collect the cáin regularly. Scotland's relationship with England was similar. Scottish kings often paid homage to the English king for lands in Cumbria and Lothian, especially when England was strong. For instance, King William the Lion of Scotland promised loyalty to Henry II of England in 1175. This was part of the Treaty of Falaise, which said William held all of Scotland as a fief (land granted in exchange for loyalty). Even then, the payments were more like tribute for peace than strict feudal dues. Historians note that these terms had a "light touch," meaning they didn't hurt Scotland's economy much.

However, over the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, the Scottish kings gained more power. They made these relationships more formal. For example, King David I brought the difficult region of Moray under his direct control. He built royal castles there and settled English nobles who were loyal to him, not to local leaders.

Farming in the Middle Ages

Farming in Scotland made big progress during the High Middle Ages. This was partly thanks to the Medieval Warm Period. This change in climate brought warmer, drier weather to Northern Europe. Farmers could now grow crops in higher places that were once too cold. They could also farm valleys that used to flood or be too marshy.

Along with more land, new technologies helped farmers. These included the carruca-type plough, which was better at tilling tough soil. Improved animal harnesses made it faster to clear woodlands. Water mills also saved labor, freeing up people to do other tasks. All these factors led to more farming in new areas and better yields from existing farms. This also helped the population grow.

New Farmlands: Assarts

This expansion into new lands often happened through "assarts". Assarts were lands that were newly farmed from areas once considered 'waste' or unused. This included reclaiming flooded valleys and planting crops at higher altitudes due to the warmer climate.

Another way land was gained was by slowly moving into forests. Forests were usually controlled by the king and used for hunting. While Scotland's forest laws were less strict than England's, much of this land was still off-limits for farming. It's important to know that 'waste' land didn't mean it was useless. Local people used these forest areas for summer pasture for their animals, to feed pigs in autumn, and for wood to build and burn.

During this time, the king allowed some forests, especially those good for growing grains, to be used for farming. This slowly shifted some areas from raising animals to growing crops. However, this only happened in limited places. Raising animals also grew thanks to the warmer climate, as higher areas became good for grazing. But there was still competition between farming and animal raising for land use.

The Importance of Raising Animals

Even though growing cereals became more common in the Lowlands, raising animals remained the main way of life and the most important type of farming for most of Scotland. Only about 40% of Scotland's land is below 500 feet above sea level, compared to 78% in England. This meant that most of Scotland was better suited for raising animals than for growing crops.

Historians note that the importance of animal farming is sometimes hidden in old records. This is because it was harder to collect taxes on animal products than on crops. Even in areas good for farming, change was slow. For example, Galloway was famous for its cattle. It was so focused on raising animals that there's little evidence of permanent crop farming there, except along the coast.

Growing Trade and Towns

Burghs founded before the death of King David I

Trade in Scotland during the High Middle Ages mostly happened in places called "burghs." These burghs had special rights, with the most important being a monopoly (exclusive right) to buy and sell goods in their area. While some small trading places existed before the 11th century, getting "burgh status" really encouraged towns to grow.

King David I was especially active in creating new burghs. His successor, William the Lion, continued this trend. By the end of David's reign in 1153, there were seventeen burghs. By William's death in 1214, there were forty! Of these, Berwick-upon-Tweed was the biggest and most successful until the Scottish Wars of Independence.

These burghs helped the king financially and boosted trade. The king made money in three ways: royal monopolies, tolls, and burgess rents.

• Royal monopolies: The king could sell or grant the right for someone to be the only one selling certain goods in a burgh.
• Tolls: These were taxes on goods bought in the area around a burgh. People living outside the burgh had to buy and sell only through the burgh.
• Burgess rents: The "burgesses" (people living in the burgh) paid annual rents to the king to keep their special status.

Together, these methods were the main source of cash income for the Scottish king.

Some historians think King David wanted to create more burghs to connect Scotland to bigger international trade networks. At this time, Flanders (part of modern-day Belgium) had a booming cloth industry. This created a huge demand for wool, which Scotland had plenty of. Even though England dominated the wool market, Scotland benefited too. This was partly because colonists from Flanders, England, or France brought money and skills to help Scotland's wool industry grow.

More Money in Scotland

This period also saw a big increase in the amount of money available in Scotland. This started with silver mining in northern England. King David I used this silver to create Scotland's first minted coins. More money helped trade grow, especially in Scotland and England. Even after the silver mines ran out, Scotland continued to gain money because it sold more goods than it bought from other countries. As one historian put it, "During the thirteenth century, there was a positive link between growing overseas trade, more money, and the rise of business."

The Church's Role in the Economy

The Catholic Church was a powerful organization across Europe during the High Middle Ages. It had both spiritual and worldly power. One key way it showed this power was through its important role in a country's economy. The Church owned a lot of land and received a ten percent tithe (tax) from its followers. This meant the Church controlled a big part of Scotland's economy. Also, in most cases, the Church's parishes (local church areas) didn't have to pay state taxes. The Church was both a driver of economic growth and a good source of information, thanks to the tax records it kept.

One historian estimates there were about 960 church parishes in Scotland by 1290. The wealth of these parishes varied a lot. Some village parishes were as poor as the peasants, while large dioceses (areas managed by a bishop) were like nobles themselves. For example, the dioceses of St. Andrews and Glasgow had huge assets, totaling over £13,000 and £11,000 respectively in 1290. These two alone held almost two-thirds of the total wealth of the Catholic Church in Scotland.

Scotland's Economic Progress

By the end of the 13th century, Scotland was still mostly rural. It had a smaller population than England, and on average, people were poorer. However, Scotland made big steps forward during this time.

• Feudal relationships became more formal, and the Scottish kings gained more power. This allowed for better use of farm production, both crops and animals.
• The Medieval Warm Period and relaxed forest laws opened up new fields and pastures for farming.
• The creation of burghs led to the first towns and connected Scotland to international trade.

One historian, Bruce Campbell, sums it up well: "Before the War of Independence, Scotland's economy was larger, more active in trade, and used more money than Ireland's. And the speed at which its money supply grew compared well to its much larger and wealthier neighbor, England."

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