Ragman Rolls facts for kids
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| Citation | 4 Edw. 1 |
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| Territorial extent | Scotland |
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Status: Repealed
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The Ragman Rolls are a special collection of old documents from Scotland. They show how many Scottish nobles and important people promised to be loyal to King Edward I of England. This happened during a time when England and Scotland were having disagreements about who should rule Scotland. These documents were signed in 1291 and again in 1296.
Contents
What Are the Ragman Rolls?
The Ragman Rolls are a group of official papers. They contain the names of Scottish nobles and landowners. These people signed documents promising their loyalty to King Edward I of England. This promise of loyalty is called "allegiance" or "fealty." This happened between May 1291 and November 1292. It happened again in 1296.
Why Were They Created?
King Edward I of England wanted to show his power over Scotland. He made many Scottish nobles and important people sign these documents. This was a way to force them to accept him as their ruler. One important person who signed was John Balliol. He was a Scottish king chosen by Edward I. The signings happened in places like Berwick-upon-Tweed.
What Do They Look Like?
The Ragman Rolls were long pieces of parchment. Parchment is like thick paper made from animal skin. These pieces were sewn together to make very long rolls. They listed all the names of the Scottish people who had promised loyalty.
Where Are They Now?
Two copies of the earlier rolls (from 1291-1292) were kept at Westminster Abbey. Now, they are stored safely in the National Archives (United Kingdom) in Kew, England. Another copy was once in the Tower of London and is also now in the National Archives. The later rolls (from 1296) are also in the National Archives. These old records help historians understand what happened long ago.
What Does "Ragman" Mean?
The word "ragman" has a few different ideas about where it came from. One idea is that it came from the "Statute of Rageman." This was a rule from a church leader in Scotland. He made all the clergy (church officials) list their church properties. This was so they could be taxed by Rome.
Another idea is that "ragman" referred to the long, sewn-together rolls themselves. Imagine a long list of names, like a "rag" of paper. Some people also think it might come from a medieval game. This game involved a fictional king named Ragman. He was said to be the author of a list of verses. Players would pick a verse from the "Ragman Roll" to tell their fortune.
From Ragman to Rigmarole
The name "ragman roll" is still used today, but in a different way. It led to the common word "rigmarole." When someone says something is a "rigmarole," they mean it's a long, confusing, or pointless story or process. So, the old documents that listed names and promises gave us a word we still use for something complicated!
