Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton facts for kids

The Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton was a peace treaty signed in 1328. It was an agreement between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland.

This treaty officially ended the First War of Scottish Independence. This war had started when England invaded Scotland in 1296. The treaty was signed in Edinburgh by Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scots. This happened on March 17, 1328. The English Parliament then approved it in Northampton on May 1.

The treaty had several important parts. In exchange for £20,000, the English Crown agreed to:

• Recognize the Kingdom of Scotland as a fully independent country.
• Accept Robert the Bruce and his future family as the true rulers of Scotland.
• Keep the border between Scotland and England the same as it was during the time of King Alexander III (1249–1286).

One of the original copies of the treaty is kept in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. It was written in French. This document is just one part of the peace agreement. The full treaty involved many other papers, but most of them are now lost. Because of this, we don't know every single detail of the peace deal.

Why the War Started

The main reason for the Wars of Scottish Independence was a big question. After King Alexander III died in 1286, there was no clear heir to the Scottish throne. This led to a lot of uncertainty.

Edward I of England first supported John Balliol to be the King of Scots. John was crowned in 1292. But soon, Edward I wanted to rule Scotland himself. After John Balliol was removed from power, Robert the Bruce stepped forward. He decided to fight against England for Scotland's freedom.

Robert declared himself King of Scots in 1306. He then led the Scottish resistance. A major victory for Scotland happened at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Robert's army decisively defeated the English, who were led by King Edward II.

Steps Towards Peace

Peace talks happened between 1321 and 1324. Not much progress was made at first. England still refused to recognize Robert the Bruce as the King of Scots. However, a truce (a temporary stop to fighting) was agreed upon in 1323. This truce was supposed to last for thirteen years.

But King Edward II did not fully follow the truce. He allowed English ships to attack Flemish (from modern-day Belgium) trading vessels. These ships were trading with Scotland. For example, some English ships attacked a Flemish vessel called Pelarym. They stole £2,000 worth of goods and killed all the Scots on board. Robert the Bruce asked for justice, but he didn't get it.

So, Robert the Bruce renewed an old friendship between Scotland and France. This alliance was called the Auld Alliance. It was officially agreed upon in 1326 with the Treaty of Corbeil. In 1327, the Scots invaded northern England. They defeated the English at the Battle of Stanhope Park in Weardale. Before this, Bruce had also invaded Ulster in Ireland.

Making the Treaty Happen

After the English defeat in the Weardale campaign, England's leaders started to think about peace. These leaders were Queen Isabella (the mother of the young King Edward III) and Earl Mortimer. They were ruling England because Edward III of England was still too young.

In October 1327, they sent people to Scotland to start peace talks. On March 1, 1328, King Edward III officially agreed to the main parts of the deal. The negotiations finished on March 17. The formal treaty was signed at the Abbey of Holyrood in Edinburgh. The English Parliament then approved the treaty in Northampton on May 3.

Key Agreements

Queen Isabella and Earl Mortimer agreed, on behalf of young King Edward III, to give up all claims to rule over Scotland. As part of the peace, Joanna, King Edward III's six-year-old sister, was promised in marriage. She would marry David, the four-year-old son of Robert the Bruce. Their marriage happened on July 17 of the same year.

The treaty clearly stated that the Anglo–Scottish border would stay as it was during the time of Alexander III of Scotland. It also said that Scotland would belong to Robert the Bruce and his family. Scotland would be "separate in all things from the kingdom of England, whole, free, and undisturbed in perpetuity." This meant Scotland would be completely independent forever. In return, Scotland would pay England £20,000.

As part of the talks, Edward III also agreed to return the Stone of Destiny to Scotland. This was not written in the main treaty, but it was a separate agreement. Edward III ordered the Stone to be sent back to his mother. However, the Stone was not returned at that time. It finally came back to Scotland 668 years later, on November 30, 1996. It is now at Edinburgh Castle. The agreement is that the Stone will be brought to England for future coronations of British kings and queens.

What Happened Next

The Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton only lasted for five years. Many English nobles did not like it. They found it humiliating and called it the "Shameful Peace."

Because of this, King Edward III overturned the treaty in 1333. This happened after he started ruling England on his own. The Second War of Scottish Independence then began. A lasting peace between England and Scotland was finally made in 1357.

The Original Document

The original treaty was written in French. Two copies were made on one sheet of paper. This type of document is called a chirograph or indenture. After both English and Scottish representatives checked that the copies were the same, the paper was cut in half. The cut was wavy, so the two parts could be matched perfectly if needed.

The kings did not sign the treaty themselves. Instead, they attached their official seals to straps hanging from the document. These wax seals have been lost over time. The bottom copy of the original document is now in the National Archives of Scotland, in Edinburgh. It's important to remember that this document is only one part of the peace treaty. The full agreement involved many other papers, but most of them are now lost. This is why we don't know every detail of the peace deal.

See also

In Spanish: Tratado de Edimburgo-Northampton para niños

• List of treaties
• Statute of Northampton 1328