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Auld Alliance

TheAuld Alliance(Scotsfor "Old Alliance" )[1][2]was an alliance between the kingdoms ofScotlandandFranceagainstEnglandmade in 1295. TheScotswordauld,meaningold,has become a partly affectionate term for the long-lasting association between the two countries. The alliance was never formally revoked,[3][4]although it is considered by some to have ended with the signing of theTreaty of Edinburghin 1560.[5]

Auld Alliance
Formation23 October 1295
Founded atParis
Dissolved15 July 1560
PurposeDefence pact
MembershipKingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of France
Official language
French
Scots
Scottish Gaelic
Foreign alliances of France
Frankish–Abbasid alliance 777–800s
Franco-Mongol alliance 1220–1316
Franco-Scottish alliance 1295–1560
Franco-Polish alliance 1524–1526
Franco-Hungarian alliance 1528–1552
Franco-Ottoman alliance 1536–1798
Franco-English alliance 1657–1660
Franco-Indian alliance 1603–1763
Franco-British alliance 1716–1731
Franco-Spanish alliance 1733–1792
Franco-Prussian alliance 1741–1756
Franco-Austrian alliance 1756–1792
Franco-Indian Alliances 1700s
Franco-Vietnamese
alliance 		1777–1820
Franco-American alliance 1778–1794
Franco-Persian alliance 1807–1809
Franco-Prussian alliance 1812–1813
Franco-Austrian alliance 1812–1813
Franco-Russian alliance 1892–1917
Entente Cordiale 1904–present
Franco-Polish alliance 1921–1940
Franco-Italian alliance 1935
Franco-Soviet alliance 1936–1939
Treaty of Dunkirk 1947–1997
Western Union 1948–1954
North Atlantic Alliance 1949–present
Western European Union 1954–2011
European Defence Union 1993–present
Regional relations

The alliance played a significant role in the relations among Scotland, France and England. The alliance was renewed by all theFrenchandScottish monarchsof that period exceptLouis XI.[6]By the late 14th century, the renewal occurred regardless of whether either kingdom was at war with England at the time.[7]

The alliance began with the treaty signed byJohn BalliolandPhilip IV of Francein 1295 againstEdward I of England.The terms of the treaty stipulated that if either country were attacked by England, the other country would invade English territory. The 1513Battle of Flodden,where the Scots invaded England in response to the English campaign against France, was one such occasion.Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray,negotiated the renewal of the alliance in 1326. The alliance played an important role in theWars of Scottish Independence,theHundred Years' War,theWar of the League of Cambrai,and theRough Wooing.

History

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Birth of the Auld Alliance

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The dynastic turmoil caused by the death in 1290 of Scotland's seven-year-old queen,Margaret, the Maid of Norway,left the covetousEdward I of Englandwith an opportunity to assert his authority overScotland.In response, the Council of Twelve, which had taken over the government of Scotland temporarily, sought alliances wherever they could be found.Philip IVdeclared England's possession ofGasconyforfeit in 1294, bringingFranceandEnglandclose to war. Alliance with France was a clear course for Scotland to take. In October 1295, a Scottish embassy to France agreed to the Treaty of Paris,[8]which was signed on 23 October.[9]

As with all subsequent renewals of what became the Auld Alliance, the treaty favoured France. The French were required to do no more than continue their struggle against the English in Gascony. The cost of any war between Scotland and England was to be borne entirely by the Scots. Nevertheless, Scotland, as remote and impoverished as it was, was now aligned to a major European power. Even if they were more symbolic than actual, the benefits of the alliance mattered greatly to Scotland.[10]

In the short term, however, the treaty proved to be no protection against Edward, whose swift and devastating invasion of Scotland in 1296 all but eradicated its independence. Furthermore, the cessation of hostilities between England and France in 1299, followed by the treaty of "perpetual peace and friendship," allowed Edward to devote all of his attention and forces to attacking the Scots. In the end, Scotland owed its eventual survival to the military acumen and inspiration ofRobert the Bruceand the mistakes ofEdward II,rather than to its bond with France.[citation needed]In 1326, Robert the Bruce sentThomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Morayto negotiate renewal of the alliance with theTreaty of Corbeil.The motive for this renewal was precautionary: neither realm seemed to have much to fear from England at the time.

Hundred Years War

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However, this changed after 1332, whenEdward IIIset out to conquer Scotland and reassert his power in France. For the first time, the Franco-Scottish alliance acquired a sense of emergency.[citation needed]In the winter of 1332,King Philipdispatched a flotilla of ten ships to Scotland with aid, but they were blown off course in a storm and never arrived. In the spring of 1334, £1000 arrived from France to be distributed to the Scottish defenders along with an offer of sanctuary to youngDavid II of Scotland,his queen and members of his court. In May 1334, the two monarchs arrived, along with their confessors, tutors in arts and in arms, the king's sisters, the Douglas children, the late regent's sons, other children of Scottish nobles, a number of clerics, and nobles who would act as envoys between the court in exile, the French and the defenders at home in Scotland. They were given Château Gaillard as a residence. In 1334, peace talks between France and England were proposed, but when King Philip insisted that the Scots be included, King Edward broke off the talks. In addition to sending regular supplies to the Scots, the French paid an annual pension of £2000 for the upkeep of King David's court in exile. In June 1339,William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdalevisited King David in France and returned to Scotland, taking with him Arnoul d'Audrehen in command of 200 French troops as well as several ships which aided in the capture of Perth.[11]

In June and again in July 1346, King Philip of France wrote desperate letters to King David begging him to attack England, hoping to draw off the looming English attack in France. In light of this, the Scots planned achevaucheein the north of England. Edward overwhelmed French forces at theBattle of Crécyin August before the planned Scottish attack. Despite that it was too late to help the situation of the French, King David and his advisors decided to go ahead with the chevauchee, possibly believing it would repay a considerable debt to France for their aid. However, the English, even without King Edward, raised an effective defence. King David was captured at theBattle of Neville's Cross.[12]

In March 1355,John II of Francecommanded Sire Eugene de Garancières to lead a force of sixty knights and their retinues, probably a force of about two hundred men, to Scotland to join the Scots in an attack on northern English strongholds. The Scots did not agree to make the attack until the receipt of the promised payment of 40,000 mouton d’or, which was distributed to the chief leaders of the Scots. They then marched to the vicinity of Norham Castle, where Sir William Ramsay lured the defenders of the castle out by driving away their herds of cattle. He then led the English into an ambush by William, Lord of Douglas and the French. The English were defeated, andThomas Grey (chronicler)was taken prisoner, to be held for a substantial ransom. They then withdrew to Scotland in order to make an approach by sea and land on the beach of Berwick-upon-Tweed. They made an escalade attack on the walls. Although taking the city, they failed to take Berwick Castle.Robert II of Scotland,presently Earl of Strathern and heir to the throne of Scotland, made his only venture south of the English border to order them to withdraw back to Scotland. The French force then returned home.[13]

Some Scottish knights continued, during truces, to go to France to aid their allies.William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglasled 200 men-at-arms and forty knights to fight with the French at theBattle of Poitiers.The king's 11-year absence as Edward's prisoner only increased the internal turmoil and power struggles within Scotland.[14]David II was forced to make a deal withEdward IIIto gain his freedom. After his release in 1357, while resisting more conflict with England, David successfully consolidated royal power in Scotland and cut down the power of the barons who opposed him with the help ofArchibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas.[15]

The accession of pro-FrenchRobert IIled to immediaterenewal in 1371,with the embassy of theBishop of Glasgowand theLord of Gallowayto France. The treaty was signed byCharles Vat theChâteau de Vincenneson 30 June, and atEdinburgh CastlebyRobert IIon 28 October.[16]The benefits toScotlandwere mixed. The Scots benefited from the successful raids of the French admiral Jean de Vienne's on the southern coast of England which relieved military pressure on them. In 1385 Vienne used a 180 ship fleet to land an army in Scotland with the intent of invading England, but the force had to withdraw.[17]This caused relations between France and Scotland to deteriorate which was summed up by the French chroniclerJean Froissartwhen he "wished the King of France would make a truce with the English for two or three years and then march to Scotland and utterly destroy it".[18]

However, necessity had driven the two kingdoms together and the need to resist aggressive new Lancastrian kings kept the alliance together in the 15th century. In 1418, with France on the brink of surrendering to the forces ofHenry V,the Dauphin,Charles VII,called on his Scottish allies for help. Between 1419 and 1424, as many as 15,000 Scottish troops were sent to France.[19][20]

French and Scottish forces together won against the English at theBattle of Baugéin 1421. It marked the turning point of theHundred Years War,but the victory was short-lived for Scotland. The Scots army was defeated atVerneuilin 1424. Despite this defeat, the Scots had given France a valuable breathing space, effectively ensuring the continued power of the French state.[10]

Patay (Loiret), plaque commemorating the Battle of Patay (1429) and the Scottish forces that aided Joan of Arc. Also mentioned here is Patrick Ogilvy, who was Constable of Scotland and the commander who led the Scottish men at arms at Patay


In 1429, Scots came to the aid ofJoan of Arcin her famousrelief of Orléans,and a large portion of the French Army up until the end of the Loire Valley Campaign was made of Scots men at arms and archers.Scottish soldiers also served in theGarde Écossaise,the loyal bodyguard of the French crown. Many members of the Scottish expeditions to France chose to settle there. Some officers were granted lands and titles in France. In the 15th and 16th centuries, they became naturalised French subjects.[6]Through the rest of the 15th century, the alliance was formally renewed four times,[10]until the eventual victory of France in theHundred Years War.

Wars of the Roses

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The aftermath of theHundred Years WarinEnglandthat led to theWars of the Rosesmeant that the English threat was greatly reduced, thus rendering the alliance almost obsolete. Scotland and France at first saw England's turmoil as an opportunity to carry out raids without opposition. But Scotland went further by seeing this as its chance of retakingRoxburghandBerwickin 1460. Despite their victory ofcapturing Roxburgh,it unfortunately costKing James II's life. While the regents reigned Scotland untilKing James IIIwas old enough to rule,Margaret of Anjoumade a compromise by givingBerwickto Scotland in 1461 in exchange that they would aid the Lancastrian cause in the war. Scotland agreed and together they gained their victory in theBattle of Wakefieldwith the death ofRichard of York.Margaret of Anjoumade a similar compromise the same year with Scotland's ally, France by giving themJerseyin exchange for support for the Lancastrian cause and thus, the Auld Alliance in a way was engaging in a war that they've caused by their own victory in theHundred Years War.

The true reasoning for the alliance's existence is to fight against the English, not end up aiding one side in their enemy's own civil war. Their reason being was that the Yorkist had sided with theBurgundian State,and with the Yorkists on the throne meant that the English would return to fight France through Burgundy. NeitherFrancenorScotlandhad the stomach to fight after theHundred Years Warthat the former was recovering from. To prevent England from becoming strong enough to fight against them, the allies created aproxy warout of it by siding with their former enemy in the last phases of theHundred Years War,and Yorkists enemy, the Lancastrians. Not wanting a repeat of Wakefield whenHenry VIand Margret fled to Scotland in 1464,Edward IVmade a peace with Scotland with theTreaty of York.That peace however was short lived because once the Yorkists won the war and exterminated the Lancastrians, the Yorkists managed to regain England's lost possessions of Jersey from France in 1468 andBerwickfrom Scotland in 1482. Around the same time, with theTreaty of Arras,the Burgundy threat to France was subdued. After the Lancastrians became extinct,Henry Tudorhad been in exile inBrittany.From there, he made attempts to take the throne but failed. But when Henry went to exile inFranceto escape pro-Yorkists supporters, Henry was able to gain French and Scottish support fromKing Charles VII of France.Together, they landed in Wales and with Welsh allies defeated the YorkistKing Richard IIIat theBattle of Bosworth Fieldin 1485. When Henry VII marriedElizabeth of York,it ended England's turmoiled war and began its gradual recovery with theTudor Dynasty.To maintain peace with the Franco-Scottish alliance as the sixteenth century began, Henry VII gave to marriage his eldest daughter,Margaret TudortoJames IV of Scotlandand his younger daughter,Mary TudortoLouis XII of France.The former's lineage would inevitably give rise to the joint ruler of both Scotland and England in 1603,King James VI & I,43 years after the Auld Alliance was abolished.

Reformation and decline

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The alliance underwent a dramatic revival when it was formally reviewed in 1512 and again in 1517 and 1548.Scotlandstill suffered badly following the death ofJames IVand most of his nobles atFloddenin 1513. Periodic Anglo-French and Anglo-Scottish conflict throughout the sixteenth century continued, but the certainties that had driven the Auld Alliance were disappearing. AsProtestantismgained ground in Scotland, more and more people favoured closer links withEnglandthan withFrance.[10]

The marriage ofMary, Queen of ScotswithFrancis II of Francebriefly revived the Auld Alliance

In 1558, the alliance between the two kingdoms was revived with the marriage ofMary, Queen of Scotsto the futureFrancis II of France,but it lasted only until 1560 when Francis died prematurely.[21]At the same year of the marriage, the French successfully retook their last position ofCalaisand driven the English off the continent once and for all from ever retaking it in 1563. In order to make England recognise France's claim over Calais, they gaveQueen Elizabeth I120,000 crowns as a barter. After Mary's exile to England in 1568, Scotland was transformed into aProtestantnation by its new king,James VI,who was also heir to the English throne. His desire to form close ties with England, and England's complete removal from the French mainland after Calais, meant that the alliance had outlived its usefulness. In the 1560s, after more than 250 years, formal treaties between Scotland and France were officially ended by theTreaty of Edinburgh.[22]With theScottish Reformation,Scotland was declaredProtestant,and allied itself with Protestant England instead. During the Reformation, the ProtestantLords of the Congregationrejected the Auld Alliance and brokered English military support with theirtreaty of Berwick,aimed against the French RegentMary of Guise.Two hundred Scottish soldiers were sent to Normandy in 1562 to aid the FrenchHuguenotsin their struggle against royal authority during theFrench Wars of Religion.

After the treaty of Edinburgh

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The Auld Alliance still lived on with theCatholicScots. Throughout the seventeenth century since theHouse of Stuartacquired the English throne, aside from theWars of the Three KingdomsandOliver Cromwell's short-lived Commonwealth, relations between England and Scotland, including France for the most part, was neutral. That all changed in theWilliamite Warwhen the Stuart Catholic KingJames VII and IIwas deposed in favour of the ProtestantWilliam of Orange,husband to James's eldest daughter,Mary II.After losing in Ireland, and Scotland before the century came to a close, James went into exile in France, and through his lineage there would try to retake the crown with their Catholic Scots and French backed allies in theJacobite Warsthroughout the early and mid eighteenth century, with the closest fromBonnie Prince Charliegetting as far south asSwarkestone BridgenearDerbybefore retreating back to Scotland. AfterCullodenin 1746 and theHighland Clearancessoon after, some of the exiled Jacobites in the New World aided their French ally in theSeven Years' War,even on the side of thePatriotsin theAmerican War of Independence,an echo to when the Auld Alliance started almost 500 years ago. TheGarde Écossaise,since their founding in 1418 continued to protect the kings of France until 412 years later in 1830, whenCharles Xof France abdicated. In 1848, France abolished themonarchyafter restoring it in 1815 after theFrench Revolutionand theNapoleonic War,and once more became aRepublicunderNapoleon III.

Wider influence

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The Auld Alliance extended into the lives of the Scottish population in a number of ways, affectingarchitecture,law,theScots language,andcuisine,among other things. Scottish soldiers served within the French army; there were reciprocal dual nationality agreements;[23]and France granted privileges to Scottishvintners.[23]Many Scots studied at French universities, something which continued up until theNapoleonic Wars.[24]David de Moravia,the 14th-centuryBishop of Moray,helped found theScots Collegeof theUniversity of Parisin 1333. Among those who studied or taught at French universities were: the poetsJohn BarbourandGeorge Buchanan;the historianHector Boece;the founder ofSt Andrews University,Henry Wardlaw;the founder ofAberdeen University,William Elphinstone;the founder of theAdvocates Library,George Mackenzie,and the noted translator ofRabelais,SirThomas Urquhart.Scottish castles built with French construction in mind includeBothwellandKildrummy.[citation needed]

Legacy

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"La plus vieille alliance du monde"

In a speech which he delivered in Edinburgh in June 1942,Charles de Gaulledescribed the alliance between Scotland and France as "the oldest alliance in the world". He also declared that:[25]

In every combat where for five centuries the destiny of France was at stake, there were always men of Scotland to fight side by side with men of France, and what Frenchmen feel is that no people has ever been more generous than yours with its friendship.

In 1995, celebrations were held in both countries marking the 700th anniversary of the beginning of the alliance.[7]

In theSix Nations Championship,arugby uniontournament played between England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy, theAuld Alliance Trophyis played for when Scotland and France play their match.

After extensive research, British historian Siobhan Talbott concluded that the Auld Alliance had never been formally revoked and that it endured and thrived long after theActs of Unionin 1707 and theEntente Cordialeof 1904.[26][27]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^French:Vieille Alliance;Scottish Gaelic:An Seann-chaidreachas
  2. ^"FR01 – Auld Alliance".scottishdiasporatapestry.org.Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2020.Retrieved23 February2018.
  3. ^Addelman, Mike (12 August 2011)."Franco-Scottish alliance against England one of longest in history".Archived fromthe originalon 11 January 2012.Retrieved14 November2011.
  4. ^"Beyond" The Antiseptic Realm of Theoretical Economic Models ": New Perspectives on Franco-Scottish Commerce and the Auld Alliance in the Long Seventeenth Century".academia.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2021.Retrieved12 January2020.
  5. ^Tanner, Roland, "Franco-Scottish Alliance," inThe Oxford Companion to British History.Oxford University Press, 2009. pp. 390–91.
  6. ^abBonner, Elizabeth (December 1997)."Cjo – Abstract – French Naturalization of the Scots in the Fifteenth And Sixteenth Centuries".The Historical Journal.40(4). Journals.cambridge.org:1085–1115.doi:10.1017/S0018246X96007066.S2CID159885209.Retrieved6 March2010.
  7. ^abBONNER, ELIZABETH. “Scotland’s ‘Auld Alliance’ with France, 1295–1560.”History,vol. 84, no. 273, Wiley, 1999, pp. 5–30,JSTOR24424506.
  8. ^Tanner, Roland. Franco-Scottish Alliance, in The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press, 2009.
  9. ^"BBC – 23 October in Scottish History".bbc.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2021.Retrieved15 December2020.
  10. ^abcdCussans, Thomas. "Kings and Queens of the British Isles". The Times Books, 2002, p.65.
  11. ^Penman, Michael (2004).David II.East Linton, Scotland: Tuckwell Press Ltd. p. 52-54, 71.
  12. ^Penman, Michael (2004).David II.East Linton, Scotland: Tuckwell Press Ltd. p. 124-125.
  13. ^Penman, Michael (2004).David II.East Linton, Scotland: Tuckwell Press Ltd. p. 182-183.
  14. ^Brown, Michael (1998).The Black Douglases.East Linton, Scotland: Tuckwell Press Ltd. p. 46.
  15. ^Brown, Michael (1999).The Black Douglases.East Lothian, Scotland: Tuckwell Press. p. 54-56.
  16. ^Michel, vol i, pp. 71–72
  17. ^Jager, Eric (2004).The Last Duel.London: Century.ISBN0-7126-6190-5.
  18. ^McNamee, Colm. "The Wars of the Bruces: Scotland, England and Ireland". Tuckwell Press, 1996
  19. ^Balfour Paul.Scots Peerage,vol iii, p. 167
  20. ^Balfour Paul.Scots Peerage,vol. ii p. 264
  21. ^Durot, Eric (2007)."Le crépuscule de l'Auld Alliance.La légitimité du pouvoir en question entre Ecosse, France et Angleterre (1558–1561) ".Revue d'histoire moderne et contemporaine.26e année (1):3–46.doi:10.3917/hes.071.0003.Archivedfrom the original on 27 May 2015.Retrieved26 May2015.
  22. ^Macloed, Morag. France: the 'Auld Alliance' in The Oxford Companion to Scottish History. Oxford University Press, 2001.
  23. ^abKay, Billy(2006).The Scottish World.Mainstream Publishing. p. 80.ISBN1-84596-021-1.
  24. ^"Influences Francaises dans le Droit Ecossais".heinonline.org.Archivedfrom the original on 24 February 2021.Retrieved23 October2021.
  25. ^de Gaulle, Charles(1960).Mémoires de guerre: L'appel, 1940–1942.Université de l'État de Pennsylvanie: Plon.
  26. ^"In a paper Dr Siobhan Talbott has argued the Franco-Scottish Auld Alliance of 1295 survived centuries of enmity and war between Britain and France – even after the Act of Union was signed in 1707".Archivedfrom the original on 11 January 2012.Retrieved14 November2011.
  27. ^"Beyond" The Antiseptic Realm of Theoretical Economic Models ": New Perspectives on Franco-Scottish Commerce and the Auld Alliance in the Long Seventeenth Century".academia.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2021.Retrieved12 January2020.

Sources

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  • Michel, F. X.(1862).Les Écossais en France, les Français en Écosse(in French). London: Trübner & Company.Vol. 1andVol. 2.

Further reading

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