24 June is Scottish Independence Day. It all started in the 14th century, namely in 1314. Then there was the Battle of Bannockburn. In it, the troops of Robert the Bruce defeated the forces of Edward II.
Independence was confirmed in 1328. Over time, it was lost, but the holiday became a national celebration. Today it is celebrated throughout Scotland, festivals, concerts, folk festivals are held. How did Anglo-Scottish relations develop?
Scotland is the most important region of the UK
Scotland's independence is extremely unfavorable for Great Britain. This region is considered the richest in the state. Edinburgh is one of the financial centers of Europe. The country has its own non-convertible currency (the Scottish pound).
Shipbuilding, information technology, and agriculture are actively developing in the country. Oil is produced in the North Sea. Scotland is famous for its whisky. Tourism brings in a lot of money. The UK cannot afford to lose all this.
Early history
To the ancientstimes the territory of Scotland was inhabited by Picts, Gaels. By the end of the fifth century, the Scots appeared here. It is with this tribe that the name of the state is associated, that is, “the country of the Scots”. They converted to Christianity, engaged in missionary activities.
The written history of the country began with the arrival of the Romans. But at that time its territory was divided into several kingdoms. It is traditionally believed that the history of Scottish independence began in 843. It was at this time that Kenneth McAlpin became the ruler of the united state of the Picts and Scots.
For several centuries, the kingdom expanded, acquiring a modern look on the map. The change in Scotland took place from 1066, when the Norman conquest of England began. The countries became very close, but this did not stop the enmity between them.
In 1174 Scotland invaded the lands of England, but was defeated. King William the First Lion was captured. To free himself, he had to recognize the subjugation of his kingdom to England. Everything was resolved in 1189. At this time, Richard the First needed money for a crusade. For ten thousand marks, he recognized the independence of Scotland.
Anglo-Scottish conflict
By the end of the 13th century, Scotland was in for a serious test. King Alexander III died, leaving no direct male heir. Margarita, the granddaughter of the deceased, was declared queen. This was taken advantage of by the English ruler Edward the First. He insisted on the marriage of his son with Margarita. But the plans were disrupted by the unexpected death of a girl,who didn't even get crowned. On the way, she caught a cold and died. Thus the straight branch was cut off.
In 1291, several pretenders to the throne appeared. One of the candidates was Edward the First, but he understood that his chances were negligible. He presided over the court that appointed John Balliol as king. In gratitude, he recognized the suzerainty of England.
Some of the Scottish barons did not accept the new king. The protesters were led by Robert Bruce. Edward the First began to treat Scotland as a vassal land. Political and economic games began, which led to the fact that John Balliol opposed the English ruler.
In 1296, English troops invaded Scotland, defeated its inhabitants, conquered the country. Edward the First declared himself the ruler of the "country of Scots". From that moment began the wars for the independence of Scotland.
The Rise of William Wallace
The British authorities have established a very cruel regime. The population could not tolerate the atrocities, in 1297 an uprising broke out. It was led by William Wallace with Andrew de Moray. The battle of Stirling Bridge was decisive. The English army fell, the country was liberated, and Wallace became the Guardian of Scotland.
Eduard the First did not accept defeat. In 1298 a second invasion began. The Scots were defeated at the Battle of Falker. Wallace managed to escape and remained in hiding until 1305. He was betrayed by John de Mentheis by surrendering to the British. He was accused of high treason, but the Scot did not admit his guilt, because he did not consider Edward his king. Wallis was executed in London. Partshis severed body was put on display in the major cities of Scotland.
The Wallis case was continued by Red Komyn and Robert Bruce. They were rivals. As a result, Bruce killed Comyn and in 1306 became King Robert the First. The war with England continued until the Scots defeated the enemy at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Edward II fled to his kingdom. But after the death of Robert the First, the confrontation for the country resumed. The fight for Scottish independence was a mixed success.
Battle of Stirling
The famous battle for Scottish independence took place on September 11, 1297. The Earl of Surrey, along with an army of ten thousand, went to Wallace and de Moray with a punitive expedition. They met at Stirling Bridge.
English knights on horseback crossed a narrow wooden bridge. They were attacked by a force of Scottish infantry. The cavalry was powerless against long spears. Surrey decided to speed up the crossing. This led to the destruction of the bridge. At this time, de Moray hit from the rear.
The army of England fled, but got stuck in a swamp. The Scots killed almost everyone. But the loss of de Morey, who died of his wounds, was no less severe. He was not only an outstanding commander and colleague of Wallace in spirit, but also had a noble origin. Scottish nobles reckoned with him. Wallace lost not only a friend, but also a contact with high society. He was made regent before the arrival of King John the First, but was betrayed at the most inopportune moment.
Stuart rule in Scotland
The long and exhausting struggle ended with the victory of David II, son of Robert the First. But he died childless. The closest heir was Robert Stewart. In 1371 he became king of Scotland under the name Robert II. The Stuart dynasty ruled these lands for more than three hundred years.
The territory of the kingdom is conditionally divided into two zones: the plain with the Anglo-Scottish language and the mountains with the Gaelic dialect.
At this time, the country was experiencing a difficult economic situation, the nobles did not want to obey the king, there were many military clashes on the Anglo-Scottish border.
Scotland's involvement in the Hundred Years' War
The Scottish independence movement continued with the outbreak of the Hundred Years War. The French asked for help and in 1421 received military assistance from Scotland. Twelve thousand warriors went to the aid of an ally. As a result, the Franco-Scottish forces defeated the British at the Battle of Boge.
At this time, England decided to improve relations with its neighbor on the island and released King James, the son of Robert the Third, from prison. Four years later, Jacob sent troops to help Joan of Arc.
Exacerbation of relations in the 16th century
While peace-loving Henry the Seventh ruled in England, there was a period of relative prosperity between the kingdoms. But after his death, the militant Henry VIII came to power.
The wife of the Scottish king James the Fourth was the heir to the English throne. This complicated an already difficult relationship. In addition, the “country of the Scots” renewed its alliance withFrance. According to its terms, if the troops of Henry the Eighth invade one of the allied countries, then the second will join the battle. In 1513, the British set foot on French lands and Scotland began a war on land and sea.
In the Battle of Flodden, Jacob the Fourth died, leaving his two-year-old son at home. The Regency Council changed its mind many times. Jacob the Fifth was a prisoner in the hands of the regents. In 1528, he fled, becoming a ruler in his own right.
In the middle of the 16th century, Anglo-Scottish relations escalated even more. The reason for this was the departure of Henry the Eighth from Catholicism and the dynastic union of James the Fifth with France. Unable to reach an agreement, the rulers started a war.
Then there was a long confrontation between the two queens: Mary Stuart and Elizabeth the First. Being childless, the Queen of England left the throne to James, the son of the Scottish queen, who by that time had been executed for treason. This ended the wars of Scottish independence for a while.
Dynastic Union
When Jacob came to the throne as a descendant of Henry the Seventh, he moved to London. He reigned for twenty-two years. During this time, he visited his native lands only once. It was the time of the coveted independence of Scotland from England. The only thing they had in common was the monarch. This rule was called a dynastic union. Everything changed in 1625, when Charles the First came to power.
In 1707 Scotland was annexed to England. Great Britain appeared on the world map. Immediately after this, a new history of the Scottish War of Independence against England began. The idea of a separate coexistence was zealously supported by the poetRobert Burns.
Anglo-Scottish relations in the 19th-21st century
During this period, the story of Scottish independence continued, but in a different direction. There were no serious military conflicts. England learned from the experience of past centuries and did not put much pressure on the "country of the Scots." Scotland still occupies a unique position in the UK.
In the last century, there were enough threats from external enemies, so the issue of independence was not acute.
Role of the Scottish Parliament
The first mention of the Scottish Parliament occurs in 1235. Ruled then by Alexander II. It was transformed from an advisory council of counts and bishops, which was attached to the king, into an institution with judicial and administrative functions.
At some points in history, the parliament took over the functions of the highest body, while the country was without a monarch. Robert the Bruce relied on parliament when he fought for national independence.
In the middle of the 13th century, representatives of cities, the higher clergy, magnates, un titled nobles could be in it. Under David the Second, the authority began to agree to the introduction of taxes.
The Scottish Parliament was unicameral. Its main function was to approve the laws that were passed down by the king. He also considered issues of domestic and foreign policy, approved international treaties that the king concluded.
The parliament existed until 1707. It was dissolved after the adoption of the "Act onunion." County representatives and barons became members of the UK Parliament.
For about three hundred years there have been demands for the restoration of the legislature. They especially intensified after the discovery of oil reserves off the coast of the North Sea in the sixties of the last century.
In 1979, a referendum was held to recreate a separate legislature for Scotland. However, due to low voter turnout, it failed. Everything changed with the coming to power of the Labor Party, led by Tony Blair.
In 1997, a second referendum was held. More than 60% of voters approved the issue of creating their own parliament. Elections were held in 1999. It consists of one hundred and twenty-nine deputies who are elected by direct vote and on the principle of proportional representation. A separate building was built for him in Edinburgh.
Things the Scottish Parliament can decide:
- he althcare;
- education;
- tourism;
- local government;
- environmental protection;
- increase or decrease in the income tax rate (within 3%).
There are representatives of Scotland in the UK Parliament. They take part in the formation of the UK government.
Role of the Scottish National Party
In 1934, the SNP was formed as a result of the merger of the Scottish Party and the National Party of Scotland. In 1945, its representatives received a seat in the Parliament of England. In 1974 there were already eleven parliamentarians. ATFrom 1979-1998 there were several members of the SNP in the English Parliament. After the restoration of its own legislature, talk began about the independence of Scotland. In 2011, the NSR won the majority in it. Its main program was holding a referendum in the country regarding the issue of independence.
Independence referendum
England gave the right to conduct a survey. The referendum took place in 2014. According to its results, 55% voted against secession from the UK. However, the NSR did not stop its struggle there.
A new Scottish independence referendum is expected to be held in 2018-2019. What will be its results, the near future will show. Much depends on the mood of the voters and the position of the UK.
