Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton

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v • d • e First War of Scottish Independence

Dunbar – Stirling Bridge – Falkirk – Roslin – Happrew – Stirling Castle – Methven – Dalry – Glen Trool – Loudoun Hill – Slioch – Inverurie – Pass of Brander – Bannockburn – Connor – Skaitmuir– Skerries – Faughart – Berwick – Myton – Arbroath – Boroughbridge – Old Byland – Corbeil – Stanhope Park – Edinburgh-Northampton

v • d • e Wars of Scottish Independence

First – Second

The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton^[1]^[2] of 1328 defined a peace treaty between the English and Scottish Crowns. It brought to an end the War of Scottish Independence fought by Robert I of Scotland (Bruce).

In exchange for £20,000 the English Crown would recognise:

The kingdom of Scotland as a fully Independent Nation
Robert the Bruce, his heirs and successors as the rightful rulers.
The borders of Scotland as those recognised under the reign of Alexander III.

Prior to the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, Edward II claimed he adhered to a truce, but he allowed English privateers to attack Flemish vessels trading with Scotland. For example, privateers seized the Flemish vessel Pelarym worth £2,000. All the Scots on board were massacred. King Robert I of Scotland (Robert the Bruce) demanded justice, but in vain, and so he renewed the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France which was concluded 26 April 1326, at Corbeil.

In 1327, the Scots invaded northern England and defeated the English at Stanhope in Weardale in County Durham. Before this Bruce invaded Ulster in Ireland. After the failure of the Weardale campaign, Isabella and Earl Mortimer of March, governing England on behalf of the underage England began to consider peace as the only remaining option. In October they sent envoys to Scotland to open negotiations. On 1 March 1328, at a Parliament at York, Edward III issued letters patent which set out the core of the agreement. On 17 March, the negotiations ended and a formal treaty was signed in the King's Chamber of the Abbey of Holyrood (the Treaty was ratified in Parliament at Northampton on 3 May^[3]

Isabel and Mortimer agreed in the treaty that they in the name of young Edward III "renounced all pretensions to sovereignty" to Scotland; and Joanna (six years of age), sister of Edward III, was promised in marriage to David (four years of age), son of Robert Bruce. In the quitclaim of Edward III of 1328, one can see the treaty mentioned: The Scottish Borders set by Alexander III "shall remain for ever to the eminent prince Lord Robert, by the grace of God the illustrious king of Scots, our ally and dearest friend, and to his heirs and successors, divided in all things from the realm of England, entire, free, and quit, without any subjection, servitude, claim, or demand."

It is sometimes claimed that as part of the treaty, Edward III agreed to return the Stone of Destiny to Scotland. This was part of a concurrent agreement (Edward III issued a royal writ on 1 July, addressed to the Abbot of Westminster, which acknowledged this agreement and ordered the Stone be taken to his mother — it was not), but, as can be seen from the text below, it is not mentioned in the Treaty.