Types of Questions at Intermediate Level

1. Describe ...

This question is set at both INT1 and INT2. It is probably the easiest question of all to answer. Sometimes you are given a source ...

Source B describes events at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Source B

Sir Richard Lundie wanted to use a ford to cross the River Forth because sixty men could cross the river at once. Cressingham did not want to waste any time and ordered him to use the bridge. As soon as Murray and Wallace decided that enough knights and foot-soldiers had crossed the bridge, they sent their army to cut the English army in two.

2. Describe what happened at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. (Use Source B and recall.)4

Start your answer in sentences, starting with the information from the source ...

Cressingham ... ordered him to use the bridge

Murray and Wallace ... sent their army to cut the English army in two

Then add your own K&U in sentences...

Bridge was too narrow to allow many English to cross.
Ground was marshy on the Scots side.
Wallace / Moray ordered men to attack with schiltroms.
English trapped and destroyed.
Cressingham killed.



Simples!

15. Looking back: why is this topic so important in Scottish History?

15. Looking back: why is this topic so important in Scottish History? Here are some points to think about ...

1. Choose one of the following to describe yourself ...

British?

European?

World citizen?

Scottish?

You could also ask members of your own family the same question. Many will choose "Scottish". This idea of "national identity" was unknown in the early middle ages but started to develop in Scotland at the time of Wallace and Bruce. The events you have studied were especially important because Bruce's victory made certain that Scotland would remain a separate and independent country with its own languages and culture.

2. During the time of Wallace and Bruce, Scotland developed a connection with France. This was to help protect Scotland against attacks from England. This connection lasted until Scotland lost its own Parliament in 1707 and even after this. The connection was not always good for Scotland and some Scots thought that a connection with England was a better idea. This struggle about which way Scotland should go - towards France or towards England - helped to shape all of Scotland's history after Wallace and Bruce.

3. Scottish myths. A lot of nonsense is actually believed about Scottish history. The things that people believe about the past can also affect the way they think about things which are happening now. The movie "Braveheart" is a good example of this. The movie was released in the 1990s and strongly affected people's ideas about Scotland's history and Scotland's connections with other countries today, especially England. Now that you know more about what actually happened, you will be in a better position to make your own mind up.

14. Section D - 4. Declaration of Arbroath - the triumph of the nation state in 1328.

4. Declaration of Arbroath - the triumph of the nation state in 1328.

Bruce’s victory at Bannockburn was a sensational result. Bruce’s enemies in Scotland now had a choice: pay homage to Bruce or leave the country. Many of his Comyn / Balliol enemies went to England. Their lands were confiscated and given to Bruce’s supporters.

But Edward II did not accept that Bruce was King of Scotland or that Scotland was free of his overlordship. The war went on. Bruce continued to attack the Northern counties of England several times and his surviving brother led an invasion of Ireland where he too was killed in battle.

The support of the Pope was vital if Edward II was to accept Bruce’s claim so in 1320, the Scottish Bishops and nobles sent a letter to the Pope to ask for his support. This letter became known as the “Declaration of Arbroath”.



Revision Task D5: First, Find out about the Declaration of Arbroath by reading this website page.

Then read the source and answer the question below.

Source D explains why the Scots sent the Declaration of Arbroath to the Pope in 1320.

Source D

In the years after Bannockburn, although Bruce controlled Scotland, he was not accepted internationally as its king. Earlier efforts to gain recognition by invading the north of England had failed. They had only annoyed Edward. The Scots then tried to increase the pressure on Edward by invading Ireland, but this ended in disaster when Edward Bruce was killed in 1318. When they sent the declaration to the Pope in 1320, they hoped he would recognise Bruce as king.

Why did the Scots send the Declaration of Arbroath to the Pope in 1320? (Use Source D and recall) 5 marks

13. Section D. The Battle of Bannockburn

The Battle of Bannockburn

Revision Task D4: First, find out about the Battle of Bannockburn by reading this website and watching the TV clips. Then read the source and answer the question below.

Source C is about the Battle of Bannockburn.

Source C

Bruce’s careful preparations for battle were ruined when Edward II moved his army to attack from the east and not from the south. However, this gave the much larger English army no room to move because they were surrounded by marshes and streams. Bruce decided to take advantage of this mistake and to attack them. The English were so jammed together and so tangled up that their leaders struggled to organise any defence and they lost all confidence in Edward.

Why did the Scots win the Battle of Bannockburn? (Use Source C and recall.) 5 marks

12. Section D - 3. His victory over the English; reasons for his success

3. His victory over the English; reasons for his success

In 1307 Bruce was on the run. He had been defeated in battles at Methven Wood near Perth and Dalry. His brothers had been captured and executed and his wife and sister had been imprisoned by Edward II. Edward and his cronies mocked Bruce by calling him “King Hob”. Edward II also called his minstrel (personal entertainer) "King Robert". The message was clear: Robert THE Bruce's claim to be King of Scotland was a joke.

Seven years later, Bruce was master of Scotland. How did he do it? Simples! It was as easy as AB and 2Cs!

A = Ambushes. Bruce changed his tactics. He gave up fighting major battles and changed to ambushes and hit and run. We would now call this “guerrilla warfare”. Bruce used his knowledge of the Scottish country side to choose his battle grounds carefully and he increased his advantage by digging traps and trenches to cancel out the advantage of the English mounted knights.

B = Brutality. The ordinary people of Galloway and Buchan were innocent. Their only crime was to live on land controlled by Bruce’s enemies. This made no difference to Bruce. He attacked these lands without mercy. This streak of ruthless brutality is something which all successful military leaders possess: nice people don’t win wars!

C1= Castles. Bruce and his followers gradually captured all of Scotland’s important castles except Stirling. This was done by stealth and sneakiness: Bruce did not have the strength or the wealth to pay for long sieges. For example, Linlithgow was captured by “ram raiding” a hay cart into the main gate. Edinburgh was captured by a daring climb up the castle rock. When castles were captured, Bruce pulled down the walls or threw dead bodies into the wells to prevent them being re-occupied by his enemies.

C2 – the Church. Bruce had the support of the Scottish church. The Scottish Bishops also contacted the Pope to get his support fro Bruce.

Revision Task D3: Make up a detailed mind map to show why Bruce was successful by 1314.

This BBC website gives more information about the life of Robert the Bruce including clips from the TV series “A History of Scotland.”

11. Section D - 2. Bruce the patriot; his conflict with and victory over Scottish opponents

2. Bruce the patriot; his conflict with and victory over Scottish opponents.

Was Bruce a patriot? (Someone who is proud of and prepared to fight for their country.) Let’s look at the evidence …

Until 1297, Bruce supported King Edward. Then he joined the revolt against him. When other nobles gave in to Edward, Bruce supported Wallace. After Falkirk, Bruce became joint Guardian of Scotland along with John Comyn. In 1302, Bruce submitted to Edward along with most of Scotland’s powerful nobles.

So Bruce was no Wallace then! He was prepared to compromise and do deals but he did support the Scottish cause against Edward when it was sensible to do so. Of course, the best answer is simply this: for Bruce, the interests of the Bruce family were the same thing as the interests of Scotland!

Bruce’s Scottish opponents were mostly the Balliol / Comyn clan. Bruce showed that he was able to work with John Comyn as joint Guardian even although this was very difficult for him because the Balliols / Comyns
competed with the Bruce family for the throne of Scotland.

This rivalry came to a head in February 1306. Bruce had arranged to meet with John Comyn at Grayfriars church Dumfries. The meeting was probably to arrange a deal between the two families: Edward I was dying and Bruce had been given the support of the Scottish church in a bid to become King. A deal with the Comyn clan made sense.

The two nobles argued and Bruce stabbed Comyn. He later heard that the wound was not fatal so he sent a follower back to the church to “mak siccar” (make sure). Bruce then had himself crowned King at Scone and was supported by the Scottish church.

Over the next few years, Bruce gradually built up his strength but his main priority was to kill off the threat from the Comn / Balliol clan. Two key events show how determined he was …

The Herschip of Galloway

Galloway in SW Scotland was a Comyn stronghold. In 1307, Bruce laid waste to the crops and animals and killed any peasants who did not run away.

The Herschip of Buchan

Buchan is in NE Scotland and was another Comyn stronghold. Bruce defeated the Comyns in battle at Inverurie and then destroyed the countryside for miles around.

By 1309 the nobles who opposed English rule took the hint: they accepted that only Bruce could lead the fight against Edward II. Bruce encouraged them by taking hostages from their families and warning them that what happened in Galloway and Buchan could also happen in their lands!

Revision Task D1: How far do Sources A and B agree about what happened when Bruce and the Red Comyn (John Comyn) met at Greyfriars Kirk in 1306?

Source A
While they were speaking, Bruce suddenly accused Comyn of betraying him. Comyn denied this. Just as he had planned, Bruce hit Comyn with a sword and left. When some evil folk told Bruce that Comyn would live, he ordered them to kill him beside the high altar.

Source B
When Bruce accused Comyn of telling King Edward about him, Comyn said this was a lie. This evil speaker was then stabbed and wounded. Later, the monks laid Comyn beside the altar but, when he said that he thought he would live, his enemies hit him again. Thus he was taken away from this world.

Revision Task D2: Was Bruce a “Patriot?”. Write your answer in 2 columns. In one column, write evidence that Bruce was fighting for Scottish freedom. In the second column, write evidence that Bruce was fighting for other reasons.

10. Section D = 1. Robert Bruce: the ambitions of the Bruces.

Section D

1. Robert Bruce: the ambitions of the Bruces.

The Bruce family was one of the most powerful in Scotland and bitter rivals of the Comyn / Balliol alliance. Robert THE Bruce’s grandfather was the head of the family when the Maid of Norway died. He became known as “The Competitor” because he competed with John Balliol to become King.

The Bruce family also had lands in England and Robert THE Bruce had been partly brought up at the court of Edward I at Westminster. But Robert had also been brought up to believe that his family had a right to be Kings of Scotland. In the middle ages, family loyalties were the most important loyalties and when Robert THE Bruce became head of the Bruce family he became responsible for the Bruce family claim. It was his responsibility and his destiny.

9. Section C - 3. The Battle of Falkirk and the reasons for its failure.

3. The Battle of Falkirk and the reasons for its failure.

In Spring 1298, Edward I returned to Scotland with an army. His army was short of supplies as Wallace had used a tactic of “scorched earth” : gathering in cattle and destroying sources of food ahead of Edward’s army. Edward marched his army to Linlithgow where he got news that Wallace’s army was at Falkirk.

Wallace organised his men into schiltroms and placed them well. The first attacks of Edward’s mounted knights failed. Edward then showed his skill as a general: he brought up his archers. The arrows of the longbowmen killed hundreds of Wallace’s men. Edward then sent in his mounted knights again to complete the slaughter. Some sources also suggest that Wallace was betrayed by nobles who left the battlefield and took their mounted knights with them.

Wallace survived and went on the run. He may have continued the fight as an outlaw in the Borders and there is good evidence that he went to France. Finally, in 1304, Wallace was betrayed by Sir John de Menteith, taken to London and Executed.

This BBC website gives lots more information about the life of William Wallace, including clips from the TV series “A History of Scotland.”

Watch this video clip about William Wallace, his victory at Stirling Bridge and his defeat at Falkirk.

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Revision Task C4: Make up a “top trumps” sheet on William Wallace. Include information about his actions before and after Stirling Bridge.

8. Section C.2 - Victory at Stirling and its effects on Scots and on Scotland

2. Victory at Stirling and its effects on Scots and on Scotland

September 1297. Andrew of Moray and William Wallace had joined forces and had taken up a position on the north side of Stirling. They had not been joined by any of the important Scottish nobles but many less important Scots had flocked to join them.

Use this web site to find out about the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Wallace’s victory was partly due to foolish mistakes made by the English commanders: they walked into a trap. It was also due to the Scottish tactic of using groups of spearmen or “schiltroms” against mounted knights.

The victory had important results for Wallace and Scotland …

• Moray had died of wounds he suffered in the battle so Wallace got the full credit for the victory.
• The Scottish nobles had been “sitting on the fence” but they now joined Wallace and made him “Guardian of Scotland”.
• Wallace made sure that a Scot, William Lamberton, was appointed Archbishop of St Andrews. Lamberton went to Rome and got the Pope’s support for King John as the rightful King of Scotland. He also visited the French King and got his support also.
• Wallace made contact with important trading towns in Europe. He told them that Scotland was “under new management and open for business”.
• Wallace re-organised the Scottish army and attacked into northern England.

Revision Task C3: Make up flsh cards on "The Results of Victory at Stirling". using the bullet points above

7. Section C - 1. William Wallace: the reasons for and the progress of his rebellion.

Section C

1. William Wallace: the reasons for and the progress of his rebellion.

By late 1296, all resistance to Edward had disappeared. Some Scottish nobles such as the Bruces were even enthusiastic supporters: Edward had got rid of their hated rival King John. But Edward made mistakes …

• He relied on “incomers” from England to rule Scotland. Families like the Bruces were not rewarded for their loyalty. Big mistake number 1!

• He decided that only English churchmen were to be promoted in the Scottish church. This was because he thought the Scottish Bishops had been disloyal. He was right but trying to take over the Scottish church was only going to increase their disloyalty. Big mistake number 2!

By 1297, Edward was in France but the mistakes he made in Scotland were starting to build up trouble…

1. Duncan McDougall (a supporter of John Balliol) led a revolt in the north west of Scotland.
2. Andrew of Moray led a revolt in the north east.
3. James the Steward attacked Edward’s garrisons in the south west.
4. William Wallace attacked and killed the Sheriff of Lanark and became the leader of resistance in central Scotland. He attacked William Ormsby, Edward’s chief justice in Scotland.

So William Wallace was only one of a number of Scottish resisters and not very important. It was what happened next which made him famous.

Revision Task C1: Make a list of the methods Edward used to control Scotland. Put a “frowny face” next to the two big mistakes he made. Try to explain why these actions were likely to cause more trouble for Edward.

Revision Task C2: Make up flash cards about the revolts against Edward. Leaders’ names on one side, details on the other.

6. Section B - 3. The subjugation of Scotland

3. The subjugation of Scotland

Chess was a popular game among nobles in the middle ages. The Scots thought the treaty with France was a good move which would put the English King in an impossible position: “Checkmate!” They were wrong: Edward I had a few winning moves left …

Edward led his army to the border with Scotland and attacked the Scottish trading town of Berwick. The town was captured and the population of 7500 was slaughtered. Men, women and children were put to the sword in three days of mayhem. This was perfectly normal for the Middle Ages when a town had refused to surrender but Edward was also making an example of Berwick and warning the rest of Scotland : resist and you die, surrender and you live.

Edward then led his army to Dunbar where a Scottish army was waiting. Not for long: they were heavily defeated. Many nobles were captured and sent to prison in England or allowed to go free after family members were taken as hostages.

Edward then chased King John Balliol to the north of Scotland. On the way, he grabbed important symbols of Scottish resistance such as the Stone of Scone and the Black Rood of St Margaret (supposed to be part of the cross on which Jesus was crucified).

Edward finally caught up with King John near Brechin and humiliated him in a special ceremony which was reserved for disobedient vassals. King John was paraded before Edward. John was wearing only a coat and breeches (underwear) and carrying a white stick. The badges were ripped off his coat . the white stick broken and King John was forced to beg forgiveness on his knees. He was then sent to London to be imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Edward dealt with the Scottish nobles by forcing them to sign a document accepting him as sole ruler of Scotland. This document became known as the “Ragman’s Roll”

Finally, Edward seized all the major castles in Scotland and appointed loyal followers to control them. He also appointed two of his trusted nobles to rule Scotland while he went to France to continue his war. These nobles were William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham who was made Treasurer.

Watch this video. It covers the key events up to Edward I's conquest of Scotland.

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Revision Task B3: Subjugation means to bring under complete control. Make up a mind map to show ALL the ways in which Edward had subjugated Scotland by 1296.

5. Section B - 2. The Anglo-French war and the Franco-Scottish Treaty

2. The Anglo-French war and the Franco-Scottish Treaty

The crisis came when King Edward fell out with the King of France. They argued over lands owned in France by Edward. The French King said that these lands were part of his kingdom and that Edward should pay homage for them and become his vassal. Edward’s response was to go to war. He gathered an army and of course demanded that his vassal King John Balliol should supply knights and soldiers for this war.

The Scots had never fought for any King other than the King of Scotland nor had a Scots army ever left Britain to fight abroad. They refused to fight for Edward. In July 1295, 12 Scottish nobles and Bishops formed a Council to support King John. The Council made a secret treaty with France: Scotland would fight on the side of the King of France against Edward I. This “Auld Alliance” was to have a huge impact on Scottish history for the next 450 years.

Revision Task B2: “My enemy’s enemy is my friend” is a well known saying in time of war between nations. Try to explain how this applied to Scotland, France and England in 1295.

4. Section B - Edward as overlord of Scotland and the Scottish Response

This picture shows John Balliol accepting Edward as his overlord.


Section B

1. Edward as overlord of Scotland and the Scottish Response

In the middle ages, the position of “overlord” was a very powerful one. The overlord had important rights over his “vassal” (underling). Among these rights were …

• The right of the overlord to receive tribute in return for the lands held by the vassal. This was usually in the form of soldiers and knights to be provided in time of war.
• The right of appeal to the overlord by nobles who felt wronged by the decisions of the vassal King.

Edward made it very clear to John Balliol that he was his overlord and rubbed this in by exercising these rights. Here are some examples:

• Edward made King John attend ceremonies in England. This was meant to show that John was subject to King Edward.
• Edward encouraged Scottish nobles to appeal to him if they did not like decisions made by John Balliol.
• Edward humiliated King John by siding with a French wine merchant who claimed King John owed him £2000 for wine. King John was forced to appear at Edward’s court at Westminster and admit that he was at fault.

The Scottish nobility made life difficult for King John but they also hated Edward’s interference. King John’s powerful Balliol and Comyn relatives especially resented his treatment. The Scottish Bishops were also powerful supporters of King John: the church was much more free to do what it liked in Scotland than in England. The Scottish Bishops were afraid that they would lose this freedom unless King John developed some “backbone”.

On the other hand, the Bruce family and their allies were only too happy to see that their rival for the throne was in trouble. They supported King Edward against King John and the Balliols and Comyns.

So, the Scottish response to Edward was mixed but by 1295, most Scottish nobles were calling on King John to stand up to King Edward.

Watch this video. It covers all the key events up to this point in the topic

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Revision Task B1: Make a list of 5 reasons why, by 1295, trouble had built up between King John and King Edward.

3. Section A - 3. The Scottish appeal to Edward I - the decision at Norham

3. The Scottish appeal to Edward I - the decision at Norham

The danger of civil war in Scotland was even greater than before. The Guardians therefore sent an appeal to Edward and asked him to take action. They thought the Treaty of Birgham would protect Scotland from any interference.

Edward I was only too willing to lend a hand. He sent orders to the Scottish Bishops and nobles that they should come to Norham (on the border between Scotland and England) where HE would decide who should be the next ruler of Scotland now that the Maid was dead. He also had a shock ready for them: he said that the Treaty of Birgham had died along with the Maid and that he was legally entitled to be OVERLORD of the Kingdom of Scotland.

The Scots tried to a clever way get around this: they said that Edward might well be overlord of Scotland but only a Scottish King could accept this and since Scotland had no King there could be no overlord.

This was not clever enough for Edward. He simply forced those who had claims to be King of Scotland to state that they would accept him as overlord if they were chosen as King. They all agreed. Job done!

After considering all the claims put before him, Edward finally decided that the next King of Scotland would be John Balliol. This decision making process was known as the “Great Cause” . The result of the Great Cause pleased the Balliols and their Comyn clan allies but the other main competitor, Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale was seriously annoyed.

Revision Task A4: Answer the following question

Explain why there was a succession problem in Scotland between
1286 and 1292. (8)

This is an essay question. You must write an introductory paragraph which signposts the main points. This should be followed by at least 5 main paragraphs and a conclusion.

So what are your main points?

• What happened to Alexander III in 1286?
• Why Alexander’s family circumstances caused difficulties?
• Why the nobles were unhappy about the Maid of Norway?
• Why the Treaty of Birgham was intended to solve the problem?
• Why Edward I became involved and what he decided during the “Great Cause”.

2. Section A - 2. The Scottish response - Treaty of Birgham

2. The Scottish response - Treaty of Birgham

The Scottish church was powerful and wealthy. A civil war would have been a disaster for them and Scotland. The powerful Bishops of Glasgow and St Andrews persuaded the nobles that the Maid of Norway must become Queen. Powerful Guardians were appointed from the nobles and the church to take decisions for her. One of these decisions was that a marriage would be agreed between Margaret and Edward, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Edward I of England. This was agreed when a Treaty was signed at Birgham (near Berwick) in 1290. The treaty also stated that Scotland would be "separate and divided from England according to its rightful boundaries, free in itself and without subjection."

This Treaty made a lot of sense from the Scottish point of view:

• Alexander’s first wife had been the sister of Edward I so there were already strong links and good relations between the two families.
• Edward was a powerful and respected ruler. Scottish nobles like the Bruces and Balliols would be afraid to make trouble if the Maid was to be married to his son.
• The Scots believed that the Treaty protected Scotland from interference by Edward.

Unfortunately, the Treaty had barely been agreed when news came from the north: the Maid of Norway had died on her voyage to Scotland.

Revision Task A3: Make up 10 “flash cards” on the Treaty of Birgham. On one side of the card put the heading “Treaty of Birgham”. On the other side, write at least ONE fact about the treaty. E.g. “Agreed in 1290”. Test yourself by turning the flash cards over until you can remember at least 5 key facts about the Treaty

1. Section A - 1. The Death of Alexander III and its consequences

Section A

1. The succession problem following the death of Alexander III

Scotland’s problems began in 1286 when Alexander III was killed. His horse fell from the cliffs at Kinghorn in Fife. Why was this such a problem?

1. Alexander’s first wife and all his children (two boys and a girl) were already dead.
2. Alexander had only recently married his second wife and they had not yet had children.
3. Alexander’s closest surviving relative was his grand daughter but she was an infant AND she was in Norway.
4. There were plenty of powerful nobles in Scotland who would be very happy to take on the job of King but this would mean war between the noble families of Scotland and their followers.

Revision Task A1: Make up a mind map. In the centre, put the title “Why was Alexander’s death a disaster for Scotland?”. Around the outside of the mind map, write all the reasons why Alexander’s death was a disaster.

Revision Task A2: Read the Source below and answer the question .

Source A

The Scottish nobles were not keen to have a female ruler because they wanted a warrior to lead them. The tragic death of Alexander III in 1286 left them little choice. They saw the main problem as who she was to marry. If she married a Scot, he would gain a lot of power which would make other noble families jealous. If she married a foreigner, then Scotland might be taken over by a foreign power.

Why were there problems when the Maid of Norway became queen? (Use Source A and recall.)5 marks

An overview of the Wallace and Bruce topic

Intermediate History - Wallace and Bruce and the Wars of Independence 1286 - 1328

This History unit is the first unit to be studied in S2. You will be tested on your knowledge of what you have learned during the course and also at the end of S3 when you sit your SQA exam. Regular revision and review is therefore vital.

We teach the course in 4 sections as you can see below.

Section A

Scotland 1286 - 96: the succession problem following the death of Alexander III; the Scottish response - Treaty of Birgham; the death of the Maid of Norway; the Scottish appeal to Edward I - the decision at Norham; Bruce versus Balliol, the Great Cause and Edward’s choice;

Section B

Edward as overlord of Scotland; the Scottish response; the Anglo-French war and the Franco-Scottish Treaty; the subjugation of Scotland.

Section C

William Wallace: the reasons for and the progress of his rebellion; his victory at Stirling and its effects on Scots and on Scotland; the Battle of Falkirk and the reasons for its failure.

Section D

Robert Bruce: the ambitions of the Bruces; Bruce the patriot; his conflict with and victory over Scottish opponents; his victory over the English; reasons for his success; Declaration of Arbroath - the triumph of the nation state in 1328.

Revision Task 1: Get Organised!

Get 4 pieces of A4 paper. Write the heading Section A, Section B, Section C and Section D at the top of each sheet. Then copy the contents of each section from the description given above. Stick these sheets with blu tac to your revision wall. You can then tick each section off when you have finished revising it!

You can also work your way through this BBC website. It’s excellent.