The Seal of King William the Lion
The MacMalcolm Kings of Scotland
On the death of David I in 1153 he was succeeded by his grandson King Macolm IV (1153 – 1165). Malcolm IV’s father, Henry, Earl of Huntingdon had died the year before in 1152. Like David I he was heavily influenced by Anglo-Norman culture, especially as regards religion and the mounted heavily armed cavalry. He died in 1165 at the age of 24.
William the Lion
Malcolm IV was succeeded by his younger brother William I known as the Lion (1165-1214) because he was the first King of Scots to use as his personal standard the red lion rampant on a yellow background. In 1173 he joined the revolt against King Henry II of England by his sons. While leading an invasion of Northumbria in the following year William was captured by English troops at the Battle of Alnwick. King Willian was subsequently taken to France by Henry II where he was forced to acknowledge the English king as his feudal superior. In what became known as the Treaty of Falaise William I had to permit English troops to garrison the castles of Scotland and to pay for their maintenance.
The Quitclaim of Canterbury
This situation continued until 1189 when the new English king Richard I cancelled the Treaty of Falaise in return for a payment of 10,000 merks in what became known as the Quitclaim of Canterbury This was required to help fund his involvement in what became known as the Third Crusade. This enabled William the Lion to restore his authority to all areas of Scotland particularly in Galloway and the far north. While King William restored his control in much of Scotland relations with Anglo-Norman England remained strained. This was particularly true as regards King John, resulting in a show of force by the English king when he marched an army to the Scottish border. A rattled William was forced to pay a large sum of money to King John and to permit his oldest daughters to marry Anglo-Norman noblemen. He later had to agree to the marriage of his successor, the future Alexander II, to King John’s daughter Joan. William I died at Stirling in 1214 and was succeeded by his son Alexander II.
The Achievements of William the Lion
King William the Lion continued the policies pursued by his grandfather David I. In particular he continued the foundation of new burghs, and the economic changes previously established leading to a rapid growth in the economy. William I also continued to invite Anglo-French noblemen to come to Scotland thus continuing the process of feudalisation, The developments in Scottish law were continued particularly as regards justices and sheriffs. William I also continued David I’s religious policy especially with his foundation of Arbroath Abbey and the bishopric of Argyll. In 1192 there was also the papal confirmation of the Scottish church.