Strathearn and Perthshire's Role in the Wars of Independence : Wallace and Bruce .
Wallace Monument Stirling
Scotland Emerges As A Country And Becomes A Target For Others
Scotland a s a
nation arrived on the scene when Kenneth
mac Alpin emerged as King of Scots when
his Dalriata ( modern Argyll ) joined
with the Pictish kingdom of Fortren in what is now modern Strathearn . It was not a peacefully worked unification as mac
Alpin had defeated the Picts under Drust
near Scone . There was, as well, a
threat from over the water in Scandinavia. Attracted by the wealth of the increasingly
important religious centre of Dunkeld, the Vikings based in Dublin in Ireland
launched an attack on the Picts and Scots in 839 at Forteviot near Perth . It
was the first of many Viking victories and after a succession of raids
succeeded in capturing Dunkeld. Constantine , King of the Scots , retaliated
and although defeated at Scone in 904 fought
back and won a significant victory in the Battle of Strathearn the
following year . Here the Vikings were virtually annihilated and their leader
King Ivarr ll was killed in the battle.
Battle of Monzievaird
Although the
Vikings and Danes were defeated , internal wrangling between the claimants for the Scottish throne continued .
Perched high above Loch Turret are some of
the most picturesque peaks in Strathearn. For many years visitors and locals
alike have walked from the foot of the Turret Dam past Creag Chaissean towards
Choinneachain, the Blue Crags and the source of the Barvick Burn. Not the
highest of local hills at little over two and half thousand feet but
undoubtedly one of the most interesting. The ordnance survey map proclaims both in
English and our native Gaelic that it is King Kenneth’s Cairn. Who was Kenneth
and why does this lonely peak have a cairn in his memory? One thousand years ago (the actual date is
subject to debate) a great battle was fought between Kenneth lV, King of Scots,
and his cousin Malcolm. Kenneth was known as Kenneth the Grim or Kenneth the
Brown from his dark, swarthy complexion. Malcolm who was in possession of what
is now Cumbria had fallen out with his relation over his claim to the throne.
He alleged that his father had settled the dynasty in his favour and that
Kenneth was a usurper. A civil war ensued and Malcolm invaded Strathearn at the
head of a substantial army. Battle was engaged in the area of ground below
where Ochtertyre House now stands and the ruins of Castle Cluggy. The Church at
the time tried to intervene and attempted to negotiate a compromise, proposing
that Kenneth reign for his lifetime and on his death be succeeded by Malcolm or
his heirs. Alas both parties ignored this peace saving move and on the 25th
of March 1005 battle raged. Kenneth and
his son Giric were slain. Malcolm became
King as Malcolm ll. He reigned for some thirty years and in this time the
differences between the Picts and the Scots was consolidated thus laying the
foundations of a stable kingdom. Up until this time succession to the throne
was by a system known as tanistry. The dying king named the person to succeed
him from one of the two family lines (maternal or paternal). Malcolm solution
to this was quite simple. On Kenneth’s death, he murdered all his surviving
male heirs! The somewhat incestuous nature of succession was not however
entirely eradicated. Kenneth’s granddaughter had a son Luloch prior to her
marrying Macbeth (and becoming Lady Macbeth). . When Macbeth died Luloch, great
grandson of Kenneth became King of Scotland.
The ancient cairn on the hill is a sad
reminder of Strathearn’s violent past. The slain King’s body does not, as some
sources suggest, lie beneath it but was removed and buried on the Island of
Iona, the traditional resting place of Scotland’s monarchs.
Wallace - hero and patriot
Wallace
With the tragic death of Alexander lll a
new problem arose over the freedom and
sovereignty of Scotland . John Baliol was
chosen as the successor to the Kingship but only with the support of the
English King – Edward l , known generally as “ Longshanks “ . Edward
demanded Baliol swear allegiance to him thus tacitly handing over control of Scotland to the English . Scotland was by this time a national entity and its
populous resented the intrusion of a foreign power .In 1296 the English
army swept to victory at Dunbar and this was
followed up by the seizing
of both Stirling and its castle and the town of Perth . To add to the
humiliation Balliol was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of
London . Scotland had a strong affiliation with France over many decades and known as the entente cordialle . England unlike Scotland was a traditional enemy of France and Edward of
England demanded that all Scottish land
owners renounce the French alliance and
swear allegiance to him thus
encompassing the Scottish nation within complete English supremacy and virtually ending their independent status .
It was at his stage the “ Braveheart “ scenario kicked in led
by two nobles William Wallace and Andrew Murray . The resistance movement very much centred in Perthshire .
The Raid on Scone in 1297 saw Ormesby the
English justiciar narrowly escape capture as the Scots under Wallace and Sir William Douglas
attacked with their band of fighters .Shortly afterwards Wallace and his men
ambushed an English troop of soldiers attempting to cross the Allan Water at
Blackford . The die was truly cast as Wallace continued his guerrilla tactics
to the consternation and confusion of the invaders . At Kinclaven near Meiklour
( where the tallest beech hedge in the
world now exists ) , Wallace
continued his offensive .His
cleverly planned ambush trapped a troop of cavalry under the command of
Sir James Butler riding to reinforce Kinclaven Castle , Butler and many of his
men died . Wallace pursued the
remnants to the Castle . The garrison
was captured and the occupants put to the sword . As a sign of his growing dominance
Wallace set fire to the castle . The following
day , Butler’s son led an English force of some 1 000 men against the “usurper
“ . In a somewhat indecisive encounter
there was no clear winner . Wallace decided , tactically , to retreat to the
safety of Methven Wood and after a
while made his move . He and Andrew Murray attacked the
English at Stirling and the Battle of Stirling Bridge was an epic victory for
the Scots . Tragically Murray was killed
but Wallace thereafter
became one of the Guardians of Scotland . Edward 1 (Longshanks) was enraged
that the Scottish upstarts dare challenge
his authority . Having just returned
from a campaign in France he ordered his army to invade Scotland . The
wily Wallace adopted a scorched earth
policy destroying crops and vital supplies required by the invaders . This resulted
in many of Longshanks’ soldiers
deserting and mutinying from the resulting hardships .Wallace attacked and captured the Fair City of Perth
killing or taking prisoner the English
garrison .It was not however all success . Such was the size of the invasion
force that perhaps the inevitable happened
Wallace’s confrontation at the Battle of
Falkirk saw him defeated by the superior strength of his foes. What was interesting
in this encounter was that the English army
contained a number of Scots nobles
including one Robert Bruce who was a
little later to become King Robert 1 of Scotland . The reasoning behind this apparent anomaly lay in the fact that
many Scots nobles , particularly those of
Norman descent held land in England as well as Scotland thus causing a
loyalty problem when conflict occurred .
Wallace resorted again to guerrilla tactics
with a degree of success. Just before his betrayal and capture he led his men at what
had become a typical hit and run
tactic near Bridge of Earn south of Perth in 1304. Again he chose to strike as
the English troops were attempting to cross the River Earn heading northwards.
Wallace however was captured in the end by the betrayal of a so called
compatriot , one Sir John Stewart of Menteith . For the paltry sum of £151
Wallace was handed over to the English
and taken to London where King Edward determined his fate . Wallace
received no trial but was hung , drawn and quartered after torture and his head
and limbs displayed both in England and in Scotland as a “ deterrent “ to any of his fellow countrymen following suit .
The "Trial " of William Wallace
The aftermath of Wallace’s death saw the
arrival of someone who was to make an indelible mark on the future of our
country . Robert Bruce , Earl of Carrick and Lord of Annandale was of Norman
descent and held lands in England as well as Scotland . As stated above this
was why Bruce had actually fought on the side of Edward of England against
Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk . Bruce’s arrival on the scene was largely on
account of his claim to the Scottish throne . He murdered another claimant John
Comyn allegedly in a church in Dumfries . The Comyn family held amongst other
strongholds Castle Cluggy at Ochtertyre just west of Crieff . Bruce was crowned
at Scone in strong defiance of Edward . We have narrated in an earlier blog how
Bruce marched into Strathearn confronted Malise Earl of Strathearn at Fowlis
Castle demanding , successfully , that he pay him due allegiance. Bruce’s had a displayed a powerful and ruthless approach to controlling his country
but the aging Edward was not someone who would lightly relinquish what he
believed was his . In 1306 he assembled
a large force at Carlisle under the command of the Earl of Pembroke – Aymer de
Valence – who just happened to be the
brother in law of John Comyn murdered by
Bruce . Under the Dragon Banner the army marched into Scotland . The
significance of the banner was simply that it indicated n mercy would
be shown . Perth was soon occupied and
Bruce moved into action . The story goes that Bruce sent four emissaries
to the town to make an agreement not to commence battle till after the end of the Sabbath ( Sunday ) . After this had
been achieved , Bruce and his army made camp at what was probably Methven Den north of the present village. In a relaxed
mood Bruce’s army were sitting ducks when de Valence attacked . It was a virtual
slaughter and Bruce himself was captured . Fortune smiled for once when he was recognised and
released by a Scottish knight John de Halliburton fighting on the English side
. Bruce with a few followers escaped through the wood . It was estimated that only about 500 Scots
escaped and survived . Bruce spent the
next eight years fighting a guerrilla campaign
like his compatriot William Wallace . The grand finale came in 1314 when
Bruce won a stunning victory at Bannockburn against Longshanks’ son Edward ll .
It was in reality another 27 years
before the Wars of Independence were finally won and Scotland liberated .
Strangely enough that final clash was the liberation of Perth when the English
garrison surrendered after a prolonged siege . Unlike earlier scenarios things
showed a more humanitarian touch than might have been anticipated . The English
commander Sir Thomas Ughtred and his men were allowed to leave
Perth and join the English fleet anchored further downstream in the Tay.
They returned to England and Scotland was at last free and independent ,
Robert the Bruce
Scotland
Today
In
September 2014 all persons aged 16 and
over living in Scotland will have the
democratic right to vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum . Irrespective
of
which way one chooses to vote , it clearly demonstrates a freedom
to express one’s
opinion as to how Scotland
as a nation should be governed . This
blog is an historical
account of our turbulent past and not a political
diatribe Of all constituent member
nations that comprise the United
Kingdom , it is arguable that with the advent
of
devolution and the re
establishment of the Scottish Parliament after
some 300
years in abeyance , the
quality of government in this country is
fairer and more
democratic than it has
been for many a long decade . The
anomaly in the UK now is
that whilst, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have
their own devolved
Parliamentsor Assemblies, England, by far the largest of
the four nations, has not!
The somewhatmyopic Westminster Parliament in London
seems to believe that as well
as administering for matters affecting the whole
of these Isles it can squeeze in the
domestic businessof its English members without
any problems. Devolution in the case
of Scotland includes control and
legislation covering such matters as housing, health,
education and tourism .
These matters are voted on in the Holyrood Parliament by
Scottish MSPsand no one
else. Similar matters affecting England alone are voted on
in the Westminster
Parliament not just by English elected MPs but by Scots, Welsh
and Irish MPs - a somewhat odd situation .
Scotland
politically may be defined as a social democratic country with 85% of the
constituency vote at the last ( 2011 ) election going to parties who fall within this
category . The political
balance at Holyrood is maintained
by the use of the STV
or Single
Transferable Vote . The existence of the Conservative Party at ,Holyrood,
for example has
been maintained by the use of this
system .Under the
Westminster“ first
past the post “ system they would have
disappeared without
trace - hardly a democratic decision to protect the
rights of the largest right of
centre grouping !
Come 2014 let democracy be the judge . If you have a vote listen to the debate
and decide !
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