When Margaret, Maid of Norway, died in 1290, there was no clear heir to Scotland’s throne. With rival nobles claiming they should be king, Scotland was on the brink of civil war. The Guardians of Scotland appealed to Edward I of England to help select a new king. The process became known as The Great Cause. Edward was seen as a peaceful neighbour, so it was a shock when he arrived at the Scottish border in 1292 with a large army. Edward insisted that, to be considered, the thirteen claimants not only had to agree that he was their overlord, but that he had legal possession of Scotland and that it was his to freely give away. In the end, only two of the competitors had any serious claim to the throne: John Balliol and Robert Bruce. After thirteen months, it was announced that John Balliol would become King of Scotland. As the grandson of King David’s elder daughter, he was judged as next in line ahead of Bruce, the son of David’s younger daughter. Scotland had a new king, but John was forced to concede to Edward’s sovereignty and overlordship
Description
Edward I of England was invited to settle Scotland’s succession crisis. He would choose Scotland’s new king.
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