A Longing for Peace: Putting the Declaration of Arbroath in Context

Abstract

The general context surrounding the despatch to Avignon of the Declaration of Arbroath has been acknowledged and understood for some time. However, a detailed examination of the diplomatic to-ing and fro-ing between Scotland, England and the papacy in the years before and after 1320 reveals several significant aspects that have hitherto been overlooked. The most important is the pivotal role played by the death of the heir to the Scottish throne in Ireland in 1317, which prompted King Robert to engage directly with Pope John XXII, something the former had studiously avoided until then. This reflected the ultimate failure of Scottish military policy designed to force a peace treaty out of Edward II based on Scottish independence and a Bruce kingship. Henceforth Scotland’s leaders worked hard to appear model members of Christendom’s elites, despite the ongoing excommunication for their earlier contumacy. The interdict was finally lifted only a few months before Robert’s death and shortly after the conclusion of a ‘final’ peace with Edward III’s regency government (brought about by good old-fashioned military action).