Editing Declaration of Arbroath (section)

== Overview ==
[[File:Declaration of Arbroath.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|The Declaration of Arbroath included in the text of the ''[[Scotichronicon]]'' in the [[British Library]].]]
The ''Declaration'' was part of a broader diplomatic campaign, which sought to assert Scotland's position as an independent kingdom,{{sfn|Barrow|1984}} rather than its being a feudal land controlled by England's Norman kings, as well as to lift the excommunication of Robert the Bruce.{{sfn|Lynch|1992}} The pope had recognised [[Edward I of England]]'s claim to [[Overlord|overlordship]] of Scotland in 1305 and Bruce was excommunicated by the Pope for murdering [[John Comyn III of Badenoch|John Comyn]] before the [[Altar in the Catholic Church|altar]] at [[Greyfriars Church, Dumfries|Greyfriars Church in Dumfries]] in 1306.{{sfn|Lynch|1992}} This excommunication was lifted in 1308; subsequently the pope threatened Robert with excommunication again if Avignon's demands in 1317 for peace with [[Kingdom of England|England]] were ignored.<ref name=":1" /> Warfare continued, and in 1320 John XXII again excommunicated Robert I.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/medieval-britain-c10001500/scotland-13061513/01D91960B24A2EE2125284983B7F600C|title=Scotland, 1306–1513|last=Crouch|first=David|date=2018|website=Medieval Britain, c. 1000–1500|series=Cambridge History of Britain|publisher=Cambridge University Press|pages=309–328|language=en|doi=10.1017/9780511844379|isbn=9780511844379|access-date=2020-04-06}}</ref> In reply, the ''Declaration'' was composed and signed and, in response, the papacy rescinded King Robert Bruce's excommunication and thereafter addressed him using his [[Imperial, royal and noble ranks|royal title]].<ref name=":1" />

The wars of Scottish independence began as a result of the deaths of [[Alexander III of Scotland|King Alexander III of Scotland]] in 1286 and his heir the "[[Margaret, Maid of Norway|Maid of Norway]]" in 1290, which left the throne of Scotland vacant and the subsequent succession crisis of 1290–1296 ignited a struggle among the [[Competitors for the Crown of Scotland]], chiefly between the [[Clan Cumming|House of Comyn]], the [[House of Balliol]], and the [[Clan Bruce|House of Bruce]] who all claimed the crown. After July 1296's deposition of [[John Balliol|King John Balliol]] by Edward of England and then February 1306's killing of John Comyn III, Robert Bruce's rivals to the throne of Scotland were gone, and Robert was crowned king at Scone that year.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/medieval-britain-c10001500/redefining-britain-12171327/B041998C26C482864442341D97CDC788|chapter=Redefining Britain, 1217–1327|last=Crouch|first=David|title=Medieval Britain, c. 1000–1500|year=2018|website=Medieval Britain, c. 1000–1500|series=Cambridge History of Britain|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=299|language=en|doi=10.1017/9780511844379.013|isbn=9780511844379|access-date=2020-04-06}}</ref> Edward I, the "Hammer of Scots", died in 1307; his son and successor Edward II did not renew his father's campaigns in Scotland.<ref name=":4" /> In 1309 a parliament held at St Andrews acknowledged Robert's right to rule, received emissaries from the [[Kingdom of France]] recognising the Bruce's title, and proclaimed the independence of the kingdom from England.<ref name=":4" />

By 1314 only [[Edinburgh]], [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]], [[Roxburgh]], and [[Stirling]] remained in English hands. In June 1314 the [[Battle of Bannockburn]] had secured Robert Bruce's position as King of Scots; Stirling, the [[Central Belt]], and much of [[Lothian]] came under Robert's control while the defeated [[Edward II of England|Edward II]]'s power on escaping to England via Berwick weakened under the sway of his cousin [[Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster|Henry, Earl of Lancaster]].<ref name=":3" /> King Robert was thus able to consolidate his power, and sent his brother [[Edward Bruce]] to claim the [[Kingdom of Ireland]] in 1315 with an army landed in [[Ulster]] the previous year with the help of Gaelic lords from the [[Lord of the Isles|Isles]].<ref name=":3" /> Edward Bruce died in 1318 without achieving success, but the Scots campaigns in Ireland and in northern England were intended to press for the recognition of Robert's crown by King Edward.<ref name=":3" /> At the same time, it undermined the [[House of Plantagenet|House of Plantagenet's]] claims to overlordship of the British Isles and halted the Plantagenets' effort to absorb Scotland as had been done in Ireland and Wales. Thus were the Scots nobles confident in their letters to Pope John of the distinct and independent nature of Scotland's kingdom; the ''Declaration of Arbroath'' was one such. According to historian [[David Crouch (historian)|David Crouch]], "The two nations were mutually hostile kingdoms and peoples, and the ancient idea of Britain as an informal empire of peoples under the English king's presidency was entirely dead."<ref name=":4" />

The text describes the ancient history of Scotland, in particular the ''[[Scoti]]'', the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] forebears of the [[Scottish people|Scots]] who the ''Declaration'' claims have origins in [[Scythia|''Scythia Major'']] prior to migrating via Spain to [[Great Britain]] "1,200 years from the [[Crossing the Red Sea|Israelite people's crossing of the Red Sea]]".{{efn|{{Langx|la|Undeque veniens post mille et ducentos annos a transitu populi israelitici per mare rubrum|links=no}} }} The ''Declaration'' describes how the Scots had "thrown out the [[Celtic Britons|Britons]] and completely destroyed the [[Picts]]",{{efn|{{Langx|la|expulsis primo Britonibus et Pictis omnino deletis|links=no}} }} resisted the invasions of "the Norse, the Danes and the English",{{efn|{{Langx|la|licet per Norwagienses, Dacos et Anglicos sepius inpugnata fuerit|links=no}} }} and "held itself ever since, free from all slavery".{{efn|{{Langx|la|ipsaque ab omni seruitute liberas, semper tenuit|links=no}} }} It then claims that in the Kingdom of Scotland, "one hundred and thirteen kings have reigned of their own [[Royal descent|Blood Royal]], without interruption by foreigners".{{efn|{{Langx|la|In quorum Regno Centum et Tredescim Reges de ipsorum Regali prosapia, nullo alienigena interueniente, Regnauerunt|links=no}} }} The text compares Robert Bruce with the Biblical warriors [[Judah Maccabee]] and [[Joshua]].{{efn|{{Langx|la|quasi alter Machabeus aut Josue|links=no}} }}

The ''Declaration'' made a number of points: that Edward I of England had unjustly attacked Scotland and perpetrated atrocities; that Robert the Bruce had delivered the Scottish nation from this peril; and, most controversially, that the independence of Scotland was the prerogative of the Scottish people, rather than the King of Scots.