Everything about William The Lion totally explained
William I (
Mediaeval Gaelic:
Uilliam mac Eanric; Modern Gaelic:
Uilleam mac Eanraig), known as
the Lion or
Garbh, "the Rough", (
1142/
1143 –
December 4 1214) reigned as
King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. His reign was the second longest in
Scottish history before the
Act of Union with
England in 1707, (
James VI's was the longest 1567–1625). He became King following his brother
Malcolm IV's death on
9 December 1165 and was crowned on
24 December 1165.
In contrast to his deeply religious, frail brother, William was powerfully built, redheaded, and headstrong. He was an effective monarch whose reign was marred by his ill-fated attempts to regain control of
Northumbria from the English.
Traditionally, William is credited with founding
Arbroath Abbey, the site of the later
Declaration of Arbroath. Interestingly, he wasn't known as "The Lyon" during his own lifetime, and the sobriquet didn't relate to his tenacious character or his military prowess. William adopted the use of the Lion Rampant by his right to do so under the law of Heraldry.
The title "Lion" was attached to him because of his flag or standard, a red lion rampant (with a forked tail) on a yellow background. This (with the addition of a 'double tressure fleury counter-fleury' border) went on to become the
Royal standard of Scotland, still used today but
quartered with those of
England and of
Ireland. It became attached to him because the chronicler Fordun called him the "Lion of Justice".
William also inherited the title of Earl of
Northumbria in
1152. However he'd to give up this title to King
Henry II of England in
1157. This caused trouble after William became king, since he spent a lot of effort trying to regain Northumbria.
William was a key rebel in the
Revolt of 1173–1174 against Henry II. In
1174, at the
Battle of Alnwick, during a raid in support of the revolt, William recklessly charged the English troops himself, shouting, "Now we'll see which of us are good knights!" He was unhorsed and captured by Henry's troops led by
Ranulf de Glanvill and taken in chains to
Newcastle, then Northampton, and then transferred to
Falaise in
Normandy. Henry then sent an army to Scotland and occupied it. As ransom and to regain his kingdom, William had to acknowledge Henry as his feudal superior and agree to pay for the cost of the English army's occupation of Scotland by taxing the Scots. This he did by signing the
Treaty of Falaise. He was then allowed to return to Scotland. In 1175 he swore fealty to
Henry II at
York Castle.
The Treaty of Falaise remained in force for the next fifteen years. Then
Richard the Lionheart, needing money to take part in the
Third Crusade, agreed to terminate it in return for 10,000 silver marks.
Due to the terms of the Treaty of Falaise, Henry II had the right to choose William's bride. As a result, William married
Ermengarde de Beaumont, a granddaughter of King
Henry I of England, at
Woodstock Palace in
1186.
Edinburgh Castle was her dowry. The marriage wasn't very successful, and it was many years before she bore him an heir. William and Ermengarde's children were:
- Margaret (1193–1259), married Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent.
- Isabella (1195–1253), married Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk.
- Alexander II of Scotland (1198–1249).
- Marjorie (1200–44), married Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke.
William died in Stirling in 1214 and lies buried in Arbroath Abbey. His son,
Alexander II, succeeded him as king, reigning from
1214 to
1249.
Curiously William is recorded in 1206 as having cured a case of Scrofula by his touching and blessing a child with the ailment whilst at
York.
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