Auld Alliance
In October 1295, a Scottish embassy arrived in France to sign the Treaty of Paris. This document bound John Balliol and Philip IV against Edward I of England. The terms were stark: if one kingdom faced English aggression, the other would invade English territory. Scotland bore all costs while France only needed to continue fighting in Gascony. The alliance offered protection to a remote and impoverished nation aligned with a major European power. Yet the treaty proved no shield against Edward's swift invasion of 1296. That campaign nearly erased Scottish independence before Robert the Bruce emerged as a savior.
King Philip dispatched ten ships to Scotland in the winter of 1332 but storms scattered them before they could land. By spring 1334, £1000 reached Scottish defenders alongside sanctuary for young David II and his court at Château Gaillard. In June 1339, Arnoul d'Audrehen led two hundred French troops to help capture Perth from English hands. The Battle of Baugé in 1421 marked a turning point when combined forces defeated the English. Later that year, Scottish men at arms fought alongside Joan of Arc during the relief of Orléans. Patrick Ogilvy commanded these Scottish soldiers who formed part of the Garde Écossaise protecting the French crown.
Margaret of Anjou gave Berwick to Scotland in 1461 to secure Lancastrian support during England's civil war. James II died aged twenty-nine when a cannon exploded beside him while besieging Roxburgh castle. Edward IV made peace with Scotland through the Treaty of York after Henry VI fled there in 1464. When Yorkists won the conflict, they regained Jersey from France in 1468 and Berwick from Scotland by 1482. Henry Tudor escaped pro-Yorkist supporters by seeking refuge in France where he gained military backing. His victory at Bosworth Field in 1485 ended decades of English turmoil before he married Elizabeth of York.
Mary Queen of Scots married Francis II of France in 1558 but their union lasted only until his death in 1560. The Scottish Reformation transformed the nation into Protestant territory despite resistance from Catholic Regent Mary of Guise. Protestant Lords of the Congregation rejected the alliance and secured English military aid through the treaty of Berwick. Two hundred Scottish soldiers traveled to Normandy in 1562 to help French Huguenots fight royal authority. The Treaty of Edinburgh formally ended ties between Scotland and France that same year. James VI later sought closer relations with England as heir to both thrones.
James VII and II went into exile in France after losing Ireland and Scotland during the Williamite War. Bonnie Prince Charlie led Jacobite forces as far south as Swarkestone Bridge near Derby before retreating home. After Culloden in 1746, exiled Jacobites aided France in the Seven Years' War even supporting American Patriots. The Garde Écossaise protected French kings for four hundred years until Charles X abdicated in 1830. France abolished its monarchy again in 1848 when Napoleon III restored it following revolution and war. These events kept the spirit alive long after formal treaties had expired.
David de Moravia founded the Scots College at the University of Paris in 1333 to educate Scottish scholars. Poets John Barbour and George Buchanan studied there alongside historian Hector Boece who wrote about their experiences. Henry Wardlaw established St Andrews University while William Elphinstone created Aberdeen University using French models. Sir Thomas Urquhart translated Rabelais into English after learning from French texts. Bothwell and Kildrummy castles incorporated French construction techniques into their design. Scottish vintners received special privileges in France while dual nationality agreements facilitated movement between kingdoms.
Charles de Gaulle delivered a speech in Edinburgh during June 1942 calling the alliance the oldest in the world. He stated that no people had ever been more generous with friendship than Scotland toward France over five centuries. Celebrations marked the seven-hundredth anniversary of the alliance's beginning in 1995 across both nations. The Auld Alliance Trophy now features in rugby matches between Scotland and France within the Six Nations Championship. Historian Siobhan Talbott concluded the partnership endured long after Acts of Union in 1707 and Entente Cordiale of 1904. Modern commemorations keep alive memories of shared struggles against common enemies.
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Common questions
When did the Scottish embassy arrive in France to sign the Treaty of Paris?
The Scottish embassy arrived in France in October 1295 to sign the Treaty of Paris. This document bound John Balliol and Philip IV against Edward I of England.
What happened during the Battle of Baugé in 1421 within the Auld Alliance?
The Battle of Baugé in 1421 marked a turning point when combined Scottish and French forces defeated the English. Later that year, Scottish men at arms fought alongside Joan of Arc during the relief of Orléans.
How long did the Garde Écossaise protect French kings before Charles X abdicated?
The Garde Écossaise protected French kings for four hundred years until Charles X abdicated in 1830. Patrick Ogilvy commanded these Scottish soldiers who formed part of the unit protecting the French crown.
Who founded the Scots College at the University of Paris in 1333?
David de Moravia founded the Scots College at the University of Paris in 1333 to educate Scottish scholars. Poets John Barbour and George Buchanan studied there alongside historian Hector Boece who wrote about their experiences.
When was the seven-hundredth anniversary of the alliance celebrated across both nations?
Celebrations marked the seven-hundredth anniversary of the alliance's beginning in 1995 across both nations. Historian Siobhan Talbott concluded the partnership endured long after Acts of Union in 1707 and Entente Cordiale of 1904.