The second Scottish War of Independence, 1332-41: a national war?

Daniels, Peter William (2013) The second Scottish War of Independence, 1332-41: a national war? MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether the second war of independence from 1332-41 was a ‘national’ war or simply a series of regional conflicts. Three separate but overlapping influences are examined: national identity, the extent to which the different regions of Scotland were drawn in, and the landed interests involved in each region. These three issues are considered for the first time using a prosophographical approach, examining the background and actions of the key players in the conflict, the higher nobility of Scotland.

The thesis examines, first of all, the role of the higher nobility of Scotland in the 1330s. It then looks at each of the recognisable regions of the country in turn, considering who the key members of the higher nobility were in each region, what their interests were and to what extent they were involved in the region. Finally it looks at the motivations of these individuals, primarily from the perspective of national identity, or perhaps more accurately, regnal solidarity. Its conclusion is that the second war of independence was indeed a national war, centred as it was on the interests of the kingdom as a national entity but that other factors – the legitimacy of the Bruce and Balliol claims, the influence of family allegiances through marriage, the personal safety of the members of the higher nobility, the threat of forfeiture and their personal ambitions - were also at work.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Second, Scottish War, Independence
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D111 Medieval History
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Supervisor's Name: Broun, Professor Dauvit
• Date of Award: 2013
• Depositing User: Mr Peter Daniels
• Unique ID: glathesis:2013-4640
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Nov 2013 16:13
• Last Modified: 05 Nov 2013 16:13
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/4640