1337 scenario
OK, so I reviewed Scotland in the 1337 scenario, and it requires a great deal of change. Here are by thoughts:
Lothian (Scots)
Ruled by the king, and should probably stay that way.
Buchan (Probably Scots)
The count in the game, de Beaumont, was a claimant only. Buchan moreover was destroyed as a territorial lordship and the title "Earl of Buchan" as used later in the century is purely honorary. Should probably go to the King, or to Robert Stewart as something he can dish out to his sons.
Galloway (Gaelic)
* The ruler is given as
William Douglas, son of Archibald Douglas. This is not accurate. No Douglas held any land in Galloway. The Lord of Galloway was the king, but the kindreds of Galloway had a traditional allegience to the Balliol, the "rightful" king of the province. The chief kindreds of the province in the period were the MacCans, MacCullochs, MacLellans and, chiefly, the MacDoualls (MacDowells). They were not loyal to the Bruce house, whose home province of Carrick was frequently attacked, and they were loyal to Balliol and "the English" in 1338. The MacDoualls were however more loyal (eventually at least), and the latter are usually the ones mentioned when something happens in the province,
So I'd say the ruler of Galloway should be either Dungal MacDouall or Fergus MacDouall. One is the leader during the later days of Robert I, the other during the mid reign of David II. I dunno which one was in charge in 1338. I'd need to check further to see if there is any record. At any rate, the Scots attacked the province throughout the century, David carved up Galloway in name (though not in practice) by making one of his knights, Malcolm Fleming, "Earl of Wigtown" in 1341, and
Archibald the Grim conquered Galloway in the years after 1364, being appointed "Lord of Galloway" as a result in 1369.
Carrick (Gaelic)
*The ruler given for is Eleanor Douglas, sister of William Douglas. Carrick doesn't have a count in 1338. It is the royal earldom, though it's appointees after Edward Bruce do not seem to go anywhere near it. It's real ruler in the "kenkynnol" (ceann cinneil, "head of kindred"), the Kennedy family, whose formal offices later in the century included "ballie of Carrick", "keeper of Loch Doune Castle" and "Steward of Carrick". They were the actual rulers, and so should be favoured in lack of a real count. The ruler would be, I think, "John Kennedy" (Eóin Ceanadach). The other possibility of course is the king.
Royal demesne
In 1338, the king was not in Scotland and in his absence and because of Robert I's generousness, he returned to have almost no land. I'd suggest the king have only Lothian, or at worst, Lothian and Buchan. See below.
Atholl (Gaelic)
In the king's absence, Robert Stewart controlled (not as Earl) Atholl, Strathearn and royal demesne north of the Forth. As he got recognition with the title "lord of the earldom of Atholl" in 1341, on the king's return, I don't think there can be any objection to giving him Atholl.
Another suggestion is to also make him "Duke of Albany" so that the other lords north of the Forth but south of Moray can be his vassals, and effectively rule Scotland in David's absence.
Strathclyde (Scots)
Strathclyde is run between the Stewart family and the DOuglases. Because the Stewarts are being empowered elsewhere, this can go to William DOuglas, representing Douglas lordships in Clydesdale.
Angus (Scots)
This is accurate, though almost no territory in Angus was ruled by the earl of Angus, but either by the king, a varieties of Scots-speaking barons in the east and Clan Donnachie (Clann Donnchaidh) in the west.
Mar (Gaelic)
Ruler is accurate.
Fife (Probably Scots)
Ruler is accurate.
Sutherland (Gaelic)
Ruler is given as "William of Strathbogie", which is utterly ludicrous. This is the Balliol claimant to the earldom of Atholl, who had nothing to do with Sutherland. The ruler was Uilleam, son of Cinaodh, who was married to a daughter of Robert I.
Caithness and Orkney
It's given as Malise (Maol Iosa), the forfeited mormaer of Strathearn. He is a vassal of Norway, which is awkward. Caithness was part of Scotland, Orkney part of Norway, the ruler thus being legal vassal to both. However, since the reign of David I the ruler of Orkney-Caithness was (on and off) a de facto vassal of the Scottish king, not Norway. Because Maol Iosa was an enemy of the crown for much of this period (he wanted Strathearn, his ancient province, back), it would be best to make him independent.
Western Isles (Gaelic)
No basic problems.
Moray (Gaelic)
Fine, though the earl's actual power in the province is questionable.
Argyll (Gaelic)
The ruler given is Colin Campbell (Cailean Caimbeul), which is anachronistic. The actual ruler was Eóin Gallda, otherwise known as "John MacDougall", "John of Argyll" and "John of Lorne", though it is true that the Campbells had a foothold in the province.
Ross (Gaelic)
Correct.
Man (Gaelic)
The ruler given is Richard de Mandeville. It had not direct suzerain between 1333 and 1399, but the ruler in 1338 was William Montague, earl of Salisbury. The earl of Moray should have a claim to the island.
BTW, would there be any objection to using "Scots" rather than "Scottish" as the cultural name? It's still anachronistic and misleading, but at least is potentially referencing the Scots English language, which "Scottish" doesn't.