The Price of Freedom

[Goraja]

We come here with no peaceful intent, but ready for battle, determined to avenge our wrongs and set our country free. - William Wallace, 1297

Beginnings

Since time immemorial the peoples of Scotland have had their fortunes defined by the will of their neighbors. The Romans arrived in the first century BCE and began the brutal process of assimilating the newly conquered Britons. At the northern edge of their frontier lay the Picts; Gaelic precursors to the Kingdom of Alba that would later form modern Scotland with Strathclyde. Attempts to extend Imperial authority to them were savagely rebuffed and made Britannia one of the most heavily garrisoned provinces in the Empire. A series of fortification works including the still standing Hadrian's Wall forever mark the battle-lines. Long before anyone had breathed of Englishmen or Scots the arrows were drawn and greedy eyes looked to the border.

Even today remnants of the ancient Picts remain. This symbol stone was found near Strathpeffer.

But, like all things, the Romans eventually withered to dust. Withdrawing to their own homes in vain efforts to stem the barbarian tide the British Isles were free of outside influence. They had abandoned the land but their legacy was etched for all eternity in the form of Christianity. Missionaries reached the Scottish Highlands around the 6th century CE heralding a new era. The tribal days of yore reached an end when the Christian Kenneth I ascended to the throne of Alba and began a line that ruled for most of the medieval period. The Kingdom of Strathclyde was a northern Briton state that later became the Lowland Scots area. Duncan I inherited the Alban throne in 1034 and soon after skillfully united the realms. Minus the far northern island chains under the sway of the Viking raiders, Scotland was essentially united.

Meanwhile, the south had gone through even more severe convulsions. Saxons and other Germanic peoples had been steadily immigrating during the Roman period as both mercenaries against the Highlanders and farmers. Continually weakening Imperial authority instigated a revolt in the mid fifth century that completely overpowered the tenuous hold of the governors. Three different Saxon kingdoms emerged in modern day Essex, Sussex, and Wessex. Alfred the Great of Wessex managed to unite the three states but historians are devoid of records that indicate whether it was peaceful or military in nature. However, the naturalized Romans and other various immigrant groups still remained and they were all involved in constant warring. The Gaelic offshoot Britons were eventually driven from most of England proper into Wales, Cornwall, (then) Strathclyde, and some even across the sea to Bretagne. The remaining German immigrants intermixed and became collectively known as Anglo-Saxons. The Kingdom of England came into being when the Anglo-Saxons liberated London from the Danish in the ninth century.

The Saxon invasions of Britain displaced many of the native Celtic peoples. Colored sections show destination areas.

Where the Saxon England spent most of its existence fighting off Scandinavian war parties, the Norman invasion in 1066 would define the next 300 years of Anglo-Scottish relations. It took William the Conqueror less than six years after his victory at Hastings to invade Scotland. The subsequent century saw a great infiltration of traditional Gaelic clan law by the continental feudalism imported by the Normans. The Scottish Kings eventually wrested the Northern Isles from the far-off Norwegian monarchy but continually lost influence in the face of southern subversion. A succession crisis in 1286 was ruthlessly exploited by English King Edward I "Longshanks" who had also recently conquered Wales.

John Balliol was crowned in 1292, but Edward used the concessions gained previously to undermine his authority as King and eventually the national liberty of Scotland. His actions pushed King John into a fury and so, at the urgings of his chief statesmen, the Auld Alliance was born in 1295. Edward invaded the following year and annihilated the Scot’s attempts to slow him down on his journey to the Royal Court. During this time he stole the ancient Stone of Scone from the Scottish people and took it to Westminster Abbey as a spoil. Balliol was deposed and the Scottish countryside was set ablaze with the fires of rebellion. Commoner William Wallace and Andrew de Moray, heir to Avoch Castle, raised armies of their own and began to seize the estates of English nobles. The two met near Dundee, united their forces, and declared themselves “Commanders of the Army of the King of Scotland”. Longshanks dispatched the Earl of Surrey who’s much larger force was valiantly routed by the combined Scots at The Battle of Stirling Bridge, though Moray was killed in the fighting. Utterly incensed by the eradication of his Northern Army, Edward himself rode to Scotland and defeated Wallace at Falkirk in 1298. He was captured and executed in London seven years later.

William Wallace brought England to its knees for a short while and gave the people of Scotland a much needed hero.

Robert the Bruce took the position of Guardian of Scotland before finally asserting his claim to the throne in 1306. He ascended as Robert I, but Longshanks again mercilessly ransacked his way across the border in response. He overran the Royal forces at Methven but died in 1307 before completing his conquest. The English heir, Edward II, took up the mantle from his father and moved his main army north to break the siege of Stirling Castle. They met on the fields of Bannockburn in 1314 and 8,000 determined Scotsmen broke the 20,000 strong aggressors. The victory convinced Pope John XXII to overturn the previous submission acts. Scotland was free of Longshank’s bloody vice, but not 15 years later Edward III declared war on the pretext of restoring the “Rightful King” Edward Balliol, son of the deposed John. The attack proved ineffective and the outbreak of the Hundred Years War turned English attentions to the south. Robert’s son David II was finally able to return from exile in France in 1341.

David’s death 30 years later brought Robert II to the throne, the first of the Stewart kings that would rule the country for centuries. His sickly son ascended in 1390 as Robert III, but in reality his brother the Duke of Albany was in control of the Kingdom. The death of his older son David and suspected treachery on the part of the Duke led the King to send his remaining heir James to France in 1406. However, he was intercepted by the English and imprisoned for 13 years. His father perished reportedly from the grief of losing both sons and his brother the Duke ascended as Regent. He made no attempt to pay James’ ransom and instead secured the release of his own son. Albany’s death in 1419 gave the Royal Treasury lead to finally rescue their rightful king. James I returned to a country in chaos with no clear leadership. The Lords of the Isles were growing increasingly unruly and the Duke’s refusal to involve Scotland in the resistance to Henry V’s brilliant campaign across France had angered many eager to fight. The Earl of Buchan and the new Earl of Douglas gained King James’ ear and, sensing an opportunity to set right the damage done to the realm by his imprisonment, sent word to the Dauphin Charles that the Scots were marching to war.

Scotland at the beginning of James’ reign.

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Table of Contents

I. 1419-1423
II. 1423-1425

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Very interesting beining, have you made any plans for Scotland? Total control of all Gaelic provinces, or what?

I'll be watching.

[Fiftypence]

Freedom! Good to see a Scotland AAR.

[stnylan]

Ahh Scotland ....

A very good intro post. Nice and succinct.

[CatKnight]

Indeed. Luck!

[Mr Me]

Subscribed .

[Fulcrumvale]

*Subscribes*

[AmbassadeBelgie]

Yeah, this looks good

[Goraja]

Mr. Capiatlist: Hmm, well, I do not want to give away all my plans but I will say that I am not going to sit around and wait to be annexed by England. My main goal is to try and put them in the weaker position.

Fiftypence: Scotland is my favorite country to play in game so maybe I can share with you folks the fun I've had playing them. (And yes, beat up some English while I'm at it.)

stnylan: Thank you, and your comment reminds me of a question I have. Update is coming right after this post, please let me know if it is too long/short whatever. I have tried not to go either way but I'd appreciate some feedback.

CatKnight, Mr Me, Fulcrumvale, AmbassadeBelgie: Great to have you guys on board.

Like I said, update next.

[Goraja]

I. 1419-1423

Henry V was a brilliant field commander the likes of which rarely grace the annals of history. His decision to vigorously pursue the French crown at the expense of Charles VI the Mad entailed unmatched political as well as tactical maneuvering. Following Agincourt by removing Genoese naval supremacy and nullifying the Imperial commitment to France, he successfully isolated the Dauphin. It is not known, then, why he followed such stunning displays by equally stunning incompetence in dealing with James. With the main army attempting to encircle and crush the Armangacs near the channel coast, the Aragonese and their Neapolitan vassals declared war and moved on undefended Bordeaux. This left Henry in a lurch and he was forced to move the Northern Garrison to the Iberian border. When news of the surprise assault on Newcastle came to him near Rouen, Bedford and the northern guards were already in the Bay of Biscay preparing to disembark. The end result of the blunder being the uncontested ransacking of northern England by the Royal Scottish Army under Buchan and an Army of the Highlands detachment under Douglas.

Henry V was undoubtedly one of the greatest military minds of the medieval period. His tenacity and ambition would ultimately prove his downfall.

The Northumberland region was utterly devastated by the twin armies. One attempt was made to break the siege in mid-October by a hastily assembled force of about a thousand men. It was painfully obvious even to them that they were nothing but a delay tactic. They all perished and no more relief efforts were mounted. Newcastle fell in March of the next year. Fourteen months later the English armies were still tied up on the continent with a stalemate developing around Orleans and an encircled Bedford crumbling under endless waves of Iberians and Italians. Both sides finally began to fully appreciate the enormity of the situation in Britain as the two Scottish armies split off on separate quests and Henry began pleading with his allies for assistance. The Burgundians were still in a rage over the assassination of John the Fearless and were more concerned with exacting revenge against France than dealing with their ally’s border problems. However, they eventually folded under the continued demands of the English King and dispatched a token force of 5,000 to help defend London. Brittany and Navarre flat out refused the request as they battled just to preserve their own lands.

Buchan and the Royal Army of 12,000 men left the ruins of Newcastle in April and made great haste to the south. Unimpeded in their crossing of the plains in Yorkshire and Lincoln, the Scots arrived at the gates of London in June. Garrisoned only by the uninterested Burgundians, the city that symbolized almost three centuries of constant oppression lay ripe for the picking. Sallying forth from the walls the men of the Low Countries were annihilated by the rabid northerners in defense of a land they had no stake in. The battle was not lost on the Scottish army and in future generations the tale of the brave foreigners who died for their King’s honor would become a popular tale for the minstrels of the royal court. It is written that while surveying the capital below him on the eve of the attack the Earl turned to a captain, simply ordered “Burn it to the ground”, and retired to his tent. Regardless of the tale’s validity indeed the siege would prove one of the most brutal in the island’s history. Through a year of constant trebuchet barrages, starvation, and lack of water London’s local militia would man the walls. Eventually, though, the overwhelming number and tenacity of their opponent would prevail. The storming of the city was bloody, savage, and immortalized in the folklore of Scotland as a triumph for the ages. Ransacking as they went, the army systematically gained control of each quarter and royal building. The attack culminated in Buchan personally entering Westminster Abbey and retrieving the Stone of Scone. Raising the stone over his head, he proclaimed London won.

Buchan addresses the Royal Army outside London.

Meanwhile, Douglas and the Highlanders had left Newcastle on a different mission. Owain Glyndŵr, Prince of Wales, organized an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the English crown in 1400. By 1412 he was defeated and forced to seek safe haven in Scotland. Upon the outbreak of war he gained an audience with the King and begged for the liberation of his homeland. At first more concerned with simply avoiding an English invasion, the astonishing success of the campaign led James to acquiesce and Douglas’ Army of the Highlands split from the main London bound force and left with Owain for the Wales. Arriving in the northern area of Snowdonia sometime around late May, the smaller force found the province only garrisoned by a small 5,000 man militia. The local magistrate retreated with his guards to the bastion of Caernarfon Castle. Built by Longshanks after his conquest of the principality, the castle was modeled on Byzantine fortifications he had seen while on crusade and straddled the Menai Strait. Douglas found himself confronting a structure comfortable alongside the Walls of Troy with only 6,000 infantrymen. The situation looked grim and Glyndŵr’s writings reveal that the idea of simply abandoning the siege was given serious thought. It is here that one of the major turning points in Scottish history took place. Resolving that he could not leave his people to be further abused by the English when victory was so near, Owain left Douglas’ camp and rode by himself through the Welsh countryside to Cardiff. Stopping in every hamlet and village he passed, the Prince gathered followers from all strata of society. Farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and local lords all took up the banner of freedom. By mid July when he returned to Caernarfon the Welshman had an army of five thousand. It is said that the astonished Scots could not believe the sight before them until they shook the hands of their reinforcements. The new Welsh and Scottish army of 11,000 began a full siege and eleven months later the magistrate lay dead at Owain’s feet. The Prince retook his position and set about rebuilding Caernarfon as his own. Most of the Welsh irregulars were disbanded and returned to their homes; some by choice and some by James’ inability to supply a second large force. 2,000 men stayed on and were integrated into the Army of the Highlands.

Owain heralding the arrival of the Welsh militia. Their entry into the conflict proved crucial to Scottish victory.

The dawn of the New Year found England shattered and the French possessions in dire threat. The loss of London left the realm in disarray and Henry’s brother was faring poorly in Iberia. Though Bordeaux had been saved and the Aragonese had not broken in to mainland France yet the resources needed to contain them were breaking the remnants of the treasury’s back. Burgundy was forced out of the war when their capital fell and a confederation of German states attacked their holdings in the Low Countries. Orleans had fallen to Henry and Charles was not able to take the channel provinces but the English King was caught in a terrible position. Unwilling to give up his claim to the French crown and unable to return home to fight off the Scots unless he did so, Henry foolishly reasoned that the situation in England would resolve itself. More than once he attempted to simply bribe off James with a token bit of gold while his cities were ransacked. 1421 saw Buchan and Douglas continue their victorious march through the countryside. Coventry and Lincoln fell by the end of the year.

1422 began with a reversal of fortune for the English. Navarre reinforced the struggling Bedford with over 20,000 men and Barcelona itself fell in February. The outbreak of war in Italy and a seemingly hopeless situation in their homeland drove Alfonso V to peace. With the southern frontier finally secured the second army turned to the north and cut into the French underbelly. It seemed perhaps the situation on the continent could be saved and then Britain attended to. Disaster, though, prefers to strike at the moment when hope finally reemerges. King Henry V died suddenly in August and his two brothers, Gloucester and Bedford, became regents of England and France respectively in place of Henry’s nine month old son. Less obsessed with a blood vendetta against Charles VII than their brother, the pair was prepared to cut their losses and withdraw from the debacle the war had become. Bristol and Portsmouth had held out through most of the year but by January, 1423 they were on the verge of collapse. Finally, Gloucester withdrew 8,000 of his men from the continent. Arriving on ships from Calais they disembarked in Kent and made preparations for the inevitable clash with the 20,000 strong Scottish and Welsh force before them. Portsmouth fell on February 17 and the stage was set. Buchan was preparing to encircle and then he hoped crush the English at the sea when a harried and exhausted rider arrived from Edinburgh. He delivered a personal letter from James describing his discussions with Charles and, most importantly, the terms they were prepared to offer the pair of Regents. It was later revealed in personal accounts by the Earl that he seriously considered first annihilating Gloucester and then claiming ignorance but he eventually settled his personal reservations and delivered the King’s terms. The Treaty of Edinburgh was signed on February 18, 1423. When all was said and done Wales under Owain had joined the Kingdom of Scotland, the southern border was extended and narrowed with the addition of Northumberland, and lastly Dublin was transferred to James. Four years of bloodshed and thousands of brave lives later Scotland was at peace and England humbled.

Map of Scotland after their victory in the war of James I.

[Fiftypence]

That's a pretty good peace. Now you just need to take Ireland and connect up Wales with the rest of your realm, although England tends to be much trickier the second time around.

[CatKnight]

First, to chime in on your question for stnylan: I don't think that was too long. Meaty, but given the type of AAR you're going for that's inevitable and, in fact, a good thing. Personally I tend to skim "preview" (pre-game play) posts in a historical narrative unless the country's rarely played, but this was last post was just right.

I enjoyed your detail, especially the mention of opposing commanders like Gloucester and the duke's alleged comment to burn (London) to the ground. It gave us a good idea of the ferocity of Scottish/English rivalry.

I expect now with England 'humbled' Scots will breathe easier. Where now? Time to discuss matters with the Irish?

[Fulcrumvale]

Well that went well.

[AmbassadeBelgie]

Alles Erdliches Ist CALEDONIA Untertan!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Very good work with the British, you did very well... and your style of writing is very good.

[stnylan]

An excellent war, all in all. A few more like that and England will cease to trouble you for the rest of (game) time

As for the length, as CatKnight says it is a fairly meaty post. Nothing wrong with that. Good paragraphs though helping break up the text and pictures doing the same make it all easier to read. I would be cautious about going much longer on anything like a regularly basis - though if you have a war or period that does not split easily into two posts the occasional longer post should be no problem. The reverse of that is true as well, don't try and flesh out a post if the material only covers three paragraphs say, before a natural break-point.

Anyway, all looks good so far. Please, carry on!

[Goraja]

Fiftypence: Well Ireland certainly deserves protection but I'm wary of taking Lancaster. That's more cores they now have on me and a harder border to defend. I think the small tax penalty is worth it.

CatKnight: I appreciate the feedback. I will always try to provide as much detail as possible on important events, mostly because they deserve attention and also because I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't a fan of historical exposition I covered Wales and London in detail because they matter. Lincoln and Coventry were just events on the timeline.

Fulcrumvale: Indeed, though Charles' performance was somewhat lacking. At least he wasn't overrun by Henry but he only took I think one province in the peace.

AmbassadeBelgie: I have no idea what this actually means but I can only assume you are professing your undying love for me.

Mr. Capiatlist:Thank you...but as fiftypence says the English are always tougher the second time around. We shall see how Scotland fares in later bouts.

stnylan: I have a feeling England is going to be like the USA in Victoria if CSA lives and promptly declare war on me whenever the peace treaty expires.

Thank you also for the feedback. That was longer than usual because I wanted to keep the first war as one post. That was something like 1,600 words and I'll probably be keeping them to 1,000 like the next post.

Well thank you everyone who commented, next installment coming as soon as flood control allows.

[Goraja]

II. 1423-1425

The balance of power in Europe was shifting in the wake of the most recent chapter in Anglo-French-Scottish conflicts. Henry’s untimely death and the Scottish victory in Britain gave the Dauphin enough credibility to gain the ear of Pope Martin V. He nullified the Treaty of Troyes and stripped the infant king of the French crown. Charles VII’s coronation took place in Notre-Dame de Reims on March 7, 1423. James I and Buchan attended the royal ceremony, further reinforcing their commitment to the Auld Alliance. Other notable attendees include Emperor Albert V, Castilian King Juan II, and Danish King Erik VII. Simply by their appearing these monarchs gave their support to Charles and by extension France. England had been embarrassed by James and was now ruled by Henry’s two squabbling brothers. Their regency was proving wholly ineffective as the war effort collapsed on both fronts and the English populace as well as Parliament screamed in discontent. The kingdom found itself in a rapidly intensifying state of isolation as even Burgundy, Henry’s staunchest ally against the Dauphin, began to realize the sun was setting on the Kingdom of England.

Charles VII was crowned King of France in the cathedral of Reims, a major turning point in French history.

In Scotland, however, the war brought a new level of prosperity and satisfaction to the people they had not seen in centuries. Any reservations the commoners had over James’ reign were erased the moment the Stone of Destiny was returned to its resting place in Scone. This popular support was vastly important in his quest to break the backs of the powerful clans and most importantly the Lords of the Isles. Since their capture from Norway the rulers of the northern island chains had enjoyed the greatest level of autonomy in Britain behind only that of the two Kings. James’ treasury, however, had not fared as well as his armies. Essentially bankrupted the kingdom’s coffers were incapable of supporting any new expansion, be it domestic or military. The financial infrastructures inherited from his father were still remnants from the feudal era and ill content to simply continue on in backwardness the statesmen of the court suggested an outside expert be brought in and paid to modernize the ailing institutions. Turning to the banking capital of the world, Florence sported scores of establishments ready to offer their services for a generous fee. James eventually found his way to the clandestine backroom of Giovanni di Medici. Bankers to the Popes and intimately involved in the power politics of the Florentine council, they provided nothing short of brilliance and ruthlessly exploited anything less. Giovanni’s son, Cosimo, returned to Edinburgh with the royal entourage and set about the daunting task of revitalizing the extinct tax system. The Medici’s reforms implemented a centralized census tax in the modern sense only surpassed by the Italian city states.

Cosimo de Medici's contribution to future Scottish success is often overlooked. Completely overhauling the clannish methods, he gave Scotland the economic power to combat England on a level playing field.

If the year immediately following the Treaty of Edinburgh was any indication, Scotland and France were by all accounts blossoming. Indeed as in the case of Henry’s death, misfortune would strike when the sun was shining brightest. In 1424, though, historians would argue who exactly the misfortune befell. King of Aragon Alfonso V settled the crisis in Italy with a stalemate. Tempers in the peninsula were still flared, but the union with Naples was preserved and Sicily was saved from a Papal invasion. Personal descriptions of Alfonso are difficult to come by and so the exact date when he lost control of his thoughts is unknown. What is common knowledge is that by the beginning of the year he was completely lost in the prison of his own mind. The Aragonese King celebrated the New Year by declaring war on England, France, and Burgundy in rapid succession. Albania and Naples were dragged into the madness-fueled wars on the side of Alfonso along with Navarre and a host of minor French duchies on the opposing side. In reality the Auld Alliance was a coalition to contain English aggression for the Scottish King had very little ability to project his power outside of Britain. James would immediately answer his ally’s call to war with Charles knowing full well that his northern friend would provide little assistance in the coming struggle.

What looked like a distant non-issue would in reality become a very real problem for the Scottish monarchy. Alfonso’s insanity left him a reckless mess not only diplomatically but also tactically. Ignoring his northern border which was being defiled by hordes of Englishmen out of Bordeaux and Frenchmen seeking Roussillon, an invasion force left the Mediterranean and made the dangerous crossing to the Atlantic. Managing to evade French naval patrols in the Bay of Biscay and the coast of Brittany the fleet infiltrated the Irish Sea. The sudden appearance of 8,000 Iberians in Wales was more than enough to convince Owain that the Devil himself was haunting the Welsh people. Rallying the Militia and the Scottish detachment overseeing the eastern border with England he met the intruders on the coast of Cardigan Bay. Only slightly outnumbered by one thousand men, the Prince used the terrain and the support of the local townspeople to lure the Catalan's into an ambush. Famed Welsh long-bowmen in conjunction with some of the fiercest Highlanders the Grampian Mountains produced utterly crushed the bewildered foreigners. Although appearing insignificant in the fact that the invasion was a complete disaster, it had a profound impact on Scottish military strategy. For centuries only concerned with beating back English knights the kingdom now found itself confronted with the revelation that foreign realms could and would field large invasion forces. The Scots’ fleet, long neglected, departed from its anchorage in the Orkney Islands port of Scapa Flow and made haste for Dublin. The Irish Sea would remain heavily patrolled for the remainder of all Scottish wars and for the first time in many years the King was seriously considering expanding the navy.

Cardigan. Once again Glyndŵr would prove himself to be a hero of the peoples of Scotland and Wales.

Scottish territory passed through the rest of the war without further incursions. As for the continent itself, the situation could be better described as a race than a war. Jockeying for superiority in the region the two armies continually advanced for the great prize of Barcelona, almost coming to blows on many occasions. Continuing economic troubles at home and an Italian invasion in the English rear gave the French enough of a lead to achieve overall victory in 1425. Charles forced Alfonso, now unrecognizable, to cede Perpignan to him and a sizable chunk of the Aragonese treasury which he then split between himself and James. Bedford repelled the Neapolitans but was forced to accept defeat and took a token bit of gold for his trouble. Burgundy would never actually meet any opponent on the field of battle during the conflict. Again at peace, James now turned his attention to Ireland…

[Fiftypence]

Those Iberians can be a pain, though you seemed to deal with them all right.

[AmbassadeBelgie]

Originally Posted by AmbassadeBelgie

Alles Erdliches Ist CALEDONIA Untertan!

All Earthly (things) Are CALEDONIA[i.e.Scotland]'s euhh.... property I guess would be the best translation...

Derived from Habsburg Austria's Alles Erdliches Ist Österreich Untertan (AEIOU) which itself came from a Latin AEIOU acronym stating the same, but which I don't exactly remember (Omnium Urbis iirc was the latter part of it).

M gonna read the update now