View source for William the Lion

{{Short description|King of Alba from 1165 to 1214}}
{{Redirect|William of Scotland|William II, King of Scots|William III of England|the British king from 1830 to 1837|William IV}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = William I
| image        = William I, King of Scots (seal 01).png
| caption      = Seal of King William
| reign        = 9 December 1165 – <br/>4 December 1214
| succession   = [[King of Alba (Scotland)]]
| coronation   = 24 December 1165
| cor-type     = Inauguration
| predecessor  = [[Malcolm IV]]
| successor    = [[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]]
| spouse       = {{marriage|[[Ermengarde de Beaumont]]|1186}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|
*[[Margaret of Scotland, Countess of Kent|Margaret, Countess of Kent]]
*[[Isabella of Scotland, Countess of Norfolk|Isabella, Countess of Norfolk]]
*[[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]]
*[[Marjorie of Scotland, Countess of Pembroke|Marjorie, Countess of Pembroke]]
*{{nowrap|[[Isabella Mac William|Isabella, Baroness Ros of Wark]] (ill.)}}}}
| house        = [[House of Dunkeld]]
| father       = [[Henry of Scotland]]
| mother       = [[Ada de Warenne]]
| birth_date   = c. 1142<ref>''A dictionary of British history'': "William I (c. 1142–1214), king of Scots (1165–1214), later known as "the Lion". Younger brother and successor to Malcolm IV, he was granted the earldom of Northumberland by his grandfather David I in 1152".</ref>
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = {{death date|1214|12|4|df=y}} (aged 71–72)
| death_place  = [[Stirling]], Scotland
| place of burial = [[Arbroath Abbey]], Scotland|
}}

'''William the Lion''' ({{langx|gd|Uilleam an Leòmhann}}), sometimes styled '''William I''' ({{lang|gd|Uilleam MacEanraig}}; {{langx|mga|Uilliam mac Eanric|label=[[Medieval Gaelic]]}}) and also known by the nickname {{langx|gd|'''Garbh'''|i=no|lit=the Rough|label=none}}<ref name="Annals">{{lang|gd|Uilleam Garbh}}; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10.</ref> ({{c.}} 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as [[List of Scottish monarchs|King of Alba]] from 1165 to 1214. His almost 49-year-long reign<ref name=":0">{{Cite ODNB |last=Scott |first=W. W. |title=William I [known as William the Lion] (c. 1142–1214), king of Scots |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-29452 |access-date=2024-09-14 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/29452}}</ref> was the longest for a [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scottish monarch]] before the [[Union of the Crowns]] in 1603.

== Early life ==
William was born around 1142, during the reign of his grandfather King [[David I of Scotland]]. His parents were [[Henry of Scotland]], a younger son of David I, and [[Ada de Warenne]], a daughter of the powerful [[Anglo-Normans|Anglo-Norman]] lord [[William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey]] and [[Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester]], herself a granddaughter of [[Henry I of France]].<ref name=":0" /> William was around 10 years old when his father died in 1152, making his elder brother [[Malcolm IV of Scotland|Malcolm]] the [[heir apparent]] to their grandfather. From his father, William inherited the [[Earldom of Northumbria]]. David I died the next year, and William became [[heir presumptive]] to the new king, Malcolm IV. In 1157, William lost the Earldom of Northumbria to [[Henry II of England]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Scottish Antiquary, Or, Northern Notes & Queries |date=1903 |publisher=T. and A. Constable |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FpEeAQAAMAAJ&dq=William+the+Lion+1142&pg=PA88 |access-date=17 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== Reign ==
{{Further|Scotland in the Middle Ages#Scoto-Norman kings: David I to Alexander III}}

[[Malcolm IV]] did not live for long, and upon his death on 9 December 1165 at age 24, William ascended the throne. The new monarch was inaugurated on 24 December 1165.<ref name=":0" /> His brother's steward, constable, and chancellor remained in office, and William confirmed Malcolm IV's last bequest to [[Dunfermline Abbey]].<ref name=":0" /> In contrast to his deeply religious, frail brother, William was powerfully built, redheaded, and headstrong.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} He was an effective monarch whose reign was marred by his ill-fated attempts to regain control of his paternal inheritance of [[Northumbria]] from the [[Anglo-Normans]].

After his accession to the throne William spent some time at the court of King Henry II; then, quarrelling with Henry, he arranged in 1168 the first definite treaty of alliance between France and Scotland.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=William of Scotland|display=William|volume=28|page=665}}</ref>

William was then a key player in the [[Revolt of 1173–1174]] against [[Henry II of England|Henry II]], which was led by Henry's sons with some short-lived assistance from [[Louis VII of France|Louis VII]] of France.<ref name="EB1911" /> In 1174, at the [[Battle of Alnwick (1174)|Battle of Alnwick]], during a raid in support of the revolt, William was surprised in this encampment with only 60 men to the English 400. He recklessly charged the English troops himself, shouting, "Now we shall 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 upon Tyne|Newcastle]], then [[Northampton]], and then transferred to [[Caen]] then [[Falaise, Calvados, France|Falaise]] in [[Normandy]].<ref name=":0" /> 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. The cost was equal to 40,000 Scottish [[Mark (currency)|marks]] (£26,000).<ref>[[Adam Mansfeldt de Cardonnel-Lawson|Cardonnel, Adam de]], ''Numismata scotiæ, or A series of the Scottish coinage, from the reign of William the Lion to the Union. By Adam De Cardonnel, member of the [[Antiquarian|antiquarian society]] of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, MDCCLXXXVI'' [1786].</ref> The church in Scotland was also subjected to that of England. William acknowledged this by signing the [[Treaty of Falaise]] and was then allowed to return to Scotland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barrow |first=Geoffrey Wallis Steuart |url=https://archive.org/details/actsofwilliamiki0002barr/mode/2up?q=Falaise |title=The acts of William I, King of Scots, 1165-1214 |date=1971 |publisher=Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-85224-142-4 |pages=7–8}}</ref> On 10 August 1175 he swore fealty to Henry II at [[York Castle]] and became his liege man.<ref name=":0" />

The humiliation of the Treaty of Falaise triggered a revolt in [[Galloway]] which lasted until 1186 and prompted the construction of a [[Dumfries Castle|castle at Dumfries]]. In 1179, meanwhile, William and his brother David personally led a force northwards into [[Easter Ross]], establishing two further castles, north of the [[Lovat Castle|Beauly]] and [[Cromarty Castle|Cromarty Firths]]:<ref>{{cite book |last1=Matheson |first1=Alister Farquhar |title=Scotland's Northwest Frontier: A Forgotten British Borderland |year=2014 |publisher=Troubador Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-78306-442-7 |page=19 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YIZ0BAAAQBAJ&q=William+the+Lion+AND+easter+ross+castles}}</ref> one on the [[Black Isle]] at [[Redcastle|Ederdour]]; and the other at Dunkeath, near the mouth of the Cromarty Firth opposite [[Cromarty]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crowl |first1=Philip Axtell |title=The intelligent traveller's guide to historic Scotland |date=1986 |publisher=Congdon & Weed |page=83 |isbn=978-0865531581 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mh0OAQAAMAAJ&q=%22William+the+Lion%22+castle+%22easter+ross%22}}</ref> The aim was to discourage the [[Norsemen|Norse]] [[earls of Orkney]] from expanding beyond [[Caithness]].

A further rising in 1181 involved Donald [[Meic Uilleim]], descendant of King [[Duncan II]]. Donald briefly took over Ross; not until he died in 1187 was William able to reclaim Donald's stronghold of [[Inverness]]. Further royal expeditions were required in 1197 and 1202 to fully neutralise the Orcadian threat.

William also quarrelled with [[Pope Alexander III]], a quarrel which arose out of a double choice for the vacant [[Archdiocese of St Andrews|bishopric of St Andrews]]. The king put forward his chaplain, [[Hugh the Chaplain|Hugh]], while the pope supported the archdeacon, [[John Scotus (bishop of Dunkeld)|John Scotus]], who had been canonically elected. A hostile interchange followed; then, after the death of Alexander in 1181, his successor, [[Pope Lucius III]], consented to a compromise by which Hugh got the bishopric and John became [[bishop of Dunkeld]]. In 1188, William secured a [[papal bull]] which declared that the Church of Scotland was directly subject only to Rome, thus rejecting the claims to supremacy put forward by the [[Baldwin of Forde|English archbishop]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

The Treaty of Falaise remained in force for the next fifteen years. Then the English king [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]], needing money to take part in the [[Third Crusade]], agreed to terminate it in return for 10,000 silver marks (£6,500), on 5 December 1189. William was then able to address the turbulent chiefs in the outlying parts of his kingdom. His authority was recognized in [[Galloway]] which, hitherto, had been practically independent; he put an end to a formidable insurrection in [[Mormaer of Moray|Moray]] and [[Inverness]]; and a series of campaigns brought the far north, [[Caithness]] and [[Sutherland]], under the power of the crown.<ref name="EB1911"/>

William attempted to purchase [[Northumbria]] from Richard in 1194, as he had a strong claim over it. However, his offer of 15,000 marks (£9,750) was rejected due to wanting the castles within the lands, which Richard was not willing to give.<ref>{{cite book |title=Richard |last=Gillingham |first=John |year=2000 |isbn=0-300-09404-3 |page=272|publisher=Yale University Press }}</ref> In 1200, William did homage for Northumbria, not for Scotland, to Richard's successor, [[John, King of England|John]], apparently to save face.<ref name="EB1911" />

Despite the Scots regaining their independence, Anglo-Scottish relations remained tense during the first decade of the 13th century. In August 1209, King John decided to flex the English muscles by marching a large army to [[Norham]] (near Berwick), to exploit the flagging leadership of the ageing Scottish monarch. As well as promising a large sum of money,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - History - British History in depth: King John, the Lusignan Affair and the Early Years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/lusig_01.shtml |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> the ailing William agreed to his elder daughters marrying English nobles and, when the treaty was renewed in 1212, John apparently gained the hand of William's only surviving legitimate son, and heir, [[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander]], for his eldest daughter, [[Joan of England, Queen of Scotland|Joan]].

== Marriage and issue ==
Due to the terms of the Treaty of Falaise, Henry II had the right to choose William's bride. In 1184, William attended Henry II's court to request a marriage to Henry's granddaughter Matilda of Saxony, daughter of [[Henry the Lion|Duke Henry the Lion]] of Saxony and [[Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony|Matilda of England]]. The proposal was referred to the pope and was forbidden on the grounds of consanguinity.<ref name=":0" />

Henry instead chose [[Ermengarde de Beaumont]], a great-granddaughter of King [[Henry I of England]], although through an illegitimate line.<ref name=":2">{{Cite ODNB |last=Scott |first=W. W. |title=Ermengarde [Ermengarde de Beaumont] (d. 1233), queen of Scots, consort of William I |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-49356 |access-date=2024-09-14 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/49356}}</ref> They married at [[Woodstock Palace]] on 5 September 1186. [[Edinburgh Castle]] was her [[dowry]] and Henry II paid for the four days of festivities. After the wedding she was escorted to Scotland by Scottish nobles and Jocelin, Bishop of Glasgow.<ref name=":2" />

The marriage was not very successful, and it was many years before they had an heir. William and Ermengarde's children were:
# [[Margaret of Scotland, Countess of Kent]] (1193–1259),<ref>{{Cite ODNB |last=Scott |first=W. W. |title=Margaret, countess of Kent (1187x95–1259), princess |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-49377 |access-date=2024-09-14 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/49377}}</ref> married [[Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent]];
# [[Isabella of Scotland, Countess of Norfolk]] (1195–1263), married [[Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk]];
# [[Alexander II of Scotland]] (1198–1249);<ref name=":1">{{Cite ODNB |last=Stringer |first=Keith |title=Alexander II (1198–1249), king of Scots |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-322 |access-date=2024-09-14 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/322}}</ref>
# [[Marjorie of Scotland, Countess of Pembroke|Marjorie]] (1200–1244),<ref>Duncan, Archibald Alexander McBeth. (1975) ''Scotland: The Making of the Kingdom.'' Oliver & Boyd''.'' p. 527. ISBN 9780050020371.</ref> married [[Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke]].

Out of wedlock, William I had numerous illegitimate children, their descendants being among those who would [[Competitors for the Crown of Scotland|lay claim to the Scottish crown]].

By a daughter, name unknown, of Adam de Hythus:
# Margaret, married [[Eustace de Vesci]], [[Alnwick Castle|Lord of Alnwick]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saul |first1=Nigel |title=Eustace de Vesci |url=http://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/eustace-de-vesci/ |website=Magna Carta Trust |date=13 May 2013 |access-date=8 August 2016}}</ref>

By Isabel d'Avenel:
# Robert de London;<ref>Duncan,  Archibald Alexander McBeth. (1975) ''Scotland: The Making of the Kingdom.'' Oliver & Boyd''.'' p. 175. ISBN 9780050020371.</ref>
# Henry de Galightly, father of [[Patrick Galithly]] one of the competitors to the crown in 1291;<ref name="Balfour Paul, Vol. I, p. 5">"The Scots Peerage" (1904), Balfour Paul, Vol. I, p. 5</ref>
# Ada Fitzwilliam ({{circa|1164–1200}}), married [[Patrick I, Earl of Dunbar]] ({{circa|1152–1232}});<ref name="Balfour Paul, Vol. I, p. 5"/> Ada predeceased her husband in 1200.<ref>{{Cite ODNB |last=McDonald |first=Andrew |title=Patrick, fourth earl of Dunbar (d. 1232), magnate |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-50326 |access-date=2024-09-14 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/50326}}</ref>
# Aufrica married William de Say, whose great-great-grandson [[Roger de Mandeville]] was one of the competitors to the crown in 1291;<ref name="Balfour Paul, Vol. I, p. 5"/>
# [[Isabella Mac William]] (born {{circa|1165}}) married [[Robert III de Brus]] (1183) then [[Robert de Ros (died 1227)|Robert de Ros]] (1191), [[Magna Carta]] suretor.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saul |first1=Nigel |title=Robert de Ros |url=http://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/robert-de-ros/ |website=Magna Carta Trust |date=24 June 2013 |access-date=8 August 2016}}</ref>

== Death and legacy ==
[[File:C. 1733 Engraving of King Uilliam mac Eanric.jpg|thumb|19th-century depiction of William the Lion.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=William I of Scotland ('WiIliam the Lion'), about 1143 - 1214 |url=https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/104916 |access-date=14 September 2024 |website=National Galleries of Scotland}}</ref>]]
William died on 4 December 1214 and was succeeded by his son Alexander.<ref name=":1" />

Despite continued dependence on English goodwill, William's reign showed much achievement. He threw himself into government with energy and diligently followed [[Davidian Revolution|the lines laid down by his grandfather, David I]]. [[Scoto-Norman|Anglo-French]] settlements and feudalization were extended, new [[burgh]]s were founded (for example Perth in 1210),<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-10-08 |title=Historic royal charter restored |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/8296400.stm |access-date=2024-09-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref> criminal law was clarified, the responsibilities of justices and sheriffs were widened, and trade grew. Traditionally, William is credited with founding [[Arbroath Abbey]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-12-04 |title=The history of Arbroath Abbey |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/taysideandcentralscotland/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8395000/8395721.stm |access-date=2024-09-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref> the site of the later [[Declaration of Arbroath]]. The [[Bishop of Argyll|Bishopric of Argyll]] was established (c. 1192) in the same year as [[Cum universi|papal confirmation of the Scottish church]] by [[Pope Celestine III]].

William was not known as "the Lion" during his lifetime,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Linehan |first=P. A. |date=1978 |title=The Posthumous Reputation of King William the Lion of Scotland |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25529303 |journal=The Scottish Historical Review |volume=57 |issue=164 |pages=182–186 |jstor=25529303 |issn=0036-9241}}</ref> and the title did not relate to his tenacious character or his military prowess. It was attached to him because of his flag or standard, a red lion rampant with a forked tail ({{lang|fr|[[Lion (heraldry)|queue fourchée]]}}) on a yellow background. This (with the substitution of a "double tressure fleury counter-fleury" border instead of an orle) went on to become the [[Royal Banner of Scotland]], still used today but [[Quartering (heraldry)|quartered]] with those of [[Royal arms of England|England]] and of [[Coat of arms of Ireland|Ireland]]. It became attached to him because the Scottish chronicler [[John of Fordun]] called him the "Lion of Justice".

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Sources ==
* Ashley, Mike. ''Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens'', 1998.
* Magnusson, Magnus; ''Scotland: Story of a Nation'', 2001.

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.royal.uk/william-i-r-1165-1214 William I], King of Scotland, at the official website of the [[British monarchy]]

{{S-start}}
{{s-hou|[[House of Dunkeld]]|c.| 1142|4 December|1214}}
{{s-reg|}}
{{s-bef|rows=1|before=[[Malcolm IV]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[King of Scotland]]|years=1165–1214}}
{{s-aft|rows=1|after=[[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]]}}
{{s-reg|en}}
{{s-bef|rows=1|before=[[Henry of Scotland]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Earl of Northumbria]]|years=1152–1157}}
{{s-non|reason=Forfeit}}
|-
{{s-bef|rows=1|before=[[Malcolm IV of Scotland]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Earl of Huntingdon]]|years=1165–1174}}
{{s-aft|rows=1|after=[[Simon III de Senlis]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Pictish and Scottish Monarchs}}
{{English, Scottish and British monarchs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:William the Lion}}

[[Category:House of Dunkeld]]
[[Category:1140s births]]
[[Category:1214 deaths]]
[[Category:12th-century Scottish monarchs]]
[[Category:13th-century Scottish monarchs]]
[[Category:Monarchs taken prisoner in wartime]]
[[Category:People from Huntingdon]]
[[Category:Earls of Huntingdon (1065 creation)]]
[[Category:Earls of Northumbria (Peerage of England)|William]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]