Introduction: Medieval Scotland

Learning Intentions

• You will be able to:

– Describe Scotland in the twelfth century, with reference to:

• Population

• The structure of society

• Daily life

• Trade

• Government

• Religion

• Science

Timescale

• This unit will look at events from 1249 until 1329 – a very different time from today.

People in medieval times had no knowledge of…

The causes of disease (germs) or the workings of the human body

The size or position of the Earth/continents

Electricity (or any item that uses it)

The printing press

Telephone, Morse code, telegraph, internet, radio waves…

Any modern form of transport that uses fossil fuels

The structure of society

• Medieval Scotland was structured in the same way as England via a process called feudalism (the feudal system).

• This is how it works…

The King owns all the land in the country (his mandate is that he has a divine right to rule – i.e. chosen by God). He keeps some for himself but gifts large areas (called fiefs) to nobles such as barons & earls. The nobles are also known as tenants-in-chief.

In return for this generous gift, barons/earls become the King’s vassal. They swear loyalty (an oath of fealty) to him at an important ceremony. This is called paying homage. The nobles promise to provide service in the form of tax and soldiers in times of war.

The King also gives large fiefs to the Church. This makes bishops and abbots rich and powerful. They serve the King by praying for him and by gaining the support of their superior, the Pope. They also convince the people of the King’s divine rights.

The tenants-in-chief have too much land to use themselves so they give it to knights. Knights gain large areas of land and swear an oath of fealty for it. They are professionally trained soldiers and promise to serve their lord by fighting for them when required.

Knights are expected to follow the Code of Chivalry. This is a set of social laws which govern how a knight should behave, e.g. respect other knights, protect the weak and obey God.

Peasants make up the vast majority of the population. They are at the bottom of the social order. They are given a tiny piece of land to live on in return for farming the lord’s land. They are not free to leave and must obey their lord.

LAND GIVEN

LOYAL SERVICE

RECEIVED

SOCIAL STABILITY

BUT NO SOCIAL

MOBILITY

Scottish earldoms

Loudon Hill

Religion

People had a literal belief in Heaven and Hell after death.

Secular clergy/clerics

Regular clergy/clerics

The Pope

How the Church was organised

• The head of the Roman Catholic Church was the Pope.

• He was the most powerful man in Europe.

• All Western Europe under his spiritual leadership was often called Christendom.

The

Se

cula

r C

hu

rch

The Pope

Cardinals

Archbishops

Bishops

Priests

The Secular Church was organised into a hierarchy of authority. Scotland did not have any cardinals or archbishops at this time.

Bishops

• A bishop’s area of authority was called his bishopric or diocese.

• Oversaw all the churches in their diocese and held religious courts.

• Scotland’s two most important dioceses were:

The Bishopric of Glasgow

The Bishopric of St Andrews

The

Re

gula

r C

hu

rch

Abbot

Prior

Monk / friar

Novice

Lay-brother

The Regular Church was organised into a hierarchy of authority.

Monks lived in monasteries and prayed in church services several times a day.

Did hard physical labour, like farming…

…or intense intellectual work, like making handwritten copies of religious books. Some wrote chronicles.

Friars belonged to holy orders but travelled around preaching rather than living in a monastery.

The Wars of the Rosaries…!

• Church leaders had two very powerful spiritual weapons that could be used to threaten or punish people, rulers or entire countries.

• This gave the Church massive political influence.

• They were:

Excommunication

• This was when a person was excluded from the Church by order of the Pope or an Archbishop.

• If a king was excommunicated it removed the oaths of allegiance of their subjects.

• Other rulers were obliged / permitted to invade the realm to remove the king by force.

Interdict

• This was an order that no religious service could be conducted in an entire area or country.

• This meant all the people would be denied the sacraments.

Multiple Choice Quiz

Which country then possessed Orkney and Shetland?

Denmark

Sweden

Iceland

Norway

What was the population of Scotland?

100,000

250,000

500,000

750,000

Which is the odd one out?

Stirling

Glasgow

Edinburgh

Scone

Which is the odd one out regarding the life of ordinary people?

Reading a book.

Farming the land.

Living very near to where you were born.

Eating a diet of bread, porridge and very little meat.

Which is the correct definition of burgess?

A lord who owned land and often a castle.

A large town where trade was centred.

A merchant granted special privileges by the King.

An area ruled by a sheriff.

Where were most of Scotland’s burghs?

East coast

Highlands

Borders

West coast

What is the name given to the medieval structure of society whereby land was given in return for service?

Socialism

Despotism

Feudalism

Anarchism

Who swore an oath of fealty to their lord?

Peasants, knights and nobles.

Knights, bishops and the monarch.

Peasants, knights, bishops and the monarch.

Knights and nobles.

Which is the odd one out?

Freeman

Knight

Serf

Villein

Which is the odd one out?

Baron

Knight

Earl

Bishop

In which year did the Pope recognise the independence of Scotland’s Catholic Church from England?

1192

1198

1205

1216

Who were not part of the Regular Church?

Priests

Abbots

Monks

Friars

What sanction would the Church apply to a person (even a monarch) who committed a terrible sin?

Interdict

Excommunication

Diocese

Bishopric

Which member of the royal household was a cleric (holy), looked after the royal seal and kept records?

The Marshall

The Constable

The Steward

The Chancellor

Which men were royal officers who were given the responsibility of running local areas for the King?

Justiciars

Chamberlains

Sheriffs

Overlords

Task

• You are going to produce a tourist guide for time travellers to medieval Scotland!

• It must contain all the essential information needed to survive in this alien world.

Success criteria:

• Your travel guide should include: – A map of Scotland showing major towns, burghs,

monasteries and earldoms.

– Information about feudalism.

– Daily life for people of all ranks of the system.

– How Scotland/people traded goods.

– The importance of the Church in society.

– How Scotland was governed, including information about the royal household.

– Information about the lack of scientific knowledge.

– All the key words in the boxes.

Can I…?

• Describe Scotland in the twelfth century, with reference to:

• Population

• The structure of society

• Daily life

• Trade

• Government

• Religion

• Science