Treaty of Perpetual Peace (1502)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Perpetual Peace was signed by James IV of Scotland
and Henry VII of England
in 1502. It agreed to end the intermittent warfare between Scotland
and England
which had been waged over the previous two hundred years and although it failed in this respect, as the hostility continued intermittently throughout the 16th century, it led to the Union of the Crowns
101 years later.
, the daughter of Henry VII. Andrew Forman
and the poet William Dunbar
were members of the Scottish embassy who negotiated the treaty in London. Peace between England and Scotland had already been established by the Treaty of Ayton, brokered by Pedro de Ayala
in 1497. Apart from the marriage, the treaty sought to outline various rules and processes for administering the English and Scottish borders and prevent local cross-border conflicts escalating to war. The treaty was signed at Richmond Palace
on 24 January 1502 by Robert Blackadder
, Archbishop of Glasgow
, Patrick Hepburn
, Earl of Bothwell
and Andrew Forman.
on 10 December 1502. The ceremony had to be repeated as the name of 'France' was accidentally inserted into the text of the King's oath. The Kings then exchanged illuminated copies of the ratifications. Two of the Scottish manuscripts were painted and gilded by sir Thomas Galbraith, a clerk of the Chapel Royal in Stirling Castle
, who was given 59 shillings for materials and time. A few days later James IV gave Thomas a present of 18 shillings on New Year's day.
In April 1503, Henry VII sent the Bishops of Hereford
and Worcester
to Rome for the Pope's ratification. (Adrian Castellesi, Bishop of Hereford
, had originally been sent from Italy to make peace between James III of Scotland
and his son's supporters)
under an older mutual defence treaty, the Auld Alliance
. The 1513 invasion by the Scots met defeat, and James was killed at the Battle of Flodden. Despite this abrogation, the Treaty of Perpetual Peace had a long-lasting effect because it led to the issue (children) of the marriage between James and Margaret, which eventually led to the Union of the Crowns
.
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
and Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
in 1502. It agreed to end the intermittent warfare between Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which had been waged over the previous two hundred years and although it failed in this respect, as the hostility continued intermittently throughout the 16th century, it led to the Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
101 years later.
Negotiations
As part of the treaty, a marriage was agreed between James IV and Margaret TudorMargaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor was the elder of the two surviving daughters of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and the elder sister of Henry VIII. In 1503, she married James IV, King of Scots. James died in 1513, and their son became King James V. She married secondly Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of...
, the daughter of Henry VII. Andrew Forman
Andrew Forman
Andrew Forman was a Scottish diplomat and prelate who became Bishop of Moray in 1501, Archbishop of Bourges in France, in 1513, Archbishop of St Andrews in 1514 as well as the headship of several monasteries....
and the poet William Dunbar
William Dunbar
William Dunbar was a Scottish poet. He was probably a native of East Lothian, as assumed from a satirical reference in the Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie , where, too, it is hinted that he was a member of the noble house of Dunbar....
were members of the Scottish embassy who negotiated the treaty in London. Peace between England and Scotland had already been established by the Treaty of Ayton, brokered by Pedro de Ayala
Pedro de Ayala
Don Pedro de Ayala was a 16th-century Spanish diplomat employed by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile at the courts of James IV of Scotland and Henry VII of England. His mission to Scotland was concerned with the King's marriage and the international crisis caused by the pretender...
in 1497. Apart from the marriage, the treaty sought to outline various rules and processes for administering the English and Scottish borders and prevent local cross-border conflicts escalating to war. The treaty was signed at Richmond Palace
Richmond Palace
Richmond Palace was a Thameside royal residence on the right bank of the river, upstream of the Palace of Westminster, to which it lay 9 miles SW of as the crow flies. It it was erected c. 1501 within the royal manor of Sheen, by Henry VII of England, formerly known by his title Earl of Richmond,...
on 24 January 1502 by Robert Blackadder
Robert Blackadder
Robert Blackadder was a medieval Scottish cleric, diplomat and politician, who was abbot of Melrose, bishop-elect of Aberdeen and bishop of Glasgow; when the last was elevated to archiepiscopal status in 1492, he became the first ever archbishop of Glasgow...
, Archbishop of Glasgow
Archbishop of Glasgow
The Bishop of Glasgow, from 1492 Archbishop of Glasgow, was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Glasgow and then, as Archbishop of Glasgow, the Archdiocese of Glasgow...
, Patrick Hepburn
Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell
Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell was Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Under his territorial designation of Sir Patrick Hepburne of Dunsyre, Knt., he was Sheriff of Berwickshire, 15 June 1480...
, Earl of Bothwell
Earl of Bothwell
The title Earl of Bothwell has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. It was then created for Francis Stewart in 1587...
and Andrew Forman.
Ratification
James IV gave his oath to keep the treaty at the right hand of the high altar of Glasgow CathedralGlasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
on 10 December 1502. The ceremony had to be repeated as the name of 'France' was accidentally inserted into the text of the King's oath. The Kings then exchanged illuminated copies of the ratifications. Two of the Scottish manuscripts were painted and gilded by sir Thomas Galbraith, a clerk of the Chapel Royal in Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
, who was given 59 shillings for materials and time. A few days later James IV gave Thomas a present of 18 shillings on New Year's day.
In April 1503, Henry VII sent the Bishops of Hereford
Adriano Castellesi
Adriano Castellesi, also known as Cardinal Adrian, Corneto, Adrian of Castello or Adriano de Castello was an Italian cardinal and writer.-Biography:Castellesi was born at Corneto....
and Worcester
Silvestro de' Gigli
Silvestro de' Gigli was a medieval Bishop of Worcester, the second of three Italian absentees to hold the see before the Reformation.He was nominated on 24 December 1498 and consecrated about 6 April 1499. He died on 16 April 1521.-References:...
to Rome for the Pope's ratification. (Adrian Castellesi, Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
, had originally been sent from Italy to make peace between James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
and his son's supporters)
Consequences
The treaty was broken in 1513 when James invaded England in support of the French who had lately been attacked by the English. The invasion was forced by Scotland's obligation to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
under an older mutual defence treaty, the Auld Alliance
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France. It played a significant role in the relations between Scotland, France and England from its beginning in 1295 until the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. The alliance was renewed by all the French and Scottish monarchs of that...
. The 1513 invasion by the Scots met defeat, and James was killed at the Battle of Flodden. Despite this abrogation, the Treaty of Perpetual Peace had a long-lasting effect because it led to the issue (children) of the marriage between James and Margaret, which eventually led to the Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
.