Treaty of York
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of York was an agreement between Henry III of England
and Alexander II of Scotland
, signed at York
on 25 September 1237. It detailed the future status of several feudal properties and addressed other issues between the two kings, and indirectly marked the end of Scotland
's attempts to extend its frontier southward, though it did not address any issues of the future determination of the Anglo-Scottish border
.
The treaty was one of a number of agreements in the ongoing relationship between the two kings, but is not particularly notable otherwise. The Papal legate
Otho was already in England
at Henry's request to attend a Synod in London in November 1237, and had been informed by Henry of the September meeting at York, which he attended. This meeting became more notable due to the writing of the contemporary chronicler Matthew Paris
, who disparaged both Alexander and Otho. His untruthful allegations towards Alexander, portraying him as boorishly uncivil and aggressive, have been repeated uncritically in historical accounts.
and Alexander's sister Margaret
had married Hubert de Burgh
, a former regent
to Henry. On 13 August 1237 Henry advised Otho that he would meet Alexander at York to treat of peace. An agreement was reached on 25 September "respecting all claims, or competent to, the latter, up to Friday next before Michaelmas A.D. 1237".
The title of the agreement is Scriptum cirographatum inter Henricum Regem Anglie et Alexandrum Regem Scocie de comitatu Northumbrie Cumbrie et Westmerland factum coram Ottone Legato and the particulars of the agreement are:
Historians have shown little interest in the agreement, either mentioning it in passing or ignoring it altogether. Stubbs
does not mention it in his Constitutional History of England, nor does Hume
in his History of England. Skene
's Celtic Scotland refers to it as an agreement in his background discussion for the reign of Alexander II's successor, Alexander III
, while Burton
's History of Scotland mentions that claims of land were discussed in 1237 and briefly describes some of them, but makes no reference to an agreement or treaty. James Hill Ramsay's Dawn of the Constitution gives a fuller discussion of the agreement, but does not give it any particular prominence.
(c. 1200 – 1259), who is known for his rhetorical passion and his invectives against those with whom he disagreed. Paris describes the Papal legate Otho in negative terms, as someone who was weak and timid in the face of strength but overbearing in his use of power over others, and as someone who avariciously accumulated a large amount of money. He describes Alexander and Henry as having a mutual hatred in 1236, with Alexander threatening to invade England. He describes the 1237 meeting at York as the result of Henry's and Otho's invitation to Alexander, and that when Otho expressed an interest in visiting Scotland, Alexander claimed no legate had ever visited Scotland and he would not allow it, and that if Otho does enter Scotland he should take care that harm does not befall him. Paris goes on to say that in 1239 as Otho was leaving for Scotland, that when Alexander had previously met with Otho in 1237 he had become so excited in his hostility at the possibility of Otho's visit to Scotland that a written agreement had to be been drawn up concerning Otho's visit.
There is nothing to recommend Paris' account as having any validity, as it is contradicted by known facts regarding dates and correspondences, and by knowledge of previous visits to Scotland by legates. Legates had visited Scotland in the reigns of Alexander's father William I
, his uncle Malcolm IV
, and his grandfather David I
, and Alexander himself had seen a Papal legate hold a council at Perth
for four days, making his alleged outrage and threats incongruous and highly improbable.
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
, signed at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
on 25 September 1237. It detailed the future status of several feudal properties and addressed other issues between the two kings, and indirectly marked the end of 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...
's attempts to extend its frontier southward, though it did not address any issues of the future determination of the Anglo-Scottish border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
.
The treaty was one of a number of agreements in the ongoing relationship between the two kings, but is not particularly notable otherwise. The Papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
Otho was already in 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...
at Henry's request to attend a Synod in London in November 1237, and had been informed by Henry of the September meeting at York, which he attended. This meeting became more notable due to the writing of the contemporary chronicler Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
, who disparaged both Alexander and Otho. His untruthful allegations towards Alexander, portraying him as boorishly uncivil and aggressive, have been repeated uncritically in historical accounts.
The agreement
Henry and Alexander had a history of making agreements to settle one matter or another, and related to this was their personal relationship in that Alexander was married to Henry's sister JoanJoan of England, Queen Consort of Scotland
Joan of England was Queen consort of Scotland from 1221 until 1238.Joan was the eldest legitimate daughter and third child of King John of England and Countess Isabella of Angoulême....
and Alexander's sister Margaret
Margaret of Scotland, Countess of Kent
Margaret of Scotland was the first child born to William I of Scotland and his Queen consort Ermengarde de Beaumont. She was an older sister of Alexander II of Scotland....
had married Hubert de Burgh
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent was Earl of Kent, Justiciar of England and Ireland, and one of the most influential men in England during the reigns of John and Henry III.-Birth and family:...
, a former regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
to Henry. On 13 August 1237 Henry advised Otho that he would meet Alexander at York to treat of peace. An agreement was reached on 25 September "respecting all claims, or competent to, the latter, up to Friday next before Michaelmas A.D. 1237".
The title of the agreement is Scriptum cirographatum inter Henricum Regem Anglie et Alexandrum Regem Scocie de comitatu Northumbrie Cumbrie et Westmerland factum coram Ottone Legato and the particulars of the agreement are:
- The King of Scotland: quitclaims to the King of England his hereditary rights to the counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland; quitclaims 15,000 marks of silver paid by King WilliamWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
to King JohnJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
for certain conventions not observed by the latter; and frees Henry from agreements regarding marriages between Henry and King RichardRichard I of EnglandRichard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, and Alexander's sisters Margaret, Isabella, and Marjory. - The King of England grants the King of Scotland certain lands within Northumberland and Cumberland, to be held by him and his successor kings of Scotland in feudal tenure with certain rights exempting them from obligations common in feudal relationships, and with the Scottish Steward sitting in Justice regarding certain issues that may arise, and these, too, are hereditary to the King of Scotland's heirs, and regarding these the King of Scotland shall not be answerable to an English court of law in any suit.
- The King of Scotland makes his homage and fealty – de praedictis terris.
- Both kings respect previous writings not in conflict with this agreement, and any charters found regarding said counties to be restored to the King of England.
Historians have shown little interest in the agreement, either mentioning it in passing or ignoring it altogether. Stubbs
William Stubbs
William Stubbs was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford.The son of William Morley Stubbs, a solicitor, he was born at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1848, obtaining a first-class in classics and a third in...
does not mention it in his Constitutional History of England, nor does Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
in his History of England. Skene
William Forbes Skene
William Forbes Skene , Scottish historian and antiquary, was the second son of Sir Walter Scott's friend, James Skene , of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen....
's Celtic Scotland refers to it as an agreement in his background discussion for the reign of Alexander II's successor, Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, while Burton
John Hill Burton
John Hill Burton FRSE was a Scottish advocate, historian and economist. The author of "Life and Correspondence of David Hume", he was secretary of the Scottish Prison Board , and Historiographer Royal ....
's History of Scotland mentions that claims of land were discussed in 1237 and briefly describes some of them, but makes no reference to an agreement or treaty. James Hill Ramsay's Dawn of the Constitution gives a fuller discussion of the agreement, but does not give it any particular prominence.
The account of Paris
The treaty gained additional prominence due to the chronicler Matthew ParisMatthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
(c. 1200 – 1259), who is known for his rhetorical passion and his invectives against those with whom he disagreed. Paris describes the Papal legate Otho in negative terms, as someone who was weak and timid in the face of strength but overbearing in his use of power over others, and as someone who avariciously accumulated a large amount of money. He describes Alexander and Henry as having a mutual hatred in 1236, with Alexander threatening to invade England. He describes the 1237 meeting at York as the result of Henry's and Otho's invitation to Alexander, and that when Otho expressed an interest in visiting Scotland, Alexander claimed no legate had ever visited Scotland and he would not allow it, and that if Otho does enter Scotland he should take care that harm does not befall him. Paris goes on to say that in 1239 as Otho was leaving for Scotland, that when Alexander had previously met with Otho in 1237 he had become so excited in his hostility at the possibility of Otho's visit to Scotland that a written agreement had to be been drawn up concerning Otho's visit.
There is nothing to recommend Paris' account as having any validity, as it is contradicted by known facts regarding dates and correspondences, and by knowledge of previous visits to Scotland by legates. Legates had visited Scotland in the reigns of Alexander's father William I
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
, his uncle Malcolm IV
Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne...
, and his grandfather David I
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
, and Alexander himself had seen a Papal legate hold a council at Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
for four days, making his alleged outrage and threats incongruous and highly improbable.