Chronology of Scottish Politics

'There are no criteria that can be used for parliament's emergence other than the moment that contemporary Scots began to refer to their assemblies in official sources by either the word parliamentum or colloquium. The debate about the earliest known Scottish parliament therefore becomes very simple - it was the Kirkliston colloquium held in 1235. Whether this was the first assembly to be referred to in such a way, or whether it differed in any significant way from the royal councils and assemblies that had occurred before will, almost certainly, never be known.' From Parliament and Politics in Scotland, 1235 - 1560. Keith M. Brown and Roland J. Tanner, Eds., Edinburgh University Press, 2004

The House of Dunkeld and the first Scottish parliaments: 1058 - 1290

The oldest surviving Scottish parliamentary record.
An agreement between the monks of Melrose and Roger Avanel.
From the 'colloquium' of Kirkliston
(Unknown date between March 1235 and March 1236)
© National Archives of Scotland

17 th March 1058

King Lulach is slain by Malcolm Canmore, son of King Duncan. Malcolm Canmore becomes King Malcolm III.

1061

King Malcolm III of Scots raids Northumbria, currently held by Earl Tostig, third son of earl Godwin of Wessex and brother of the future King Harold. Tostig was appointed Earl by King Edward the Confessor in 1055 and is forced into exile by his thegns in 1065.

1065

Death of Thorfin, Earl of Orkney at Birsay.

October 1066

Following the death of King Harold II of England at the battle of Hastings, the Witengemot in London proclaim Edgar the Aetheling (Royal Prince), aged 13, son of Edward the Exile and grandson of Edmund II of England, as King of England.

December 1066

At Berkhamsted near London, Edgar the Aetheling, the uncrowned Saxon King of England, and members of the Witan offer the throne of England to Duke William of Norway.

1067

William the Conqueror sells the Earldom of Northumbria to Cospatrick of Bernicia.

1068

The Saxon claimant Edgar the Aetheling, his mother and his sisters, including the future Queen Margaret of Scots, flee to the court of King Malcolm III of Scots.

September 1069

The Saxon claimant Edgar the Aetheling wins a victory against the Normans. A Northumbrian army and a Danish force under the command of Osbern, brother of King Svein Estridson, King of Denmark take York, killing more than 3,000 Normans and taking two new castles.

December 1069

William the Conqueror forces the Saxon "King" Edgar the Aetheling is forced to flee back to the court of King Malcolm III of Scots.

1070

King Malcolm III of Scots marries Margaret, sister of the Saxon claimant Edgar the Aetheling.

1070

King Malcolm III of Scots invades England as far south as Cleveland. His cousin, Cospatrick, Earl of Northumbria attacks Malcolm's lands in Cumbria in retaliation.

1072

William the Conqueror deposes Cospatrick, Earl of Northumbria and replaces him with Waltheof. Cospatrick flees to the court of his cousin, Malcolm III, King of Scots.

15 th August 1072

King Malcolm III of Scots meets King William the Conqueror of England at Abernethy. Malcolm submits to William, agreed to send his eldest son Duncan as a hostage, and to expel his brother in law, the Saxon "King" Edgar the Aetheling, from Scotland.

1074

On the advice of King Malcolm II of Scots, the Saxon claimant Edgar the Aetheling, brother of Queen Margaret of Scots, travels to Normandy to submit to the Norman King William the Conqueror.

1078

Maelsnechtai, Mormaer and 'King' of Moray, and son of King Lulach, is expelled from his territory by Malcolm III.

September 1079

King Malcolm III of Scots invades England and raids the lands of Walcher, Norman Prince Bishop of Durham, who has controlled the Earldom of Northumbria for William the Conqueror since the forfeiture of the Saxon Earl Waltheof in 1076. Walcher is killed by the local people in May 1080.

1085

Death of Maelsnechtai, Mormaer and 'King' of Moray, the son of King Lulach. His sister had married Heth, and their descendants, Earls of Moray and Earls of Ross, continue to claim the throne of Scotland due to their descent from the senior royal line.

1087

Prince Duncan, eldest son of King Malcolm III by his first wife Ingebourg of Orkney, is released after 15 years of captivity and knighted by Robert "Curthose" eldest son of William the Conqueror of England.

May 1091

Malcolm III, King of Scots invades Northumbria while William II of England is absent in Maine.

30 th September 1091

King William II of England's fleet is wrecked off the mouth of the Tyne while en route to invade Scotland.

October 1091

Following negotiations to avoid outright war between England and Scotland, King Malcolm III agress to pay homage and swears fealty to William II of England. William II promises Malcolm 12 English villages and the sum of 12 merks a year.

13 th November 1093

Death of Malcolm III, King of Scots and Prince Edward, his eldest son by his second wife Queen Margaret at Durham. They are ambushed by followers of Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland with Malcolm III being killed by Mowbray's nephew, Arkil Morel. Malcolm III is succeeded by his younger brother, Donald III (Bain) who is proclaimed by the ancient laws of tainistry.

16 th November 1093

Death of Queen Margaret, second wife of Malcolm III of Scots.

May 1094

Duncan, the eldest son of Malcolm III by his first wife Ingeborg of Orkney, defeats his uncle Donald III (Bain) in battle. Donald III is deposed and becomes Duncan II, King of Scots.

12 th November 1094

King Duncan II is murdered by Mael Peter, Mormaer of the Maerns a supporter of deposed King Donald III. Donald III becomes King of Scots for the second time. He rules directly in the north with his nephew and designated heir, or tainist, Edmund I, Malcolm IV's second son by Margaret, ruling as his deputy in the south. King Duncan II's son, William FitzDuncan, becomes Earl of Moray and Lord of Skipton & Cravan.

1095

King Donald III of Scots allies himself with Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland against William II of England. In retaliation, the English King proclaims that Edgar, second son of King Malcolm III by his second wife, is King of Scots.

October 1097

King Donald III and King Edmund I are defeated in battle at Rescobie. Donald III's nephew Edgar becomes King of Scots. The successful campaign is led by Edgar's maternal uncle, Edgar the Aetheling, son of Edward the Exile and grandson of Edmund II of England. Edgar the Aetheling was proclaimed King of England by the Saxon Witengemot in London in 1066 after the death of King Harold at Hastings.

1098

King Edgar of Scots negociates an alliance with King Magnus 'Barefoot' of Norway.

1099

Death of the deposed King Donald III, brother of Malcolm III, who was blinded upon the orders of his nephew King Edgar.

11 th November 1100

Princess Edith, sister of King Edgar of Scots, marries King Henry I of England and takes the name Matilda.

1102

Princess Mary, sister of King Edgar of Scots, marries Eustance III, Count of Boulogne. Their son Stephen later becomes King of England.

8 th January 1107

Death of King Edgar I of Scots. He is succeeded by his younger brothers: Alexander becomes King of Scots and rules north of the Forth and Clyde. David becomes Prince of Cumbria and rules to the south of the Forth and Clyde, but remains under Alexander's authority.

1107

King Alexander I of Scots marries Sybilla, illegitimate daughter of Henry I of England.

1107

King Alexander I of Scots crushes a rebellion in Moray by supporters of the alternative royal line, who descend from King Lulach and Alexander's eldest brother, King Duncan II.

December 1113

Prince David of Scotland marries Maud de Senlis, 2 nd Countess of Huntingdon, daughter of Waltheof, 1 st Earl of Huntingdon, who was executed by William the Conqueror in 1076.

1114

Malcolm, infant son of Prince David, Earl of Huntingdon and second in line to the Scots throne, is murdered by a priest.

1114

Birth of Henry, 3 rd Earl of Huntingdon, son of the future King David I and father of the future kings Malcom IV and William I and David Earl of Huntington.

1115

King Alexander I of Scots founds an Augustan Priory at Scone.

1121

King Alexander I of Scots makes Berwick-Upon-Tweed the first Royal Burgh of Scotland.

12 th June 1122

Death of Queen Sibilla, wife of King Alexander I of Scots and illegitimate daughter of Henry I of England, at Loch Tay. The couple had no children.

23 rd April 1124

Death of King Alexander I of Scots. He is succeeded by his younger brother, Prince David, Earl of Huntingdon and Prince of Cumbria. The succession is not peaceful - two 'sufficiently fierce' battles are fought and won against Malcolm, an illeitimate son of Alexander I.

27 th April 1124

King David I is inaugurated as King of Scots at Scone. He later bestows lands in Annandale to Robert de Brus.

1126

Following the death of King Edward II, uncrowned king of England, his nephew King David I of Scots becomes legitimate heir to the Anglo Saxon kingdom as the only remaining male descendant of King Aethelred II.

1127

King David transmits his rights to the Anglo Saxon Kingdom of England to his neice, the Empress Matilda (or Maud), who is also the sole heir of her father, the Norman King Henry I.

1128

King David I of Scots founds Holyrood Abbey.

1130

Angus Mac Heth, Mormaer and last 'King' of Moray, the son of a daughter of King Lulach, is killed in battle against a Scots army led by Edward Siwardson. Moray is reincorporated into the Kingdom of Scots. Angus' brother, Malcolm Mac Heth, Earl of Ross, becomes the new claimamt for the senior royal line.

1131

Death of Queen Maud, Countess of Huntingdon in her own right and wife of King David I, at Scone.

8 th September 1131

At Northampton, the barons of England renew their allegiance to Maitilda, daughter of Henry I of England and neice of King David I of Scots.

1134

Malcolm MacHeth, Earl of Ross, illegitimate son of King Alexander I of Scots, is imprisoned at Roxburgh Castle.

5 th February 1136

Treaty of Durham. King David I of Scots and Stephen, Count of Blois, claimant of the throne of England, sign a treaty settling disputes over the ownership of land in England: Stephen retains Northumberland, but confirms Prince Henry, heir apparant to the Scots throne, and son of Queen Maud, Countess of Huntingdon in her own right , as 3 rd Earl of Huntingdon.

7 th July 1136

Glasgow cathedral is consecrated in the presence of King David I of Scots.

August 1138

King David I again invades England in support of the claims of his neice the Empress Matilda to be monarch of England rather than Stephen, Count of Blois. Battle of Clitheroe. Scots under William Fitz William, son of King Duncan II, defeat an English army.

22 nd August 1138

Battle of the Standard. Scots under King David I are defeated by the English under Thurstan, Archbishop of York near at Cowton Moor near Northallerton. 12,000 Scots are killed.

26 th September 1138

Treaty of Carlisle. Alberic, Bishop of Ostia and Papal Legate, negotiates a peace treaty between King David I of Scots and Stephen, Count of Blois, claimant of the throne of England.

11 th November 1138

The Scots take Wark Castle from the English.

9 th April 1139

The independence of Scotland is confirmed in the second treaty of Durham, signed by King David I of Scots and Stephen, Count of Blois, claimant of the throne of England, and witnessed by the Scottish Bishops of St Andrews and Glasgow and the English Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
Prince Henry, heir apparant to the Scots throne, is granted the Earldom of Northumberland, therefore the border between Scotland and England becomes the river Tees. Scotland already posesses Cumberland as part of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde.
In return, King David I of Scots withdraws his support for his neice, the Empress Matilda, and recognises Stephen of Blois as King of England.

20 th March 1141

Birth of the future King Malcolm IV of Scots.

28 th May 1141

King David I of Scots invades England in support of his neice, the Empress Matilda.

14 th September 1141

Battle of Winchester. The Empress Matilda's army, led by her half brother, the Earl of Gloucester, and accompanied by King David I of Scotsand six earls, is defeated and routed by the army of Queen Matilda, led by William of Ypres. Queen Mathilda is the wife of Stephen of Blois and the daughter of King David I's sister Mary.

22 nd May 1149

Treaty of Carlisle. King David I of Scots knights his great nephew Henry Plantagenet. Henry recognises that Cumberland and Northumberland are part of Scotland.

12 th July 1152

Death of Prince Henry, Earl of Huntingdon &, Northumbria and heir apparent of the Scots throne, at Roxburgh or Newcastle. He is buried at Kelso Abbey. Following the dealth of his son and heir, David has his eldest grandson Malcolm appointed as his successor, his second grandson William appointed Earl of Northumberland and Donald I, Earl of Fife appointed as Regent for Malcolm.

24 th May 1153

King David I of Scots dies at Carlisle, aged 68. He is succeeded by his grandson, Malcolm IV, 'the Maiden'.

27 th May 1153

King Malcolm IV inaugurated as King of Scots at Scone.

January 1154

Somerled, Lord of Argyll and King of Mann & the Isles, and his nephews, sons of Malcolm MacHeth, Earl of Ross, claimant to the Scots throne, invade Scotland in support of their claim.

1155

Death by drowning of William MacWilliam, Lord of Egremont, grandson and heir of King Duncan II, eldest son of Malcolm III.

1 st July 1163

At Woodstock, King Malcolm IV of Scots pays homage to King Henry II of England for his lands in England, and those alone.

1164

Battle of Renfrew between the supporters of Malcolm IV of Scots, led by Walter Fitzalan, High Steward of Scotland and Somerled, Lord of Argyll and King of Mann & the Isles. Somerled, his son Gillabridte are slain.

9 th December 1165

King Malcolm IV of Scots dies at Jedburgh, aged 25. He is succeeded by his brother William I, later known as 'the Lion'.

24 th December 1165

King William the Lion is inaugurated as King of Scots at Scone, aged 22 or 23.

1168

Death of Malcolm Mac Heth, Earl of Ross, grandson of King Lulach and claimant to the Scots throne.

15 th June 1170

At London, King William the Lion pays homage to King Henry II of England and Henry "the Young King" for his lands in England, and those alone.

13 th July 1174

A 400 strong force of English knights surprise King William the Lion and 60 knights rseting near Alnwick castle and capture the king after a fierce fight.

8 th December 1174

Treaty of Falaise. William I of Scots accepts King Henry II of England as his feudal overlord. Major Scottish castles are to be handed over to the English. The Scots church is to be subject to the rule of the English church. The earldom of Huntingdon is to be returned to English rule.

10 th August 1175

At York, King William the Lion and leading Scots nobles and clergy swear loyalty to King Henry II of England. Earl David of Hungtingdon, heir apparant to the Scots throne is to be held in England as a hostage.

8 th November 1176

Pope Alexander III upholds the Scottish church's refusal to submit to English rule. Archbishop Roger of York is forbidden from exercising any authority over bishops of the Scottish church.

November 1180

David, Earl of Hungtingdon, heir presumptive to the Scots throne, attends a tournament in Lagni, France to celebrate the ascension of Philippe II as King of France.

28 th July 1181

Conference in England between King Henry II of England, Kin Philippe II of France and King William the Lion. Henry II invests his son Henry "the Young King" as Duke of Normandy.

July 1181

During the absence of King William the Lion in England, Donald MacWilliam, grandson of King Donald II of Scots, and claimant of the Scots throne, invades Ross with the support of Maddason, Earl of Orkney.

December 1182

King William the Lion, who was excommunicated in 1181 by Pope Lucius III for efusing to accept John the Scot as Bishop of St Andrews, is readmitted to the Church of Rome. The Pope gifts the King a golden rose of honour.

5 th September 1186

At Woodstock, King William the Lion marries Emengarde de Beaumont, a cousin of Henry II of England.

31 st July 1187

The head of Donald MacWilliam is presented to King William the Lion by Roland of Galloway, who was inaugurated as Lord of Galloway in 1186. Duncan MacWilliam was the great grandson and heir of King Donald II of Scots, eldest son of Malcolm III. He claimed the Scots throne in place of King William the Lion, descendent of the ninth son of Malcolm III. Through his mother's mother, Donald MacWilliam was also the great grandson and heir of King Lulach, and so posed a double threat to William the Lion.

13 th March 1188

Pope Clement III confirms that the Scottish Church is not under the authority of the nearest archdiocese - that of York in England - which had been claiming superiority over Scotland.

5 th December 1189

Treaty of Canterbury. Richard I of England sells back Scotland's independence for 10,000 silver marks, ending 15 years of English overlordship.

1190

David, Earl of Huntingdon and heir presumptive to the Scots throne, marries Matilda, sister of Ranulf, Earl of Chester.

13 th March 1192

Celestine III's Papal Bull Cum universi declares that the Scots church is directly subject to the Pope.

1193

Birth of Princess Margaret, eldest child of Wiliam the Lion and heiress presumptive to Scotland until the brith of the future Alexander II in 1198.

June 1195

During a serious illness, King William the Lion declares that, providing he marries his eldest daughter, the Scots throne should go to Otto, son of Henry V, Duke of Saxony & Bavaria.

24 th August 1198

Birth of the future King Alexander II of Scots at Haddington.

22 nd November 1200

At Lincoln, King William the Lion meets King John of England and resserts his claim to Northumberland.

28 th November 1201

At Musselburgh, the Scots nobles swear homage to Prince Alexander, the three year old heir apparant to the Scots throne.

28 th November 1209

Treaty of Norham. King William the Lion meets King John of England at Norham Castle and renounces is claim to Northumberland. 10,000 pounds is to be paid to Englands in compensation. Princess Margaret of Scots is to marry prince Henry of England, while Princess Isabel of Scots is to marry another English noble.

1213

Death in Kincardine of Godfrey MacWilliam, great grandson and heir of King Duncan II, eldest son of Malcolm III, and claimant to the Scots throne.

4 th December 1214

Death of King William I of Scots at Stirling, aged 71, after a reign of 49 years. rHe is succeeded by his son Alexander II.

5 th December 1214

King Alexander II of Scots is inaugurated at Scone.

10 th December 1214

King William I of Scots is later burried at Arbroath Abbey.

15 th June 1215

Two claimants to the Scots throne, Kenneth MacHeth, great great grandson and heir of King Lulach and Donald Ban MacWilliam, great grandson and heir of King Duncan II are killed in battle in the Grampian region.

22 th October 1215

The northern barons of England renounce their allegiance to King John and swear homage to King Alexander II of Scots at Norham Castle.

September 1216

At Dover, King Alexander II of Scots pays homage for the northern counties of England to King Louis of England, son of King Philippe of France. Louis was hailed as King of England in place of King John on the 26 th May 1216.

19 th December 1217

King Alexander II of Scots pays homage for his lands in England, and for those alone, to King Henry III of England.

21 st November 1218

Pope Honorius III publishes a Papal Bull confirming the independence of the Scottish Church.

1219

Death of David, Earl of Hungtingdon, uncle and heir presumptive of King Alexander II of Scots.

18 th or 25 th June 1221

King Alexander II of Scots marries Princess Joan, daughter of John of England, at York.

19 th June 1221

Princess Margaret, sister of King Alexander II of Scots marries Hubert de Burgh de facto Regent of England and later Earl of Kent, at York.

May 1222

A rebellion in Argyll against the rule of King Alexander II of Scots is crushed.

11 th September 1222

At Haukirk, Adam, Bishop of Orkney is murdered, allegedly upon the orders of John, Earl of Orkney.

Unknown date between 25 th March 1235 and 24 th March 1236

A meeting of nobles under the King is held at Kirkliston. This is the first meeting to be described as a 'colloquium' rather than a royal council or assembly. It is believed to be the first Scottish Parliament on record, however the actual term 'parliamentum' was not used until the assembly held at Birgham in Berwickshire on the 17 th March 1290. An agreement between the monks of Melrose and Roger Avenel was witnessed by the King and the Scots nobles and is Scotland's oldest surviving parliamentary record.

6 th June 1237

Death of John de Scotia, Earl of Huntingdon & Chester, without children, aged 30. He was the cousin and heir presumptive of King Alexander II. His nephew Robert Bruce, 5 th Lord of Annandale becomes heir presumptive.

September 1237

Treaty of York. King Alexander II of Scots abandons his claims to Northumbria and Cumbria. The treaty defines the border betwen Scotland and England as lying between the mouths of the Solway firth in the West via the river Esk to the river Tweed in the east. The treaty is signed by Alexander II King of Scots and Henry II of England and is winessed by nine earls and one bishop from Scotland and seven earls, an archbisop and four bishops from England.

4 th March 1238

Death of Queen Joan.

15 th May 1239

King Alexander II of Scots marries, as he second wife, Marie, daughter of Enguerrand III, Lord of Coucy.

4 th September 1241

Birth of the future King Alexander III at Roxburgh castle.

14 th August 1244

Treaty of Newcastle. King Alexander II of Scots meets King Henry II of England at Newcastle to sign a mutual peace treaty between Scotland and England following disputes concerning the exact position of the border.

8 th July 1249

Death of King Alexander II of Scots at the island of Kerrera near Oban, aged 50. He is succeeded by his son Alexander III.

13 th July 1249

King Alexander III of Scots is inaugurated at Scone, aged eight.

26 th December 1251

King Alexander III of Scots marries Princess Margaret, daughter of Henry III of England.

September 1255

An assemby under King Alexander III of Scots takes place at Roxburgh. It is attended by 49 Scottish nobles and Henry II, King of England.

28 th February 1260

Birth of Princess Margaret, eldest child of Alexander III and heiress presumptive to the kingdom of Scots.

21 st January 1263

Birth of Prince Alexander, heir apparant to the kingdom of Scots.

2 nd October 1263

Battle of Largs. Scots under King Alexander III defeat the Norwegians under King Haakon.

1264

A 'colloquim' or formal council of King Alexander III is held in Edinburgh.

23 rd July 1266

Treaty of Perth. An assembly of Scottish nobles witnesses the cessation of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man from Norway to Scotland by King Magnus IV.

20 th March 1272

Birth of Prince David, second son of Alexander III.

11 th July 1274

Birth of Robert Bruce, future King Robert I of Scots.

29 th October 1278

At Westminster, King Alexander III of Scots declares to Edward I of England 'I become your man for the lands which I hold of you in the kingdom of England for which I owe hommage, saving my kingdom.' William Middleton, bishop of Norwich intervened, saying 'And be it saved to the king of England if he have a right to homage for it'. To which Alexander replied 'No one has a right to homage for my kingdom of Scotland save God alone, and I hold it only of God.'

June 1281

Death of Prince David, second son of King Alexander III of Scots.

July 1281

An assembly of Scottish nobles witnesses the marriage contract between King Eric II of Norway and Margaret, daughter of Alexander III of Scots. This states that Margaret and any children she should have would inherit the Scots throne should Alexander II die without a male heir.

11 th August 1281

Princess Margaret, daughter of Alexander III of Scots, sails for Norway.

15 th August 1281

Princess Margaret, daughter of Alexander III of Scots, lands a Bergen in Norway.

14 th November 1282

Prince Alexander, heir apparent to King Alexander III of Scots, marries Margaret, daughter of Guy de Dampierre, Count of Flanders.

28 th January 1283

Death of Prince Alexander, heir apparent to King Alexander III of Scots. His sister, Queen Margaret of Norway becomes heir presumptive.

9 th April 1283

Death of Queen Margaret of Norway, daughter and heir presumptive to King Alexander III of Scots. Her daughter, Margaret the 'Maid of Norway' becomes heir presumptive.

5 th February 1284

An assemby of Scots nobles, referred to later as a parliament, acknowledges Margaret of Norway, granddaughter of King Alexander II of Scots, as heiress presumptive to the throne. The document is signed by 13 earls, 24 Lords and three Gaelic chiefs.

15 th October 1285

King Alexander III of Scots marries Yolande, daughter of Robert IV, Count of Dreux at Jedburgh Abbey.

19 th March 1286

King Alexander III of Scots is found dead at the bottom of cliffs at Kinghorn in Fife with a broken neck, aged 44. His new wife Queen Yolande is pregnant and the child, if it lives, will become King or Queen of Scots. Unless the unborn child is a son, Margaret the 'Maid of Norway' will become Queen of Scots.

29 th March 1286

King Alexander III of Scots is buried at Dunfermline Abbey.

around 28 th April 1286

Scots nobles meets at Scone to choose six Guardians of the realm. Two earls, two lords and two bishops are chosen, on of each rank from the north and the south. Those appointed were: Duncan III, Earl of Fife (killed in 1288), Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan, James Stewart, 5 th High Steward of Scotland, John Comyn II, Lord of Badenoch, William Fraser, Bishop of Saint Andrews and Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow.

25 th November 1286

The Guardians meet at Clackmannan to witness the birth of King Alexander III's posthumous child. It is presumed to have been still born or that Queen Yolande miscarried. Alexander III's granddaughter, Margaret the 'Maid of Norway' is officially recognised as Queen of Scots.

25 th September 1288

One of the six Guardians of the realm, Duncan III, Earl of Fife, is murdered by his own relatives and supporters while on his way to a 'parliament'. His son Duncan IV, Earl of Fife is later appointed Guardian in his place.

6 th November 1289

Treaty of Salisbury.

14 th March 1290

A 'parliamentum' or Scottish Parliament is held at Birgham in Berwickshire. This is the first recorded use of the term, although it is not described as such on surviving Scots documents. The 'colloquium' held at Kirkliston in 1235 is now thought to be the first Scottish Parliament on record.

17 th March 1290

Letters are sent to King Eric II of Norway and King Edward I of England. The latter is signed by 12 earls, 49 barons, 12 bishops, 23 abbots and 11 priors. The attendance of 107 is the highest recorded at any assembly of Scots nobles and clergy until 1469.

18 th March 1290

Alexander III's council at Edinburgh receives a request from John Balliol, Lord of Galloway, to release Thomas, illegitimate son of Alan, Lord of Galloway, after 50 years of imprisonment.

18 th July 1290

Treaty of Birgham. A second assembly is held at Birgham in Berwickshire, attended by four of the Scottish Guardians and six English ambassadors.

28 th August 1290

The Treaty of Birgham is ratified at Northampton.

around 26 th September 1290

Death of Queen Margaret of Scots at Orkney. Called 'the Maid of Norway' she was the daughter of King Eric II of Norway and his wife Margaret, the daughter of King Alexander III of Scots. She is the last direct successor of King Alexander II, and there is no undisputed heir to the throne.