Medieval Scots thought 'Scottish independence was compatible with being British'

Research of medieval texts shows that Scots envisioned Britain as an extension of Scotland.

A leading historian has suggested that Scottish independence has long been compatible with being British following his analysis of medieval texts.

Professor Dauvit Broun, of the University of Glasgow, has found Scottish historians and writers in the 1380s and early 1500s regarded the Scottish kingdom as equivalent to Britain.

Malcolm III and Queen Margaret of Scotland. New research has illuminated the perspective that the Scottish royal line’s connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole. PIC: CC. | CC

This was not as common as the tendency to refer to Britain as England, but it was similar, he said.

While England’s identification with Britain has existed for over a millennium, Prof Broun has discovered a parallel tradition where Scots envisioned Britain as an extension of Scotland.

Professor Dauvit Broun, Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow. | Photographic Unit University of

Prof Broun’s findings follow the recent discovery of a booklet from the early 16th century that illuminates this unexpected relationship between Scottish independence and British identity that has, until now, been overlooked.

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The academic, writing in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, said these Scottish writers articulated a vision where Britain could be a kingdom ruled by the Scottish monarchy – effectively a Scottish kingdom expanded to island-wide scale.

The professor of Scottish history said: “A close reading of work by medieval Scottish historians and scholars shows they firmly believed that Scottish independence was entirely compatible with British identity.

“In this era, Britain was not seen as an English-dominated kingdom, as is often how it is viewed today, but rather a space that could be ruled by the Scottish monarchy. This idea of Britain as fundamentally Scottish is a surprising and provocative viewpoint in today’s often polarised debates around national identity.”

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A key figure in Prof Broun’s analysis is John Mair, the so-called “founding father of Scottish unionism”. Prof Broun, in his paper, said Mr Mair’s vision was essentially a Scottish kingdom expanded to include England.

Mr Mair advocated for a marriage-based union between Scottish and English royal houses. Prof Broun has now argued Mr Mair envisioned this primarily from a Scottish perspective, with the assumption that a Scottish king would rule Britain.

Prof Broun also analysed a previously unpublished manuscript booklet, the St Andrews Chronicles, which dates from around 1511 and gives rare insight into how ordinary educated Scots engaged with these ideas.

The St Andrews Chronicles is a startling manuscript (Pic: University of St Andrews)

This homemade booklet contains a collection of historical texts about Scottish and British origins, king-lists and chronicles, suggesting these British-Scottish connections were of interest beyond elite scholarly circles.

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The physical characteristics of the booklet suggest it was created for personal use indicating a practical interest in these historical connections. The booklet appears to have copied an earlier compilation that itself may have expanded upon an even earlier collection of texts.

This suggests these British Scottish historical perspectives were being transmitted and expanded by ordinary educated Scots over time, Prof Broun added.

The arrangement of historical material in the booklet combines Scottish royal dynasty and events with outlines of Britain as a kingdom from ancient times similar to Mr Mair's approach, but predating his work.

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The manuscript’s significant focus on Malcolm III and St Margaret – appearing twice in different sections – mirrors the view the Scottish royal line’s connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole.

This reinforces the distinctly Scottish-centric view of British history articulated particularly by the Scottish historian John of Fordun in the 1380s, he added.

“Appropriating Britain as an extension of your country was not, therefore, unique to England: the Scots did it, too,” Prof Broun said.