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Medieval Ireland, Wales and Scotland

Both Ireland and Wales lacked unified government under one monarch, an advantage enjoyed by England and, to a great extent, by Scotland.

Ireland was ruled by a number of kings, not one of whom had managed to establish supremacy as the House of Wessex, and more definitely the Normans, had done in England. Ireland had unlike England, no Romanised Church which believed its interests were best served by the creation of a strong monarchy. Ireland also had a body of law which made it difficult for an Irish ruler to change society in the way that English kings had done.

In the 12^th century there was a bitter power struggle between the Irish Kings.

Wales had been penetrated by Norman lords at the time of the Conquest. Only the poor mountainous area covering most of Wales was ruled by native Celtic princes. English kings were satisfied with a recognition by the nature princes of the sovereignty of the English monarchy.

Scotland in contrast to Ireland and Wales was a success story. Scotland was unified under a single monarchy.

The unification of Scotland is traditionally dated to 843 when Kenneth MacAlpin, king of the Scots, defeated the Picts and absorbed their territory to form the kingdom of Scotia.

In the 11^th century English settlers fleeing from William the Conqueror added to the English element in Scotland. William invaded Scotland in 1071.

In David I's reign (1124-53) more Anglo-Norman lords settled in Scotland and helped to give the country a feudal structure like that of the rest of Europe. The first Scottish coins were minted in his reign, and a standard system of weights and measures was set up. A great achievement was the establishment of the custom of primogeniture in the royal succession once and for all.

There were reasonably good relations with England for the next century.

Edward I invaded Scotland in 1296 with complete success. The Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish kings were enthroned was removed to Westminster Abbey. An English Administration was installed in Scotland.

But William Wallace, a knight, rallied the Scots and inflicted a crushing defeat on the English in September 1297.

Between 1450 and 1516 51 new burghs (towns) were founded, but society was still poor and overwhelmingly rural. Many Scots sought employment as mercenary soldiers in Europe. The 14^th century saw the foundation of St. Andrew's University, and in the 15^th century the universities of Aberdeen and Glasgow were founded. (England had only 2 universities, Oxford and Cambridge, until the early 19^th century).

The late 15^th century also witnessed the flourishing of a large group of Scottish poets, the most famous of whom was William Dunbar.