Latest / The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History / The Thistle and the Rose: Scotland's Auld Alliance
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked about the wars with England, the Bruce, Bannockburn, the Union of 1707. But there's this whole other thread running through Scottish history, one that often gets overshadowed by the English story — Scotland's deep, centuries-long friendship with France. The Auld Alliance. Luna: The Auld Alliance — I've heard the name, but I never really knew what it was about. Was it just a military pact? Lucas: It started as that, but it became so much more. We're talking nearly three hundred years of treaties, marriages, cultural exchange, and yes, a lot of fighting England together. It's one of the most enduring diplomatic relationships in European history. And honestly, if today's conversation felt worth a coffee to you, you can support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, that's a small ask for what we get into. So how did it start? Lucas: Officially, it begins in 1295 with the Treaty of Paris, signed by John Balliol and Philip IV of France. Scotland was in a tough spot — Edward I of England was breathing down their necks, demanding homage. So the Scots looked to France, England's old rival, for help. The treaty was mutual defense: if England attacked either, the other would pitch in. Luna: So it was a 'my enemy's enemy' kind of thing. Lucas: Exactly. But the alliance wasn't just paper. Scots fought in French armies, and some even settled there. You get Scottish merchants in Bordeaux enjoying French privileges, and Scots scholars at the University of Paris. The connection was real. Luna: What about during the Hundred Years' War? Did the Scots actually fight for France? Lucas: Oh, absolutely. The most famous example is the Battle of Baugé in 1421, where a Scottish force under the Earl of Buchan soundly defeated the English, killing the Duke of Clarence. That victory put the Scots in high favor at the French court. Then at the Siege of Orléans in 1429, Scottish soldiers were among the first to rally to Joan of Arc. There was even a contingent called the Garde Écossaise, the Scots Guard, who served as the personal bodyguard to the French king. Luna: That's fascinating. So Scottish soldiers were basically elite troops in France. Lucas: They were. The Scots Guard was a real thing, and it continued for centuries. But the alliance had its costs. When France and England made peace, Scotland was often left out in the cold. And when France went to war, Scotland felt obliged to join in, even when it was against their own interests. Lucas: Take the Battle of Flodden in 1513. James IV invaded England to honor the Auld Alliance, pulling troops away from the French border. It was a disaster. James was killed, along with many of Scotland's nobility. Some historians say it set Scotland back generations. And that was all for France. Luna: Wow. So the alliance was a double-edged sword. Lucas: Exactly. But it wasn't just battles. The alliance was also a family affair. Royal marriages linked the Stuart and Valois dynasties. Most famously, Mary Queen of Scots was sent to France as a child and married the Dauphin, the future Francis II. She spent her formative years at the French court, and she once said, 'I am more French than Scottish.' Luna: That must have shaped her whole life — and her troubles back in Scotland. Lucas: It did. When she returned to Scotland as a widow, she was a stranger. She spoke French better than Scots, and she was Catholic in a country that had turned Protestant. The French polish didn't help her navigate the rough politics of the Scottish court. Lucas: But the alliance wasn't just high politics. In the popular imagination, it was a bond of friendship. There are stories of Scottish soldiers in France being welcomed with open arms, and French towns giving them honors. It was a point of pride for many Scots that they had a powerful friend across the Channel. Luna: So when did it start to fall apart? Lucas: The cracks appeared in the sixteenth century. The Protestant Reformation changed the game. Scotland became Protestant, France remained Catholic, and the alliance lost its religious glue. Plus, France and Scotland found themselves on opposite sides of the European wars of religion. The final break came in 1560 with the Treaty of Edinburgh, which ended the Auld Alliance. After that, Scotland was on its own. Luna: That's a really clean ending, but I'm curious — did the alliance have any lasting effects on Scotland's identity? Lucas: Oh, definitely. The Auld Alliance left a deep cultural mark. Scottish students continued to go to France for education, French words entered Scots vocabulary, and the idea of France as a friend, not an enemy, persisted in Scottish folklore. Even today, the Auld Alliance is remembered as a symbol of Scotland's independent international standing. Lucas: And there's a nice twist: the oldest continuously operating military alliance in the world isn't NATO — some people argue it's actually the Auld Alliance, because even after 1560, Scots continued to serve in the French army and the two nations kept friendly ties. It wasn't formally dissolved until the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559, and even then, the friendship lingered. Luna: So it's a story about how diplomacy, family, and culture can bind nations together — even against a common enemy. Lucas: And how those bonds can outlive their original purpose. The Auld Alliance wasn't just a piece of paper; it was a living relationship between two peoples. And that's something worth remembering.