(1296–1306): Scotland’s Struggle for Sovereignty
List of Key Figures and Guardians During the Second Interregnum
| Name | Position | Years of Influence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Balliol | Deposed King of Scots | 1292–1296 | Abdicated under pressure from Edward I of England |
| Edward I of England | Overlord of Scotland | 1296–1306 | Claimed feudal overlordship of Scotland after Balliol’s abdication |
| John de Warenne | English-appointed Governor of Scotland | 1296–1297 | Defeated at the Battle of Stirling Bridge |
| William Wallace | Guardian of Scotland | 1297–1298 | Led Scottish resistance; victorious at Stirling Bridge |
| Andrew de Moray | Guardian of Scotland | 1297 | Co-leader with Wallace; died after Stirling Bridge |
| Robert the Bruce | Noble and claimant to the throne | 1296–1306 | Began to assert his claim to the Scottish throne |
| John Comyn (the Red) | Noble and claimant to the throne | 1296–1306 | Rival to Robert the Bruce; killed in 1306 |
| Sir John de Soules | Guardian of Scotland | 1301–1304 | Tried to rally support in Europe |
| William Lamberton | Bishop of St. Andrews; political figure | 1297–1306 | Supported Wallace and Bruce; key figure in the fight for independence |
The Second Interregnum (1296–1306) was one of the darkest and most tumultuous periods in Scottish history — a decade of political chaos, military resistance, and brutal English domination. It began with the humiliating abdication of John Balliol in 1296 and the subsequent imposition of direct English rule by Edward I (“Longshanks”). Edward’s claim of feudal lordship over Scotland triggered fierce resistance, led first by William Wallace and Andrew de Moray, and later by Robert the Bruce.
The Second Interregnum was not simply a period without a king — it was a crucible of Scottish identity and resistance. Historian Michael Lynch described it as “a time when Scotland stood on the brink of extinction, only to find within itself the resolve to fight for survival.” Out of this period of fragmentation and defeat emerged the foundations of Scottish independence — forged in the fires of war and the defiance of ordinary Scots.
The Second Interregnum laid the groundwork for the rise of Robert the Bruce and the eventual triumph of Scottish sovereignty at Bannockburn in 1314. But between 1296 and 1306, Scotland faced near-total subjugation at the hands of one of the most ruthless monarchs in medieval Europe — and only through courage and resilience did the Scots avoid annihilation.
The Fall of John Balliol and the Beginning of English Occupation (1296)
The Second Interregnum began with the catastrophic end of the House of Balliol. John Balliol, who had been installed as King of Scots by Edward I in 1292 following the Great Cause, quickly proved to be a weak and ineffectual ruler. Edward treated Balliol not as an independent monarch, but as a vassal king, summoning him to English courts and demanding military service for England’s war against France.
In 1295, John’s nobles rebelled against Edward’s interference, pressuring Balliol to form an alliance with Philip IV of France. The Auld Alliance — a defensive treaty between Scotland and France — was an open act of defiance toward Edward’s authority.
Edward responded with overwhelming force. In March 1296, Edward’s army crossed into Scotland and attacked the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. The siege of Berwick was one of the most brutal massacres in Scottish history. Over 7,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered as Edward’s forces rampaged through the town. Historian Michael Prestwich described the massacre as “a calculated act of terror designed to break the spirit of the Scots.”
John Balliol attempted to rally his forces at the Battle of Dunbar in April 1296, but his army was routed. Balliol was captured, stripped of his royal regalia, and forced to renounce the Scottish crown. Edward even removed the Stone of Destiny — the sacred coronation stone of Scottish kings — and transported it to Westminster Abbey as a symbol of Scotland’s subjugation.
With Balliol’s abdication, the Scottish throne lay empty. Edward installed an English administration, appointing John de Warenne as Governor of Scotland. The Second Interregnum had begun.
The Rise of William Wallace and the First Rebellion (1297–1298)
The brutal occupation of Scotland sparked widespread resentment among the Scottish population. In 1297, two figures emerged to lead the resistance: William Wallace and Andrew de Moray.
Wallace’s rebellion began as a series of guerrilla-style attacks on English garrisons. His ability to gather local support and his fearless military tactics made him a legendary figure almost immediately.
The pivotal moment came at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. Wallace and Moray lured the English army, led by John de Warenne, onto a narrow wooden bridge over the River Forth. When half the English army had crossed, the Scots attacked and destroyed the bridge, trapping the English forces. Over 5,000 English soldiers were killed.
Stirling Bridge was a triumph — the first significant Scottish victory since the beginning of the occupation. Wallace was hailed as a national hero and appointed Guardian of Scotland. However, Moray was fatally wounded in the battle, leaving Wallace to lead the resistance alone.
The Defeat at Falkirk and Wallace’s Fall (1298–1305)
Wallace’s success at Stirling Bridge alarmed Edward I, who personally led an army into Scotland in 1298. The two sides met at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. Wallace’s forces were composed primarily of spearmen arranged in circular formations known as schiltrons — a tactic that had worked at Stirling.
But Edward’s army was larger, better supplied, and supported by a devastating cavalry. Wallace’s forces were overwhelmed. Over 2,000 Scots were killed, and Wallace narrowly escaped.
Wallace resigned as Guardian, and the leadership of the Scottish resistance fell to Robert the Bruce and John Comyn. Wallace continued to resist Edward through guerrilla warfare but was eventually betrayed, captured near Glasgow in 1305, and executed in London. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered — his body parts displayed across England as a warning.
Robert the Bruce and the Rise of a New Claimant (1306)
After Wallace’s death, Scotland’s leadership passed to its noble families. John Comyn and Robert the Bruce emerged as the principal rivals for the throne. Their rivalry exploded into violence in February 1306 when Bruce killed Comyn in Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries — a shocking act of sacrilege and political calculation.
Days later, Bruce was crowned King of Scots at Scone. His coronation ended the Second Interregnum — but it marked the beginning of a new phase in Scotland’s struggle for independence.
The Political and Military Legacy of the Second Interregnum
The Second Interregnum left Scotland politically weakened but culturally united. Wallace’s defiance inspired a generation of Scots, and Bruce’s ascendancy reflected the growing determination to resist English domination.
Edward I’s attempts to crush Scotland’s sovereignty only hardened Scottish resolve. The Second Interregnum created the political and military conditions that would lead to Bruce’s victory at Bannockburn in 1314 — the most important Scottish victory in medieval history.
Historian Michael Lynch wrote:
“The Second Interregnum was Scotland’s darkest hour — but out of that darkness came a national awakening.”
Legacy
The Second Interregnum was a defining moment in Scottish history. Edward I’s attempt to turn Scotland into a vassal state ultimately backfired, inspiring a generation of Scots to fight for independence. From the ashes of Wallace’s rebellion rose the ambition and courage of Robert the Bruce — the man who would lead Scotland to freedom.
References
- Barrow, G.W.S. (1981). Kingship and Unity: Scotland 1000–1306.
- Lynch, Michael. (1992). Scotland: A New History.
- Prestwich, Michael. (1988). Edward I.
- Duncan, A.A.M. (1975). The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292.