OCR Specification focus:
‘When and why Scotland and France ceased to be traditional enemies; major turning points and French departure.’
Introduction
The long-standing hostility between England, Scotland, and France defined much of Tudor foreign policy until shifting alliances, wars, and treaties reshaped relations into accommodation.
Traditional Hostility between England, Scotland and France
From the medieval period, England’s northern border with Scotland was a frequent site of conflict. Scotland, traditionally allied with France through the Auld Alliance, represented a consistent threat to English security. The Auld Alliance (established in 1295) bound Scotland and France in mutual defence against English aggression.
This alliance meant that war with one often brought war with the other.
Scotland frequently acted as a diversionary front whenever England campaigned against France.
English monarchs consistently viewed the northern frontier as a zone of instability.
Auld Alliance: A defensive alliance between Scotland and France against England, established in 1295 and maintained intermittently until the sixteenth century.
The strength of this traditional enmity shaped Tudor monarchs’ priorities, particularly Henry VII and Henry VIII, who both had to secure the northern frontier while balancing wider continental ambitions.
Henry VII and the Beginnings of Accommodation
Henry VII inherited this hostile environment in 1485 but sought to stabilise his realm through diplomacy. He aimed to reduce threats from Scotland and France simultaneously. His policy combined caution with pragmatism:
The Treaty of Ayton (1497) was a landmark agreement, effectively ending decades of near-constant warfare with Scotland.
Henry consolidated this peace through the marriage of his daughter Margaret Tudor to James IV of Scotland in 1503, laying the foundation for future dynastic union.
William Brassey Hole, “The Marriage Procession of James IV and Margaret Tudor, Edinburgh A.D. 1503.” This image visualises the dynastic alliance that eased Anglo-Scottish tensions after Ayton (1497). As a late-19th-century historical reconstruction, it adds artistic detail beyond the syllabus’ core facts but still illustrates the diplomatically significant union. Source
These moves demonstrated Henry’s awareness of both dynastic and strategic pressures. Peace with Scotland allowed him to focus on consolidating power at home and cautiously navigating European rivalries.
Henry VIII, Conflict, and the Continuation of Hostility
Henry VIII’s early reign reversed some of this accommodation. His ambitions for glory in France reopened traditional hostilities.
Campaigns in France (1512–1514) reignited Anglo-Scottish warfare.
The Battle of Flodden (1513) was a pivotal moment, where James IV of Scotland was killed, leaving Scotland politically weakened.
However, despite military victory, the hostility persisted. Scotland, under the influence of France, remained aligned against England, and the regency government for James V looked to France for support.
Mid-Tudor Instability and the Rough Wooing
The reign of Edward VI under the protectorate of the Duke of Somerset saw intensified conflict with Scotland.
Somerset launched a series of invasions known as the Rough Wooing (1540s), intended to force a marriage alliance between Edward VI and Mary, Queen of Scots.
Although the Battle of Pinkie (1547) marked a tactical English success, French intervention to support Scotland maintained the balance against English dominance.
Mary, Queen of Scots, was eventually sent to France and betrothed to the Dauphin (later Francis II), reinforcing the Auld Alliance.
This phase highlights the persistence of traditional enmities, sustained by the dynastic and religious connections binding Scotland and France together.
Turning Points in the 1560s
By the mid-sixteenth century, religious upheavals and continental conflicts began to shift the traditional pattern. Scotland itself was undergoing transformation:
The Scottish Reformation (culminating in 1560) weakened the Catholic alliance with France.
The Treaty of Edinburgh (1560) marked a decisive turning point, formally ending French military presence in Scotland.
Plan of Leith showing the French fortifications during the 1560 siege. The map illustrates the defensive works constructed by French troops at the port of Leith, whose withdrawal was formalised by the Treaty of Edinburgh. The image includes extra cartographic detail of Leith’s streets and shoreline beyond the syllabus’ core focus. Source
The treaty was negotiated between England and the Scottish lords, who had rebelled against French dominance and the regency of Mary of Guise. This removed France as a direct power in Scottish affairs and opened the way for accommodation with England.
Why Scotland and France Ceased to be Traditional Enemies
Several interconnected factors explain why the traditional pattern of hostility gave way to accommodation:
Dynastic Strategy: The long-term legacy of Margaret Tudor’s marriage to James IV created a dynastic bridge between the English and Scottish thrones, eventually leading to union under James VI and I.
Religious Division: The Reformation fractured old alliances. Protestant Scotland found greater common cause with Protestant England than with Catholic France.
Continental Pressures: France became increasingly preoccupied with its own Wars of Religion in the later sixteenth century, reducing its capacity to support Scotland against England.
Strategic Realignment: The Treaty of Edinburgh removed French garrisons, symbolising the end of immediate French influence north of the border and allowing for a gradual softening of Anglo-Scottish hostility.
From Hostility to Accommodation
By the later Tudor period, England’s northern frontier was less threatened than it had been at the start of the dynasty. Key developments highlight this transition:
Scotland no longer served as a reliable French proxy after 1560.
English foreign policy increasingly centred on Spain and the Netherlands, shifting focus away from the old triangular hostility.
Anglo-Scottish relations, while still complex due to the presence of Mary, Queen of Scots in England, were no longer defined by automatic hostility.
This transformation illustrates the interplay of dynastic, religious, political, and strategic factors in reshaping foreign policy across the Tudor period. The once-persistent enmity gave way to a more pragmatic accommodation, laying the groundwork for closer union in the following century.
FAQ
The Auld Alliance meant that England always feared a two-front war: Scotland attacking from the north while France challenged in Europe.
This perception forced Tudor monarchs to commit resources to defending the northern border, even when their primary ambitions lay on the continent. It also meant that Scottish hostility was rarely seen as isolated but rather as part of a wider Franco-Scottish strategy against England.
The marriage of Margaret Tudor to James IV in 1503 was not just symbolic. It created a blood link between the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.
This dynastic tie later provided the basis for James VI of Scotland inheriting the English throne in 1603, demonstrating how marriage diplomacy could eventually transform a relationship of hostility into one of union.
The Reformation shifted Scotland away from Catholicism, undermining its traditional bond with Catholic France.
Key Protestant nobles resisted French influence under Mary of Guise’s regency. Their collaboration with Elizabeth I’s government helped force French troops out in 1560, reducing Scotland’s reliance on France and aligning its politics more closely with England.
Leith, as the port of Edinburgh, was France’s primary stronghold during the mid-sixteenth century.
It allowed for the landing of troops, supplies, and artillery.
Its fortifications enabled French forces to resist English or Protestant Scottish attacks.
Its control symbolised French dominance over Scotland, making its surrender in 1560 highly significant.
France’s involvement in the Italian Wars and later its own Wars of Religion diverted resources from supporting Scotland.
This distraction weakened the effectiveness of the Auld Alliance. By the 1560s, France could no longer maintain military commitments in Scotland, accelerating the collapse of the alliance and enabling accommodation between England and Scotland.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Which treaty in 1497 marked the end of near-constant warfare between England and Scotland during Henry VII’s reign?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying the Treaty of Ayton.
1 additional mark for noting it formally ended hostilities/created peace with Scotland.
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two reasons why Scotland and France ceased to be traditional enemies of England by the 1560s.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks per reason explained (maximum 6).
Award 1 mark for identifying a relevant factor (e.g. Treaty of Edinburgh, dynastic marriage of Margaret Tudor and James IV, Scottish Reformation, French Wars of Religion).
Award 1 additional mark for describing the factor in context (e.g. Treaty of Edinburgh removed French troops; Margaret’s marriage created dynastic links).
Award 1 further mark for explaining how this reduced hostility with England (e.g. French withdrawal lessened Scotland’s military threat; Protestant Scotland found common cause with Protestant England).
