Home > Alexander III of Scotland

Born at Roxburgh as the son of Alexander II by his second wife Mary de Coucy, he became king at the age of eight when his father died ( 6 July 1249). His coronation took place on July 13, 1249 at Scone Abbey, Perthshire.

The years of his minority featured an embittered struggle for the control of affairs between two rival parties, the one led by Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith , the other by Alan Durward, the justiciar. The former dominated the early years of Alexander's reign. At the marriage of Alexander to Margaret of England in 1251, Henry III seized the opportunity to demand from his son-in-law homage for the Scottish kingdom, but Alexander did not comply. In 1255Events Konigsberg was founded Births Deaths Monarchs/Presidents Aragon James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) 1255. an interview between the English and Scottish kings at Kelso led to Menteith and his party losing to Durward's party. But though disgraced, they still retained great influence, and two years later, seizing the person of the king, they compelled their rivals to consent to the erection of a regency representative of both parties.

On attaining his majority at the age of 21 in 1262Events Strasbourg becomes a Free City of the Holy Roman Empire First Visconti become the lord of Milan Leaders of Iceland swear fealty to the king of Norway, bringing an end to the Icelandic Commonwealth Births Ladislaus IV of Hungary Deaths Monarchs/Pres, Alexander declared his intention of resuming the projects on the Western Isles which the death of his father thirteen years before had cut short. He laid a formal claim before the NorwegianThe Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country west of Sweden on the Scandinavian Peninsula. It has a very elongated form and has an extensive coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean, where Norway's famous fjords are found. In addition to Sweden, it borders R king HaakonHakon IV surnamed the Old ( 1204 December 15, 1263), was declared to be the son of Hakon III of Norway, the leader of the Birkebeiner who had seized control over large parts of Norway in 1202. During an ongoing civil war between Birkebeiner and Bagler who. Haakon rejected the claim, and in the following year responded with a formidable invasion. Sailing round the west coast of Scotland he halted off the Isle of ArranA toponym designating to different regions: The Aran or Arran in Caucasia. The Isle of Arran. The Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde ( 430 km2). Its highest point lies at 874 metres on Goat Fell. It is in the region of North Ayrshir, and negotiations commenced. Alexander artfully prolonged the talks until the autumn storms should begin. At length Haakon, weary of delay, attacked, only to encounter a terrific stormExtreme weather is weather phenomena indicative of an unstable climate; that is, weather that is at the extremes of historical patterns, especially severe or unseasonal weather. The combination of extreme weather and high population density has led to dra which greatly damaged his ships. The battle of LargsThe Battle of Largs took place in 1263 between Scotland and King Haakon IV of Norway's forces. A skirmish ensued between Haakon's army and the Scottish defenders under Alexander III. The outcome of the battle is today recognised as a victory for the Scots (October 1263) proved indecisive, but even so, Haakon's position was hopeless. Baffled he turned homewards ( 5 October 1263), but died on the way. The Isles now lay at Alexander's feet, and in 1266 Haakon's successor concluded a treaty by which he ceded the Isle of Man and the Western Isles to Scotland in return for a money payment. Norway retained only Orkney and Shetland in the area.

Towards the end of Alexander's reign, the death of all three of his children within a few years made the question of the succession one of pressing importance. In 1284 he induced the Estates to recognize as his heir-presumptive his granddaughter Margaret, the "Maid of Norway". The need for a male heir led him to contract a second marriage to Yolande (or Joletta) of Dreux on November 1, 1285.

But the sudden death of the king dashed all such hopes. Alexander died in a fall from his horse in the dark while riding to visit the queen at Kinghorn in Fife on 16th or 19th of March 1286. His death ushered in a time of political upheaval for Scotland.

See History of Scotland