William the Conqueror Marched into Scotland - And the Scottish King Gave Up His Own Son as a Hostage

In my last medieval post, we followed William the Conqueror's campaign against the English rebels at Ely in 1071. Earl Morcar and several other leading rebels surrendered, although Hereward managed to escape. William had defeated another centre of resistance, but he still had enemies beyond England's northern border.

King Malcolm III of Scotland had welcomed Edgar Ætheling, the young English prince who had been considered for the throne after Harold's death in 1066. Edgar had fled to Scotland with members of his family, including his sister Margaret, who married Malcolm around 1070. The Scottish court had become a refuge for Englishmen unwilling to accept Norman rule.

Malcolm had also taken advantage of the disorder following the conquest. His forces had raided northern England, taking prisoners and plundering settlements. William had already spent years trying to bring Northumbria under control, and Malcolm's activities presented another threat to his authority.

In 1072, William gathered an army and a fleet and marched north. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, his ships sailed along the Scottish coast while his land forces crossed the River Tweed. The chronicler gives remarkably little detail about what happened during the campaign, but records that Malcolm eventually came to negotiate.

The two kings met at Abernethy, near Perth. Malcolm agreed to make peace, gave hostages and became what the Chronicle described as William's man. This was a personal acknowledgement of William's authority, although historians still debate exactly what obligations Malcolm had accepted.

Among the hostages was Malcolm's son Duncan, born during his earlier marriage to Ingibjorg. Sending a royal child into another king's custody was one way of guaranteeing that an agreement would be honoured. Duncan would spend many years away from Scotland, living under Norman supervision.

The agreement also had consequences for Edgar Ætheling. William had good reason to be concerned about the English prince finding protection at the Scottish court, although the surviving accounts do not tell us every condition agreed between the two kings.

William returned south with his army, while Malcolm remained King of Scotland. The campaign had secured William's position for the time being, but it did not mean that Scotland had become part of his kingdom.

Do you think Malcolm was wise to negotiate, even though it meant giving up his son as a hostage?

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Image info:

Malcolm III Canmore, King of Scotland. Engraving by Alexander Bannerman, 18th century. Wikimedia Commons, public domain.