., the romantic
crusader, gave back to Scotland her castles and her independence. But
what had been done once, would be tried again. So while it was the
steady policy of the English sovereigns to reduce Scotland to a state
of vassalage to England, it was the no less steady aim of the Scottish
kings to extend their own feudal authority to the Highlands and the
islands in the north and west of their own realm, {258} where an
independent people had never yet been brought under its subjection.

In the year 1286 Alexander III. died, and only an infant granddaughter
survived to wear the crown. The daughter of the deceased King had
married the King of Norway, and dying soon after, had left an infant
daughter. It was about this babe that the diplomatic threads
immediately began to entwine. A regency of six nobles was appointed to
rule the kingdom. Then Edward I. of England proposed a marriage
between his own infant son and the little maid. The proposition was
accepted. A ship was sent to Norway to bring the baby Queen to
Scotland, bearing jewels and gifts from Edward; but just before she
reached the Orkneys the "Maid of Norway" died. Edward's plans were
frustrated, and the empty throne of Scotland had many claimants, but
none with paramount right to the succession. In the wrangle which
ensued, when eight ambitious nobles were trying to snatch the prize,
Edward I. intervened to settle the dispute, which had at last narrowed
down to one between two competitors, Bruce and Baliol, both lineally
descended from King David I.

{259}

But the important fact in this mediatorial act of Edward was, that it
was done by virtue of his authority as Over-Lord of Scotland. We are
left to imagine how and why such a monstrous and baseless pretension
was acknowledged without a single protest. But when we reflect that
the eager claimants and their upholders represented, not the people of
Scotland but an aristocratic ruling element, more than half-English
already, it is not so strange that they were willing to pay this price
for the sake of restoring peace and security at a time when everything
was imperilled by an empty throne. There was no organic unity in
Scotland; only a superficial unity, created by the name of king, which
fell into chaos when that name was withdrawn. It was imperative that
someone should be crowned at Scone at once. And so, when Edward, by
virtue of his authority as Over-Lord, gave judgment in favor of John