heiress, Alexander won from Norway the isles of
the western coast of Scotland in which Norse chieftains had long held
sway. They complained to Hakon of Norway concerning raids made on them
by the Earl of Ross, a Celtic potentate. Alexander's envoys to Hakon
were detained, and in 1263, Hakon, with a great fleet, sailed through the
islands. A storm blew most of his Armada to shore near Largs, where his
men were defeated by the Scots. Hakon collected his ships, sailed north,
and (December 15) died at Kirkwall. Alexander now brought the island
princes, including the Lord of Man, into subjection; and by Treaty, in
1266, placed them under the Crown. In 1275 Benemund de Vicci (called
Bagimont), at a council in Perth, compelled the clergy to pay a tithe for
a crusade, the Pope insisting that the money should be assessed on the
true value of benefices--that is, on "Bagimont's Roll,"--thenceforth
recognised as the basis of clerical taxation. In 1278 Edward I. laboured
to extract from Alexander an acknowledgment that he was England's vassal.
Edward signally failed; but a palpably false account of Alexander's
homage was fabricated, and dated September 29, 1278. This was not the
only forgery by which England was wont to back her claims.

A series of bereavements (1281-1283) deprived Alexander of all his
children save his little grandchild, "the Maid of Norway." She was
recognised by a great national assembly at Scone as heiress of the
throne; and Alexander had no issue by his second wife, a daughter of the
Comte de Dreux. On the night of March 19, 1285, while Alexander was
riding from Edinburgh to visit his bride at Kinghorn, his horse slipped
over a cliff and the rider was slain.

CHAPTER VII. ENCROACHMENTS OF EDWARD I.--WALLACE.

The Estates of Scotland met at Scone (April 11, 1286) and swore loyalty
to their child queen, "the Maid of Norway," granddaughter of Alexander
III. Six guardians of the kingdom were appointed on April 11, 1286. They
were the Bishops of St Andrews and Glasgow, two Comyns (Buchan and
Badenoch), the Earl of Fife, and Lord James, the Steward of Scotland. No
Bruce or Baliol was among the Custodians. Instantly a "band," or
covenant, was made by the Bruces, Earls of Annandale and Carrick, to
support their claims (failing the Maid) to the throne; and there were
acts of war on their part against another probable candidate, John
Balliol. Edward (like Henry VIII. in the case of Mary Stuart)