Beyond the Wars of Independence: Protest, Confrontation and Popular Politics
摘要
This chapter considers instances of popular unrest in Scotland that were not connected to the Wars of Independence but were instead more limited in scope. Four instances of popular protest, in which there was some form of confrontation, can be identified beyond the Wars of Independence and form the first part of this chapter. This is a low number, but the examples are varied and shed light on the nature of popular politics in Scotland. Discussion then turns from specific examples to broader themes. First, the evidence for unrest in Scottish towns, drawing particular attention to an incident early in James IV’s reign when the market cross at Paisely was destroyed by the men of the nearby town of Renfrew. The final part of this chapter expands the discussion of popular politics to consider wider appeals to the public in the crown-noble clashes that frequently punctuation late medieval Scotland. Taken together, these discussions allow a broader discussion of popular politics in late medieval Scotland.