The sun of Scotland

1258. The Comyn alliance with Llywelyn lasted just three months, before the Welsh prince made peace with Henry III. It came to nothing because the Comyn faction soon lost control of events in Scotland.

Outside of their own affinity, there was little support for the Comyns. Earl Walter, the head of the family, was strong enough to retain power for a short while, but he couldn’t hold the King of Scots hostage forever. So much is clear from the treaty with Llywelyn, which said the Comyns would do their best to bring ‘the lord our king’ into the alliance with the Welsh.

This implies the Comyns were unable to control Alexander III. Three months after the treaty, they lost control of the great seal of Scotland, and were obliged to release Alexander’s wife Queen Margaret from custody. At about the same time Alexander resumed his correspondence with Margaret’s father, Henry III.

Margaret was also Edward I’s sister. If either of her sons by Alexander had lived, the next King of Scots would have been Edward’s nephew. As it was the two princes, David and Alexander, both predeceased their father. David died in 1281, aged eight, and Alexander in 1284, aged twenty.

According to the Chronicle of Lanercost, Alexander had the gift of prophecy on his deathbed. He spoke thus:

“On the morrow at sunrise shall set the sun of Scotland. My uncle of England shall fight three battles. Twice he will conquer. In the third he will be overthrown.”

This would seem to be written in hindsight, and refer to Edward I’s wars in Britain. He defeated the Montfortians in England, conquered Wales, but ultimately failed to conquer Scotland. Or it might refer exclusively to the Scottish war.