Treaty of Paris (1320)
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| Treaty of Paris (1320) | |
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| Name | Treaty of Paris (1320) |
| Date signed | 1320 |
| Location signed | Paris |
| Parties | Kingdom of France; Kingdom of Scotland; Papal Curia (mediator) |
| Language | Old French; Latin |
Treaty of Paris (1320) was a medieval agreement concluded in 1320 in Paris between representatives of the Kingdom of France and the Kingdom of Scotland with involvement from the Papal Curia. The accord addressed dynastic claims, feudal obligations, and territorial recognitions in the aftermath of the First War of Scottish Independence, the death of Edward I of England, and shifting alliances among the Capetian dynasty, the House of Balliol, and the House of Bruce. The treaty formed part of a series of diplomatic settlements including the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton (1328) and influenced relations among England, France, and the Papacy during the reigns of Philip V of France and Robert the Bruce.
Background
The context for the agreement involved the renewed contest between Edward II of England and Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce, whose victory at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314) undermined the Auld Alliance dynamics between Scotland and France and complicated claims advanced by the Balliol family and the Comyns. The death of Edward I of England and the captivity and deposition of John Balliol had left Scots diplomacy seeking recognition from both the Capetian monarchy and the Papacy while contending with English attempts to assert overlordship through nobles such as Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster and magnates of the House of Lancaster. Papal envoys from Avignon and curial legalists versed in canon law and feudal jurisprudence mediated prior settlements like the Ragman Rolls and influenced the shape of the Paris negotiations.
Negotiation and Signing
Negotiations convened in Paris with plenipotentiaries representing Robert the Bruce, the Kingdom of France, and commissioners from the Papal Curia who drew upon precedents from the Fourth Lateran Council and curial diplomacy practiced by figures associated with the Avignon Papacy. French royal chancery clerks referenced archival instruments such as charters from Saint-Denis and legal formularies from the University of Paris while Scottish notaries invoked precedents from the Parliament of Scotland and charters issued at Scone Abbey. The signing brought together emissaries allied with the Capetian dynasty, Scottish magnates formerly of the Comyn interest, and ecclesiastical figures tied to Glasgow and St Andrews, under the observation of papal legates accustomed to arbitrations like those in the Peace of Viterbo.
Terms of the Treaty
The treaty stipulated mutual recognition clauses whereby the Kingdom of France acknowledged de facto aspects of Scottish independence while the Kingdom of Scotland agreed certain feudal and commercial accommodations benefiting French merchants from Bordeaux and legal immunities for ecclesiastical houses such as York's former dependencies. The instrument addressed succession claims involving the House of Balliol, provided security guarantees referencing fortresses like Berwick-upon-Tweed and ports on the Firth of Forth, and codified trade privileges comparable to mercantile arrangements found in the Treaty of Trau and treaties involving Genoa. Papal curial clauses imposed oath formulations akin to those used in proceedings involving Henry III of England and required dispute resolution mechanisms invoking the Curia Romana.
Immediate Aftermath and Implementation
Implementation saw the dispatch of charters to Scone, Dunfermline Abbey, and the royal chancery in Edinburgh with confirmations issued by royal notaries and ecclesiastical officials from St Andrews and Glasgow. Military consequences were modest; garrisons at strategic sites such as Berwick and Dunbar Castle adjusted allegiances while continental mercantile networks linking Bordeaux, Calais, and Dieppe reconfigured under the new commercial clauses. Diplomatic follow-up involved envoys traveling between Paris, Avignon, and the Scottish court, and produced subsequent instruments that culminated in the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton and influenced negotiations involving Edward III of England and members of the Papal Curia.
Political and Territorial Impact
Politically the treaty strengthened the position of Robert the Bruce by enhancing legitimacy vis-à-vis rivals from the House of Balliol and by tying Scottish interests more closely to the Capetian dynasty's strategic posture against England. Territorial ramifications were concentrated on border localities such as Berwickshire and the Borders, where jurisdictional ambiguities persisted and later led to renewed disputes exemplified in episodes like the Siege of Berwick (1333). The accord affected noble networks including families like the Comyns, the Stewarts, and continental magnates with holdings in Anjou and Normandy, and reshaped ecclesiastical patronage patterns involving monasteries like Arbroath Abbey.
Legacy and Historical Assessment
Historians situate the treaty within a chain of medieval settlements that shifted medieval geopolitics across the British Isles and France, and interpret it alongside documents such as the Declaration of Arbroath and later accords like the Auld Alliance formalizations. Scholarship debates its legal force in light of curial practices at Avignon and the capacities of medieval chancelleries represented by the Royal Chancery of France and the Scottish Chancery. Modern assessments link the treaty's diplomatic craftsmanship to the careers of actors involved with the University of Paris, the Papal Curia, and the courts of Philip V of France and Robert I of Scotland, viewing it as a formative episode in the prolonged struggle between England and Scotland that shaped later medieval state formation.
Category:1320 treaties Category:Medieval France Category:Medieval Scotland