SOURCE EXERCISE ON THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER III, 1286
Source exercise on the death of Alexander III, 1286
Source A: From The Wars of Scotland (Michael Brown, 2004)
The situation was by no means hopeless (following the death of Prince
Alexander in 1284)… Within days of his son’s death, the king obtained a
promise from his magnates that they would accept the child, Margaret,
Maid of Norway, as his heir. This was only an insurance policy. In
October 1285 Alexander remarried, wedding Yolanda of Dreux, from a
French noble family. He hoped that this match would pr oduce a child of
his own to succeed him. It was his enthusiasm to return to his young
queen that led the king to leave Edinburgh and cross the Forth on the
evening of 19 March 1286. Setting out from Queensferry to the royal
manor at Kinghorn, Alexander was thrown from his horse and died, his
neck broken.
How far does Source A demonstrate the problems caused by the
death of Alexander III in 1286?
Points to consider
Begin by setting out the problems caused by the death referred to in the
source.
In fact, the source goes out of its way to suggest that there need not have
been a problem in 1286. Do you fully accept this view?
 Was the Maid a suitable heir?
 Was she likely to win wide acceptance despite the magnates’
promise?
 Would the kingdom have been safe in the hands of a possible child
born to Yolande?
 Who might have had other ideas of how to decide the succession in
1286?
 What was likely to happen if one of the great families of Scotland
seized the throne for themselves?
You should end your answer by concluding that the source demonstrates
the problems caused by the death of Alexander III not at all/to a limited
extent/to a certain extent/to a considerable extent/fully.
WARS OF INDEPENDENCE (H, HISTORY)
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