Treaty of Perpetual Peace

“there [shall] be a true, sincere, whole and unbroken peace, friendship, league and amity, not only for the term of the life of each of our said princes … from this day forth in all times to come, between them and their heirs and lawful successors, heritable and lawfully succeeding …”

The Treaty of Perpetual Peace, 1503

A little over 500 years ago the kingdom’s of Scotland and England made an historic pact – to be friends for all time. The Treaty of Perpetual Peace, between the Scottish King James IV and the English King Henry VII was a optimistic new beginning for realms that had so often been at war. To seal the agreement King James married Margaret Tudor, King Henry’s sister in 1503 – an event that was widely celebrated.

This Spring Historic Scotland organised the Party at the Palace event at Linlithgow Palace as a colourful commemoration of these events. Sadly, medieval politics being what they were, the two countries were back at war during the reign of England’s Henry VIII. But lasting peace did finally come, when Scotland’s James VI and I united the crowns in 1603 when he also became king of England. And the words of the treaty remain a moving reminder of genuine efforts to put an end to bloodshed, even if deeds ended up falling short of promises.

Excerpts from the Treaty

Considering it to be agreeable to reason that those whom the bond of consanguinity or affinity has joined in the nearest degree should also be joined, united and tied by the greatest and strongest of bonds of leagues, confederacies and friendships, and maturely considering and keeping in view the bond and amity, truce, friendship and alliance which presently exists between our said most illustrious princes for the term of their lives and that of the survivor and for a year after the survivor’s death, and also by the marriage [between James and Margaret] to be contracted at Candlemas next, we will (by authority and in virtue of sufficient commissions made and given to us by our foresaid princes …) that there be a true, sincere, whole and unbroken peace, friendship, league and amity, not only for the term of the life of each of our said princes and for a year after the death of the survivor, but from this day forth in all times to come, between them and their heirs and lawful successors, heritable and lawfully succeeding …

It is agreed that neither of the kings aforesaid nor any of their heirs or successors shall in any way receive or allow by their subjects to be received any rebels, traitors or refugees suspected, reputed or convicted of the crime of treason. [And if such persons do come to either kingdom, it shall be forbidden to give them any countenance, but, on the request of their sovereign, they are to be put in ward and to be handed over within 20 days.

[In the event of any king, prince or other person invading or disturbing either realm or attempting to usurp it, the prince of the other realm shall come to its assistance.]

[Provision is made for the comprehension of the existing allies of Scotland and England if they so desire.] Although it happen the said king of England or his heirs and successors aforesaid or any of them to levy war against any of the said princes comprehended herein, then the king of Scotland … shall wholly abstain from making any invasion of the kingdom of England, its places or dominions, as well as by his subjects but it shall be lawful to the king of Scotland to give help, assistance, favour or succour to that prince against whom war has been levied by the king of England, for his defence and not otherwise. [And a reciprocal provision is made for the case of the king of Scotland making war on the ally of the king of England.]

… It is agreed … that each of the foresaid princes shall, before 1 July, 1503, obtain at his own expense a rescript or letters apostolic … whereby all and singular the contents of the present treaty are by apostolic authority approved and confirmed. And moreover each of the princes aforesaid, their heirs or successors, before the said 1 July, shall … require the sacred apostolic see and the supreme pontiff to impose sentence of excommunication … on either of the said two princes and on their heirs and successors who shall violate, or permit to be violated, the present peace or any clause of the present treaty …                      

(Foedera, xii, 793-7.)