Historic Royal Charter Restored

HISTORIC ROYAL CHARTER RESTORED

An ancient document that details the moment when King William the Lion of Scotland granted Royal Burgh status to Perth in 1210 has been restored. Experts at the National Archive of Scotland repaired and cleaned the historic parchment and reattached its official wax seal. The work has been completed ahead of next year's Perth 800 celebrations. The year-long programme of culture and sporting events will mark the 800th anniversary of the honour. The Charter has been placed in a custom-made case and will be put on display at a special exhibition being staged at Perth Museum and Art Gallery throughout next year. The exhibition, Skin and Bone - Life and Death in Medieval Perth, will also feature historic objects discovered during archaeological excavations in the city over the past 30 years, including the Perth High Street site where Marks and Spencer now stands. Council archivist Steve Connolly said: "The Charter is a very significant document in the history of Perth and so we were delighted that the opportunity came up to have this work done on it. It will help ensure that the Charter will still be available for future generations to appreciate." He added: "It's incredible to think how old this piece of parchment is."

KING WILLIAM THE LION OF SCOTLAND

	William the Lion, William I or if you prefer in the Gaelic, Uilliam Garm or William the Rough, born on the 4th of December 1143 and died on the 4th December 1214 was crowned the King of Scotland following his brother Malcolm IV's death on 9th December 1165. His reign was the second longest in Scottish history before the Act of union with England in 1707, (James VI's was the longest 1567–1625). In contrast to his deeply religious, frail brother, William was powerfully built, redheaded, and headstrong. He was an effective monarch whose reign was marred by his ill-fated attempts to regain control of Northumbria from the Normans. Traditionally, William is credited with founding Arbroath Abbey. He was not known as "The Lyon" during his own lifetime, and the sobriquet did not relate to his tenacious character or his military prowess. William adopted the use of the Lion Rampant by his right to do so under the law of Heraldry. The title "Lion" was attached to him because of his flag or standard, a red lion rampant (with a forked tail) on a yellow background. This (with the addition of a 'double tressure fleury counter-fleury' border) went on to become the Royal standard of Scotland, still used today. It became attached to him because the chronicler Fordun called him the Lion of Justice.
William also inherited the title of Earl of Northumbria in 1152. However he had to give up this title to King Henry II of England in 1157. This caused trouble after William became king, since he spent a lot of effort trying to regain Northumbria. William was a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173–1174 against Henry II. In 1174, at the Battle of Alnwick, during a raid in support of the revolt, William recklessly charged the English troops himself, shouting, "Now we shall see which of us are good knights!" He was unhorsed and captured by Henry's troops led by Ranulf de Glanvill and taken in chains to Newcastle, then Northampton, and then transferred to Falaise in Normandy. In order to obtain his freedom William signed the Treaty of Falaise on 8 December 1174. Under the treaty the Scots were taxed to pay the costs of the occupying English army and the English were to retain control of key Scottish castles like Stirling and Edinburgh. The treaty also stipulated that William acknowledge Henry II of England as his feudal superior. As a result, in 1186 Henry arranged for William to be married to Ermengarde de Beaumont, a granddaughter of King Henry I of England. Her dowry was Edinburgh Castle. The Treaty of Falaise remained in force for the next fifteen years. Then Richard the Lionheart, needing money to take part in the Third Crusade, agreed to terminate it in return for 10,000 silver marks. In 1197 William became the first King of Scotland to gain real (as opposed to nominal) control over Caithness. During his rule he established many royal burghs in eastern Scotland up to the Moray Firth, and extended the use of sheriffs in the same area. Perth and Stirling became major centres of royal administration. William was also known for his support for the Scottish Church. In 1178 William I founded a monastery at Arbroath for a group of Tironesian monks previously resident at Kelso. He also bestowed considerable lands and great wealth on the Abbey. In 1182 Pope Lucius III bestowed in him the great papal honour, a Golden Rose. In 1188 Pope Clement III gave his personal protection to the Scottish Church. And in 1192, the Pope issued a Bull that recognised the independence of the Scottish Church (previously under the authority of the Archbishop of York) reporting directly to Rome. William died on 4 December 1214 in Stirling at the age of 71. His son and successor, Alexander II helped carry his body to its place of burial in front of the high altar in the still only partially completed Abbey Church at Arbroath.

The Society of William Wallace is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registration number SC045959