King William I
(The Lion)

1143 - 1214

Scottish monarch. Brother of King Malcolm IV, who he succeeded. William was crowned at Scone in 1165. While attempting to capture Northumbria from the English (1174), he was captured at Alnwick and forced to pledge allegiance to King Henry II and declare Scotland a satellite of England. William married Ermengarde de Beaumont, who founded Balmerino Abbey.

William initiated the Auld Alliance with France.

He died in Stirling and is interred at Arbroath Abbey, which he had founded some forty years earlier. He was succeeded by his son who became King Alexander II.

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