This is an archive of the NMS website
Monarchy and Power
Follow the story of the kings of Scotland from Robert the Bruce
through to James VI.
The king was at the head of Scottish medieval society. He
granted land to noble families and the church, and with land came
power and extensive rights.
At times the monarch had to struggle with members of the
nobility to maintain authority.
In 1290 Scotland was left without a monarch, and 13 different
claimants to the throne, including the grandfather of Robert the
Bruce. In the struggles which followed, Edward I or England tried
to rule Scotland himself, but he met with resistance.
The house of Bruce was succeeded by the house of Stewart, a
dynasty of kings and queens who were ambitious, creative and often
warlike. James VI was the first monarch to become ruler of both
Scotland and England.
Weapons and instruments of violence tell one side of the power
struggle; gold and silver jewellery another.
Law and order
This section of Monarchy and Power displays objects that remind
us that maintaining law and order were a primary concern of
monarych and state and reveal a dark and sinister undertone to
Scottish life and culture.
Here you'll find the Maiden, a 'humane' beheading machine used
to execute 150 people between 1564 and 1710. You'll also
hear to grisly tale of Scotland's witchcraft persecutions of the
16th and 17th centuries, during which almost 4,000 people were
tortured and killed as witches.
Things to see
In this gallery you'll also find objects from the time of
William Wallace, the legendary leader of Scottish resistance when
Edward I invaded in 1290, and Robert the Bruce, who was crowned
king of Scotland in 1306 before leading the Scots to victory over
the English at Bannockburn in 1314.
The Bute or Bannatyne mazer is a communal drinking cup which was
made shortly after the Scottish victory over the English at the
battle of Bannockburn in 1314. It features heraldry representing
the main supporters of Robert the Bruce, who led the Scots in their
fight for independence.