William I of Scotland

William the Lion, also known as William I and Uilleam MacEanraig, reigned as King of Scots from 1165 until his death in 1214, marking a 48-year reign that was the second longest in Scottish history before the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Born around 1142, William was the son of Henry and Ada de Warenne and became heir presumptive to his brother, Malcolm IV, after losing the Earldom of Northumbria. Upon Malcolm’s death, William ascended the throne and was crowned on 24 December 1165. His reign experienced setbacks such as the failed attempts to regain Northumbria and the Treaty of Falaise, which required William to acknowledge the English king as his feudal superior.

Throughout his reign, William was involved in significant political and military events, including the Revolt of 1173–74 against Henry II and subsequent capture at the Battle of Alnwick. He also established castles to ward off Norse expansion and faced internal revolts. Diplomatically, he navigated disputes with the papacy and secured Scottish ecclesiastical independence. William’s later years saw the regaining of Scottish independence and consolidation of his authority across Scotland. His marriage to Ermengarde de Beaumont was arranged by Henry II, and together they had several children, including his heir, Alexander II.