Image: National Records of Scotland
The document celebrates 700 years since its signing on Monday April 6th 2020, and is arguably Scotland's most famous and most important historic document. It not only provides an understanding of Scotland's history at the point of its signing in 1320, it also became an important catalyst worldwide in the acceptance of Scotland as a legitimate nation state, one in which the people would be sovereign, as opposed to any Crown or Parliament. It is believed by many to be a major influence on the United States' very own Declaration of Independence of 1776, with many of its signatories being of Scots and Ulster Scots descent.
Although most celebrations of the document have been postponed for now, Scottish broadcaster and journalist Lesley Riddoch (@Lesleyriddoch) and film maker Charles Stuart (@cherlieboy) were determined not to see the moment pass unmarked, and have quickly put together a fascinating documentary about the significance of the declaration. Declaration: The Letter of Liberty features interviews with several historians and famous folk, including actor Brian Cox and historian Fiona Watson, and music from award winning film composer Patrick Murray. The documentary is available online only just now, at Vimeo, via vimeo.com/401599947, and is reproduced below for your convenience.
As Lesley states on Twitter, by way of an introduction "Why does the #DeclarationofArbroath matter? Just a bunch of Barons protecting themselves? Or the letter that finally won peace & made history - the first medieval document to define a nation as its people, with the right to self determination. You decide."
The NRS has placed the text of the original declaration online in Latin at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files/research/declaration-of-arbroath/declaration-of-arbroath-transcription-and-translation.pdf, with an English translation following.
Enjoy - and remember, "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself"!
Happy Birthday to the Declaration of Arbroath.
(With thanks to all who made this happen - there's more from Lesley about the programme at https://www.lesleyriddoch.co.uk/2020/04/declaration-the-letter-of-liberty-a-new-film-celebrating-the-700th-anniversary-of-scotlands-most-important-historic-docu.html)
Chris
You can pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 (out April). Also available, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.
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