Coinage of Great Britain. Celtic to Decimalisation - Scottish Coins

Following the depredations of the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus in A.D. 210, Scotland was largely depopulated. During the next 100 years or so there was either a resurgence of the original population or the appearance of a new people, the Picts, first mentioned by the Romans in the mid-4th Century A.D. By the fifth Century A.D. there was migration into Scotland of Gaelic speaking tribes from Ireland, who mostly occupied the Western areas.

Viking attacks in the 9th Century persuaded both the Picts and the Gaels to settle their differences, joining together as the Kingdom of Alban. However, it was not until the 11th Century that Scotland was united under the rule of Duncan I (1034-1040). This unification lasted just over 50 years. After the death of Duncan's son Malcolm III (1057-1093), Scotland broke up into several petty kingdoms until reunified in the reign of David I (1124-1153). It was during the reign of David that the first Scottish coins were minted. Because of the Civil War between Stephen and Matilda, David was able to secure for his throne large areas of northern England in a treaty of 1139, which became the chief source of contention between the two countries for the next 400 years or more.

When Alexander III of Scotland died in 1286 his daughter, Margaret, succeeded, but was drowned sailing from Norway to claim her throne. With no direct heirs the throne was subject to several claimants and Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate on a successor.

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