This treaty outlined a plan to partition Scotland between England, the Lord of the Isles, and the Earl of Douglas if England conquered Scotland.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 13 February 1462
- English signatory
- Edward IV of England (House of York)
- Scottish signatory
- John of Islay, Earl of Ross, Lord of the Isles
- Proposed dividing line
- Firth of Forth
- Northern lands assigned to
- Lord of the Isles and Earl of Douglas
- Southern lands assigned to
- Earl of Douglas
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Amid ongoing conflict between the House of York and Scottish interests during the Wars of the Roses, Edward IV sought to weaken Scotland by forging alliances with disaffected Scottish magnates, including the Lord of the Isles and the exiled Earl of Douglas, who had their own grievances against the Scottish crown.
On 13 February 1462, Edward IV of England signed the Treaty of Westminster with John of Islay, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles. The agreement provided that, should England conquer Scotland, lands north of the Firth of Forth would be divided between the Lord of the Isles and the Earl of Douglas, held under the English crown, while Douglas would control southern Scotland.
The treaty was never enacted, as England did not conquer Scotland. However, its eventual exposure revealed the treasonous dealings of the Lord of the Isles with England, contributing to the later forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles by the Scottish crown in 1493.
Political Outcome
Treaty signed but never enacted; Scotland was not conquered by England
Scotland governed independently under the Scottish crown
No change; treaty remained hypothetical and was never implemented