The Treaty of York established the Anglo-Scottish border in a form that has remained largely unchanged to the present day.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 25 September 1237
- Signatories
- Henry III of England and Alexander II of Scotland
- Regions confirmed as English
- Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland
- Papal legate present
- Otho of Tonengo
- Chronicler who recorded the meeting
- Matthew Paris
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ongoing disputes over the northern English counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland had long strained relations between England and Scotland. The Kingdom of Scotland had repeatedly sought to extend its frontier southward, and diplomatic efforts between Henry III and Alexander II sought to resolve this territorial ambiguity through formal negotiation.
At York on 25 September 1237, Henry III of England and Alexander II of Scotland signed a formal agreement affirming English sovereignty over Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland. The treaty detailed the future status of several feudal properties and was attended by papal legate Otho of Tonengo, who was already in England for a London synod.
The treaty formally ended Scotland's attempts to push its border southward and established the Anglo-Scottish boundary in a configuration that has persisted with only minor alterations—regarding the Debatable Lands and Berwick-upon-Tweed—to the present day. It remains one of the most enduring border settlements in British history.
Political Outcome
English sovereignty over Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland was affirmed; the Anglo-Scottish border was fixed in a form largely unchanged to modern times.
Contested sovereignty over northern English counties with Scottish expansionist claims
Confirmed English sovereignty over Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland; Scotland renounced southward expansion