The First Anointing of a Scottish king : The Inauguration and Consecration of David II in 1331

McHugh, Jenny (2025) The First Anointing of a Scottish king : The Inauguration and Consecration of David II in 1331. Scottish Historical Review. ISSN 0036-9241 (In Press)

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Abstract

In November 1331, David II became the first Scottish king to be anointed during his inauguration at Scone Abbey, marking a pivotal moment in the history of Scottish kingship. This article offers the first comprehensive analysis of the significance of this ritual, exploring how unction transformed the spiritual and political status of the monarchy in late medieval Scotland. Drawing on contemporary English and Scottish chronicles, governmental records, papal correspondence, and an overlooked anonymous account, it argues that David’s anointing signalled a profound shift in how royal authority was conceptualised and communicated. The rite placed Scottish kingship on equal footing with that of England, redefining internal power dynamics and external perceptions of sovereignty. Employing a constructivist framework rooted in the work of Bruce Kapferer and Edward Schieffelin, the article reconstructs the 1331 inauguration, analysing its structure, performers, and performative elements. The study reveals how ritual innovations—especially the inclusion of liturgy and ecclesiastical celebrants—were used as instruments of political theatre by the Bruce dynasty. In doing so, it underscores the role of ritual in medieval statecraft and highlights how the spectacle of David II’s inauguration asserted Scottish legitimacy and independence in a contested geopolitical landscape.