49. Edward I Steals the Stone of Scone, Scone, Scotland 1296

Here, in a remarkably tidy scene, given that it’s all about spoils of war, we see some of Edward’s soldiers loading the Stone of Scone onto a cart, so they can drag it back to London and build a chair over it. (The Scots get it back eventually. On loan. Supposedly.)

Edward I invaded Scotland in 1296, on account of (he said) their broken feudal obligations. Amongst the usual spoils of war — prisoners, horses, weapons, nice gold stuff — he took a rock. Weighing about 335 pounds. We discuss the theft of the Stone of Destiny, and its subsequent history.  Including, to our delight, a 20th century liberation of the Stone, wherein four university students break into Westminster Abbey and take the stone back to Scotland. Then it went back to England.  Now it’s in Scotland again.  It’s a very important rock, really.

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