Scotland in the Late Middle Ages, between the deaths of
Alexander III in 1286 and
James IV in 1513, established its independence from England under figures including
William Wallace in the late 13th century and
Robert Bruce in the 14th century. In the 15th century under the
Stewart Dynasty, despite a turbulent political history, the Crown gained greater political control at the expense of independent lords and regained most of its lost territory to approximately the modern borders of the country. However, the
Auld Alliance with France led to the heavy defeat of a Scottish army at the
Battle of Flodden in 1513 and the death of the king
James IV, which would be followed by a long minority and a period of political instability.