Editing Border reivers (section)

====Complex and dual identities====
Land ownership and governance in the Anglo-Scottish border region during the 12th and 13th centuries were shaped by a highly mixed population, but the ruling elite was predominantly composed of [[Normans|Norman]], [[Flemish people|Flemish]], and [[Bretons|Breton]] incomers.

These newcomers were granted lands and titles as knights and lords, establishing castles and vast demesnes—some straddling the ambiguous Anglo-Scottish frontier during the Wars of Scottish Independence, which later fueled disputes over land and jurisdiction. The Borderlands, home to Early Scots, Northumbrians, Norse, Brythonic and Gaelic communities, ultimately fell under the control of a newly established ruling class.<ref>Scott, J.G. "The Partition of a Kingdom: Strathclyde 1092–1153." Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Series III, Vol. 72, 1997, p18</ref><ref>Wadden, P. (2013). "Do feartaib Cairnich", Ireland and Scotland in the Twelfth Century. Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, 33, p218</ref>

The integration of these groups under predominantly [[Normans|Norman]], [[Flemish people|Flemish]], and [[Bretons|Breton]] lords across the border introduced a dual identity and a new layer of governance that often clashed with local traditions, further complicating loyalties and creating a fragmented political landscape.<ref name="auto8"/> The unique March Law can be seen as an example of a distinct regional culture, different from both England and Scotland.<ref>Neville, Cynthia J. Violence, Custom and Law: The Anglo-Scottish Border Lands in the Later Middle Ages. Edinburgh University Press, 1998. {{ISBN|978-0-7486-1073-5}}., p3</ref> This dual identity was further evident in the case of groups like the Armstrongs of Liddesdale, a Scottish clan who had settled in the region from England during the 13th and 14th centuries. Known for their independent and often lawless ways, they were referred to as "Evil Inglis" well into the 16th century, reflecting both their English origins and their feared reputation in Scottish border society.{{sfn|Robson|1989|p=73}} According to late Tudor estimates, Scots comprised  a third of those living within ten miles of the frontier.<ref>Hay, D. "England, Scotland and Europe: The Problem of the Frontier." Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, vol. 25, 1975, pp. 83. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3679087.</ref>

Alexander Mason's case exemplifies the complexities of nationality and jurisdiction in the Anglo-Scottish borderlands. In 1441, Mason—a Scot who sometimes resided in Northumberland—was accused of murdering Lawrence Grey in England. His dual identity led to prolonged legal complications, and in 1449 he ultimately secured a royal pardon by swearing allegiance to the English crown.<ref>Cynthia Neville (1988) Border law in late medieval England, The Journal of Legal History, 9:3, 335-356</ref>

The [[Wars of Scottish Independence]] played a key role in this transformation of the Borders, fostering and forcing a growing sense of national belonging that extended across social, cultural and linguistic groups.<ref name="auto8"/><ref>Gledhill, Jonathan (2012) Locality and Allegiance: English Lothian, 1296-1318. In: England and Scotland at War, c.1296-c.1513. Brill, Leiden, pp. 157-182</ref> However, alongside this burgeoning national identity, a shared border identity also emerged, rooted in the unique cultural and legal practices of the region.<ref>Neville, Cynthia. (2008). "Arbitration and Anglo-Scottish Border Law." In Liberties and Identities in the Medieval British Isles, edited by Michael C. Prestwich, 39. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. {{ISBN|978-1-84383-374-1}}.</ref> This shared identity coexisted with a lingering sense of Otherness,<ref name="auto6">Ellis, Steven G. Region and Frontier in the English State: The English Far North, 1296–1603. Galway: National University of Ireland, Galway, 1995.</ref><ref name="auto16">Ellis, Steven G. "Civilizing Northumberland: Representations of Englishness in the Tudor State." The Journal of Historical Sociology, Volume 12, Issue 2, 1999, pp. 103–127. {{doi|10.1111/1467-6443.00083}}</ref> as the borders remained distinct from the centralised identities of both nations, shaped by their unique history and violent reputation, and the persistent influence of local loyalties.<ref name="auto">Prestwich, Michael, ed. Liberties and Identities in the Medieval British Isles. Boydell & Brewer Ltd, Suffolk, 2008. {{ISBN|978-1-84383-406-9}}.</ref><ref name="auto16"/> This shared Border identity and feelings of Otherness persisted throughout the 16th century.<ref>Groundwater, Anna. "Renewing the Anglo-Scottish Frontier: Reassessing Early Modern Frontier Societies." In Frontier and Border Regions in Early Modern Europe, edited by Steven G. Ellis and Raingard Esser, 23-25</ref>