Person

William the Lion

c. 1142–1214 · 12th century · Also known as William I of Scotland

William the Lion was King of Scots from 1165 to 1214, one of the longest reigns in Scottish history. Trying to recover Northumberland, he invaded England and was captured at Alnwick in 1174, and by the Treaty of Falaise he had to accept Henry II as his overlord until Richard I released him from it in 1189. He founded Arbroath Abbey and extended royal authority in the north.

William the Lion
Image: The photo is not credited. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). William the Lion. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/william-the-lion
MLA
“William the Lion.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/william-the-lion. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “William the Lion.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/william-the-lion.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘William the Lion’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/william-the-lion (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻