6 April 1320: The Declaration of Aberbrothock (Arbroath) was sent to Pope John XXII from the earls and barons of Scotland. Written in Latin, possibly by Bernard of Kilwinning, it set out to confirm Scotland’s status as an independent, sovereign state and asked the pope to recognise Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. By 1320, the relationship between Scotland and the papacy had deteriorated due to the Scottish refusal to comply with papal attempts to broker a truce with England. Following the excommunication of Robert I (his second) and three of his barons by the pope, the Scots responded with the Declaration as a diplomatic manoeuvre.