Scottish Monarch. Known as "The Lion", he was the son of Henry, Earl of Hungtingdon and Adelicia de Warenne, and a grandson of King David I. He succeeded his brother Malcolm IV and was crowned on December 24, 1165 at Scone. A bold and brave man, he was somewhat ineffectual as a warrior. In 1174, during a skirmish with English troops at Alnwick, William was captured and imprisoned by England's Henry II, his former ally, at Falaise in Normandy. There William was forced to sign an oath of allegiance to Henry, which meant William held Scotland by permission only. All Scottish castles and garrisons were to be held by English forces, and the support of these troops fell on the Scots. This was known as the Treaty of Falaise. Scotland endured this humiliation and subservience for 15 years, while the support of the occupying English taxed the country into near poverty. But Richard the Lionheart had just become King of England, and he was in need of funds to mount the third Crusade to the Holy Land. In exchange for 10,000 merks of silver, Richard released William from the Treaty of Falaise, returning to Scotland all English-held castles.William married Ermengarde de Beaumont on September 5, 1186. They had one son and three daughters. Old and senile, William died at Stirling at the age of 74. William's personal banner, from which he got his nickname, featured a red lion rampant on a yellow field. This banner is still recognised and known today, as the royal standard of Scotland.

Scottish Monarch. Known as "The Lion", he was the son of Henry, Earl of Hungtingdon and Adelicia de Warenne, and a grandson of King David I. He succeeded his brother Malcolm IV and was crowned on December 24, 1165 at Scone. A bold and brave man, he was somewhat ineffectual as a warrior. In 1174, during a skirmish with English troops at Alnwick, William was captured and imprisoned by England's Henry II, his former ally, at Falaise in Normandy. There William was forced to sign an oath of allegiance to Henry, which meant William held Scotland by permission only. All Scottish castles and garrisons were to be held by English forces, and the support of these troops fell on the Scots. This was known as the Treaty of Falaise. Scotland endured this humiliation and subservience for 15 years, while the support of the occupying English taxed the country into near poverty. But Richard the Lionheart had just become King of England, and he was in need of funds to mount the third Crusade to the Holy Land. In exchange for 10,000 merks of silver, Richard released William from the Treaty of Falaise, returning to Scotland all English-held castles.William married Ermengarde de Beaumont on September 5, 1186. They had one son and three daughters. Old and senile, William died at Stirling at the age of 74. William's personal banner, from which he got his nickname, featured a red lion rampant on a yellow field. This banner is still recognised and known today, as the royal standard of Scotland.

Bio by: Kristen Conrad