{"id":1933,"date":"2024-12-21T22:06:52","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T21:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.histoiredebal.com\/?p=1933"},"modified":"2025-10-19T15:05:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T14:05:58","slug":"branle-d-ecosse-1589","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.histoiredebal.com\/en\/2024\/12\/21\/branle-d-ecosse-1589\/","title":{"rendered":"Bransle d’Ecosse or Scotland branle, 1589"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, I study the Bransle d’Ecosse<\/em>, or ‘Scotland branle’, a classic of Renaissance balls of today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his book Orch\u00e9sographie<\/em> (1589), Thoinot Arbeau describes many “regional” circle dances: Poitou, Champagne, Bretagne, Bourgogne… He takes us on a full circuit around France, and even around Europe with the branles of Malta and Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do we dance the Scottish branle? Does it really come from Scotland? How did it arrive in France? You’ll find all answers in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a few considerations on the origins of the dance, you’ll find all relevant explanations to teach the dance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article was edited on March 16th 2020, following informed suggestions by Christine Grimaldi and Francis Boissard. Many thanks to them!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a French native speaker, I write in English as good as I can. Please let me know if you spot any error. thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dance from Scotland ?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scotland and France are not exactly neighbours. So it is quite surprising to find a Scottish branle in the Orchesography<\/em>, while it doen’t contain dances from closer regions, as Artois (North of France) or Normandy, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the question needs to be asked: is it really a dance imported from the land of kilts and highlanders? Or is it a French creation, vaguely inspired by a distant country? The question deserves attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arbeau writes that the brawls of Scotland were in vogue \u00ab il y a environ vingt ans<\/em> \u00bb (about 20 years ago), so circa 1569.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did some special links exist between France and Scotland at this time? It appears so.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Linlithgow
Linlithgow Castle, birthplace to Jacques V of Scotland and his daughter Mary Stuart.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

France and Scotland in 16th century<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the time, the Scottish nobility was divided into two camps. One was Protestant and in favor of a rapprochement with neighboring England. The other was Catholic and counts on help from France to maintain its independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King James V of Scotland (1512-1542) chose his side and married Marie de Guise, a Frenchwoman. Their daughter Mary will also be raised in France and promised to Fran\u00e7ois II, son of Fran\u00e7ois I, king of France. But Mary did not introduce the dance of Scotland to France: she was only five years old when she arrived. They are not his traveling companions either: they are four little companion girls, all named Mary, a governess and Mary Stuart’s two illegitimate brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James V died when his daughter Mary Stuart was only a few days old. His wife Marie then assumed the regency and regularly requested military aid from her compatriots. The young Mary would continue this trend during her reign. French lords were therefore present in Scotland until 1567, the date of the abdication of Mary Stuart. These lords would have brought back the moves from Scotland when returning to France after the abdication.

Remember, Thoinot Arbeau gave us the date of 1569. Mary Stuart abdicated in 1567. That fits!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the Scotland branle a real scottish dance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This seems like a very attractive theory.

Yet, it is not certain that the dance actually comes from Scotland.

Indeed, for other provincial branles, Arbeau often recounts personal or historical anecdotes. The author practiced the brawl with the “les Bachelettes de Poitiers”, he learned the Triory from a young student from Brittany, that he met in Poitiers, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for the Scotland branle, no additional information. We only learn that: \u00ab Les Escossois <\/em>[dansent] les branles d\u2019Escosse<\/em> \u00bb (the Scotsmen [dance] the Scotland brawls). Thank you, Captain Obvious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also remind you that the history of dance knows many \u201cregional\u201d dances which are not. Thus, the Scottische was called “German Polka” when it was introduced in 1848, and has no connection with Scotland, despite its name.

The mystery therefore remains complete about the origin of the dance: Scottish or not, that is the question. But the idea of \u200b\u200ba dance brought back from Scotland by the French fighters, after Mary’s abdication, seems really attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Fran\u00e7ois
Fran\u00e7ois Cluet, Mary, reine des Scots<\/em>, 1558.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Musisic and recordings for the branle of Scotland<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First of all, you should know that there is not one, but several Scotland branles. These musical pieces were played in suite<\/em>, i.e. consecutively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoinot Arbeau describes two of them in his Orchesography, in 1589. For the other branles, he refers us to  \u00abl\u2019 instruction desdits joueurs, ou de vos compaignons<\/em> \u00bb (the instruction of the said players, or of your companions)… So, for the historians, it’s a deadend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pierre Attaignant and Jean d\u2019Estr\u00e9e published others suites <\/em>of Scotland branles, but none with dance instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, to my knowledge, all recordings of Arbeau’s branles of Scotland contain the two melodies played alternately, like the A and the B of the same tune. As a result, the dancers alternate first and second motions as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in reality, the musicians had to play the first branle a certain number of times, continue with the second, then the third, and so on. This is the most historical way of doing things, but it is quite daunting for today’s dancers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can easily find dozens of recordings. I’m sharing some of my favorite versions with you. The links take you to album sales sites (those are not<\/strong> affiliated)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n