A significant letter supporting Scottish hero William Wallace was displayed on St Andrew's Day.
More than 250 people gathered on Saturday to see the fragile document, which was on display for only five hours to prevent too much sunlight.
A letter written by the King of France to his representative at the Papal Court in Rome, known as the Wallace Recommendation, was discovered in the 19th century in the Tower of London, along with other historical documents.
The letter dates back to 1300, three years after Wallace and Andrew Murray led the Scots to victory over the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
In 1300, Wallace and other Scottish knights were in France, seeking support from the French king in restoring the Scottish monarchy, probably as part of the resistance against King Edward I of England.
The French king's letter urged allies to support Mr. Wallace in “the matters he has to deal with.”
The document was last published in 2018 and has been kept out of the light for years at a time to preserve it for future generations.
The fragile pieces of parchment were put on display for five hours by the National Records Office for Scotland, which manages the national archives at Government House in Edinburgh.
There is no evidence that Wallace ever reached Rome, and five years later he was captured by the British and taken to London where he was executed.
Archivist Jocelyn Grant said: “It was an honor to display this precious document together with the two tapestries that inspired it and the so-called Lübeck Letters.
“I was delighted that so many people took advantage of the rare opportunity to see this document in person, as well as the tapestry.
“Created in 2012 by the master weavers of Dovecott Studio, this is the first time it has been exhibited since.”
