The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter submitted to Pope John XXII by Scottish barons, asserting Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state. Written during the Wars of Scottish Independence, it defended the right of Robert the Bruce to rule and famously stated that the people would fight 'not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, but for freedom alone.' This document is significant because it introduced an early concept of 'popular sovereignty'—the idea that a king's right to rule depends on the consent of the people, and if he fails them, they have the right to replace him. Some historians believe this radical idea influenced the American Declaration of Independence centuries later. It remains the most famous document in Scottish history and a cornerstone of Scottish national identity.