THE William Wallace letter is set to return to Scotland following a stint in England after a new "shared approach" was agreed.
However, the letter's longer term future is yet to be determined, with the Scottish Government stressing that its home "should be in Scotland".
The 700-year-old letter, written in a form of Latin shorthand, was sent to the French King’s agents in the court of Pope Boniface VIII in 1300.
Wallace’s mission in Europe remains a mystery, but in the note, King Phillipe IV asks the Pope to support the Scottish knight in “those things which he has to transact”.
The document has been on loan to The National Records of Scotland for 14 years, but it is scheduled to be returned to The National Archives in Kew, England, in September.
Campaigners had previously called for the letter to remain in Scotland, which the Scottish Government agreed was its position.
On Wednesday, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) confirmed it had reached a new "joint curatorial agreement" with The National Archives, which sees the current loan period extended.
The historic letter is set to return to Scotland from 2028 until 2031, with future arrangements set to be discussed before the end of this period.
The National Records of Scotland said the new loan will allow for the letter to go on display in Edinburgh, and potentially more widely across Scotland, working alongside other Scottish cultural institutions.
The National Archives is also understood to be exploring the option of displaying the letter at other locations in England before it returns to Scotland.
The Scottish Government has pledged to continue engaging with the UK Government around the letter's "longer term future" in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland chief executive Alison Byrne said: “This collaborative approach will help to maximise public access to the letter while reflecting its shared historical importance. I look forward to the letter returning to Scotland from 2028.”
Saul Nassé, chief executive and keeper of public records at The National Archives, said: "The Wallace letter speaks to our shared history, and this agreement provides an opportunity for anyone interested in the document to view it and to develop a deeper understanding of its historical significance."
Culture Secretary Mairi McAllan said: "This is a document of huge historical significance, connecting us to one of Scotland's most important national figures. I believe the letter should be in Scotland and am pleased that after a short period of planned display in England, the Wallace letter will return to Scotland from 2028, ensuring people here can engage with this remarkable piece of our history.
"Given the letter and Wallace’s centrality to Scotland's history, we will continue our dialogue with the UK Government to discuss its longer term future.”
Wallace is famous for leading the Scots in the defeat of the English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. He later spent time in Europe but by 1305 was back in Scotland where he was captured, taken to London and executed.
Historians discovered the letter in the Tower of London in the 1830s, and while no-one knows exactly how it got there, experts believe Wallace carried it with him.
The letter is only one of two surviving documents with a direct personal link to Wallace.
