This ballad refers to crucial events in Scottish history so it is no surprise that they became the subjects of a ballad. Ballads deal with the subjects of (1)humour, (2)romance (especially tragic love), (3)the supernatural, and (4)the historical. .
2. The only evidence of a real Sir Patrick Spens is a burial mound in the Orkney Islands. It is said to be his, a victim of drowning, but there is no other record of such a person.
3. The events of the ballad are based on facts, however. They seem to be a combination of two real events: one, the marriage of a Scottish princess to a Norwegian King in August 1281; and the other, the death of a Norwegian princess in September 1290. Ballads sometimes muddled events because they were not written down. They were passed by word of mouth so some things were forgotten or muddled over time.
4. The events covered in "Sir Patrick Spens" were of crucial importance in the Scottish politics of the time. In 1281, Scotland was an independent kingdom but under threat from England, whose King, Edward I, was keen to conquer Scotland to keep it under control and protect his northern border from invasions and raids.
5. The King of Scotland, Alexander III, however, tried to get support from Norway. This was to be done through the marriage of his only daughter Margaret to Eric II, King of Norway. On July 31st 1281, a great fleet of Scottish royalty and nobles sailed to Norway to celebrate this wedding. We do not know, but it may be that on their return many were drowned in a storm. That seems to be the story in the ballad. The unruly behaviour which is complained about in the ballad, may refer to Scots lords drinking and rioting at a wedding - which often went on for days, or even weeks, in those times.
6. Margaret died in childbirth. King Alexander's only heir, therefore, was the young girl born in Norway, his grand-daughter, known as "The Maid of Norway".
7. On the 19th of March 1286, Alexander left Edinburgh to return to his home in Fife.