| Northallerton - Known in Scotland
as the Battle of the Standard
22nd August 1138
This battle occurred during a period in England known as 'the anarchy'.
Popularised by the Cadfael book and TV series there was a number of vicious
rebellions and civil wars which raged throughout the rule of the unfortunate
King Stephen.
Stephen was fighting for the crown against his sister Matilda, who preferred
to be called 'The Empress Maude'.
The Scottish King David was also the maternal uncle of Matilda, following
many border incursions he decided to invade in force, partly to assist
his niece but mainly in an attempt to annex Northumberland.
This in fact lead the way for many Scottish invasions which mainly occurred
when the English king would be engaged elsewhere. As Henry VIII would
find out
.
Bizarrely the leader of the English defence was to be the ageing and bedridden
Thurstan Archbishop of York. However this turned out not to be a bad choice.
He offered heavenly rewards for those who joined the army and eternal
damnation for those that did not! He also provided the banners of four
Yorkshire saints which were mounted on ships masts and raised above the
English lines. This gave the battle it's popular name, "The battle
of the Standard". it also proved to be an inspired recruiting tool
as Saxons and Normans alike flocked to the banners.
The battle was a relatively short one. The galwegians (men from Galloway)
had felt slighted by the Scottish king's attempt to place them in the
rear ranks, so that better armoured men could take the front ranks. At
the order to attack these men charged the English lines.
However the English had drawn up their armoured men in the front ranks.
Still with their distinctive 'tear shaped' Norman shield. behind them
were the archers (the long bow lay in the future). The archers inflicted
serious damage on the lightly armoured Scots.
A cavalry charge but a Scottish Prince very nearly won the day, but in
a classic 'ruse de guerre' an Englishman held aloft the head of one of
the many dead and shouted that King David was dead. Scottish moral plummeted
and their army fled. Only gallant resistance from the king's personal
guard let him escape. Northumberland remained English.
Neville's Cross
17th October 1346
Thirteen years after the English victory at Hallidon Hill
the Scots were once again fighting in England.
This time it was a more familiar theme that led to invasion, a Scottish
alliance with France. France was in trouble, the English had taken large
swathes of territory following the crushing defeat of the French army
at Crecy.
Calais was besieged by the English. The French sent to King David, son
of Robert the Bruce to invade England, thereby forcing the English to
withdraw from France
.
David invaded expected little resistance. As the Scots neared Durham they
were surprised by a scratch English force which been hastily assembled.
Numbers are not exact but the armies which opposed eachother that day
are estimated at 8,000-9,000 Scots and 3,000-4,000 Englishmen.
Sir William Douglas (a.k.a . The Black Douglas) and 500 Scots were busy
plundering the nearby town of Merrington when out of the mist came the
English army. Completely surprised and outnumbered they attempted to get
back to their own army, less than half made it.
Alerted the Scottish King made his dispositions sending the earl of Moray
into the attack.
The English were deployed on a narrow ridge with archers and infantry
deployed to the front. the cavalry were left at the rear due to the unsuitable
nature of the terrain.
Moray attacked the English left and was immediately in trouble with the
English archers making nearly every arrow count. On the right the Scots
fared better nearly breaking the English line, but the arrival of the
English cavalry drove them back.
The Scottish King together with some nobles hid under a nearby bridge
but were taken prisoner by English soldier John Coupeland.
King David spent the next 11 years as an English prisoner.
Eventually the French king joined him in the Tower of London.
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