Battle of Carberry Hill
| Battle of Carberry Hill | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mary, Queen of Scots Civil War | |||||||
 Commemorative Stone at Carberry marking the site of the conflict |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Forces loyal to Mary, Queen of Scots | Forces opposed to Mary, Queen of Scots | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell | William Kirkcaldy of Grange | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
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The Battle of Carberry Hill took place on the 15th June 1567, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, a few miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. It was part of the ongoing civil war that surrounded Mary, Queen of Scots and the ever changing sides that opposed her and supported her.
Contents |
[edit] The conflict
In May 1567 Queen Mary of Scotland married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. Many of the Queen's allies who previously supported her including Maitland, Morton, Balfour, and Murray of Tullibardine disapproved of this and chose to oppose her. This disapproval may have been because the Earl of Bothwell was said to have murdered Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. A trial of Bothwell had come to nothing when his prosecutor, the Earl of Lennox, failed to appear having turned back with his 3000 troops when confronted by the Earl of Bothwell's 4000. The elevation of Bothwell to Duke of Orkney and Zetland on 12 May, then marriage three days later, fuelled the flames of opinion.
[edit] Stand-off at Carberry
With only the support of the Hamiltons (who hated Lennox) Mary and Bothwell left Fa'side Castle on the morning of 15 June 1567 and took to the field of battle at Carberry Hill against her enemies, the Confederate Lords, near Musselburgh. The stand-off lasted from 11 o'clock in the morning till 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Mary's supporters carried the banner of the Lion of Scotland; the Lords' banner showed Darnley dead under a tree with the infant James VI, with the motto, "Judge and Revenge my cause, O Lord."[1]
Bothwell offered single combat to any of the Confederate Lords. William Kirkcaldy accepted the challenge,[2] but Bothwell would not fight him as he was merely a baron. He also refused Murray of Tullibardine, and then Lord Lindsay. It was hot and Mary's supporters had nothing to drink.[3] The day dragged on. Eventually, Mary surrendered to Kirkcaldy and he led her horse by the bridle down from the hill.[4] but Bothwell rode off towards Dunbar with 25 horsemen. A drawing of the battlefield sent to London with a newsletter survives and gives a schematic idea of the events.[5]
[edit] Queen and King's men
According to the later chroncicle called The Historie of James the Sext, Mary's supporters at Carberry were; George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, Lord Hay of Yester, Lord Borthwick, Cockburn of Ormiston, Home of Wedderburn, Blackadder of Tulliallan, and Cockburn of Langtoun.
The Confederate Lords included the Regent Morton, John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar, Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn, the Lords Lindsay, William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, Alexander Home, 5th Lord Home, Lord Sempill, Lord Sanquhar, and the lairds Murray of Tullibardine, Douglas of Drumlanrig, Kirkcaldy of Grange and all their horsemen and foot soldiers.[6]
[edit] Aftermath
Mary was taken to Edinburgh and then imprisoned in Lochleven Castle, in Kinross, where her keeper was Sir William Douglas, half brother to James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. She remained in prison for eleven months while public opinion gathered against her. Bothwell got to a ship and first went to Orkney, and evaded William Kirkcaldy whose ship the Lion ran aground. Then he crossed the sea to Norway, captivity and madness.
[edit] Epilogue: the Casket Letters
On the 20th June one of the Earl of Bothwell's soldiers was found in possession of a silver casket containing letters from Queen Mary to the Earl of Bothwell. It was alleged that the letters proved her complicity in Lord Darnley's death and justified her deposition. About this time the Earl of Bothwell was proclaimed for the actual physical murder of Darnley and a reward of 1000 crowns offered for his capture. John Knox denounced Mary from the pulpit, and the General Assembly similarly raised its voice against her. On 24 July 1567 she was forced to abdicate, despite her protestations, and her son James VI of Scotland was crowned five days later in Stirling.
[edit] External links
- Contemporary drawing of the Battle UK National Archives
- http://www.marie-stuart.co.uk/Castles/Carberry.htm
- http://www.aboutscotland.com/mqs/carberry.html
- http://www.thereformation.info/carberryhill.htm
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Labanoff, A., Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 7, London, Dolman, (1852), 212, M. Du Croc to Charles IX, 17 June 1567.
- ^ Register of the Privy Seal of Seal of Scotland, vol. 8 (1982), no. 397, 15 July 1581, narration relates Kirkcaldy would also have accepted any challenge offered on behalf of Bothwell.
- ^ Thomson, Thomas, ed., The Historie of James the Sext, Banntyne Club (1825), 12
- ^ Donaldson, Gordon, ed., The Memoirs of Sir James Melville of Halhill, Folio Society, London (1969), 68-69.
- ^ See External links; UK National Archives PRO Kew SP52/13 MPF1/366; with a drawing of the banner at the same location.
- ^ Thomson, Thomas, ed.,The Historie of James the Sext, Banntyne Club (1825), 14.
