Battle of Linlithgow Bridge

Scottish battle (1526)

Designations

Registered battlefield

Designated| 30 November 2011
Reference no.| BTL25

Clan Douglas and Stewart royal family feud

* Edinburgh Castle (1440)
* Stirling Castle (1452)
* Brechin
* Arkinholm
* Lochmben Fair
* Melrose
* Linlithgow Bridge

The Battle of Linlithgow Bridge is a battle that took place on 4 September 1526 in the village of Linlithgow Bridge, outside the Scottish town of Linlithgow. It was fought between a force of 10,000 men led by the Earl of Lennox and a force of 2,500 led by James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran. The battle was part of a power struggle in Scotland for control of the young Scottish king, James V. The battlefield was added to the national Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland prepared by Historic Scotland under the Scottish Historical Environment Policy of 2009.[1]

## Background

[edit]

The Battle of Linlithgow Bridge was a product of the power vacuum created by the death of James IV of Scotland in the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His young son, James V, was only a year old when his father was killed, and so Scotland was ruled by regents during his childhood. The first was his mother, Margaret Tudor (sister of King Henry VIII of England), until she remarried in the following year, and was replaced by John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany, who was himself next in line for the throne after James and his younger brother, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross. In 1525, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, the young king's stepfather, took custody of James and held him as a virtual prisoner for three years, exercising power on his behalf. James’ mother made a number of attempts to free her son from the clutches of Douglas, and one of these resulted in the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge.[2]

## The battle

[edit]

In 1526, Margaret persuaded the Earl of Lennox and Archbishop James Beaton to support her cause. Lennox raised an army over 10,000 and marched on Edinburgh from his base in Stirling. By this time Archibald Douglas had won the support of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and the latter was sent to try to delay the march by mustering the people of Linlithgow and the surrounding area. Arran arranged his force of 2,500 men on the strategically important Pace Hill overlooking Linlithgow and the River Avon. Lennox, seeing the strength of this defensive position had to rethink his plans.

Lennox intended to outflank and defeat Arran before Douglas could arrive from Edinburgh with reinforcements. Downstream from the town, the river was impassable but his scouts found a ford 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) upstream, at Manuel Convent. Lennox forced a crossing there and advanced on Arran's flank. However, Arran saw the threat and placed his troops facing south along the ridge of Pace Hill. Lennox's attack was across the Avon, over boggy ground and finally uphill, but he very nearly succeeded in dislodging Arran's outnumbered men. However time ran out for Lennox as Douglas reinforcements arrived followed by the reluctant King James.

Many of the Lennox men were killed either on the ridge or along the banks of the river Avon. The Earl of Glencairn was captured and Lennox himself was wounded. It was said that Lennox surrendered to his opponents but was then murdered by James Hamilton of Finnart.[3] The location of Lennox's murder is commemorated with a cairn that stands at the entrance to the Kettilstoun estate.

## The aftermath

[edit]

After the battle, James remained under the control of Archibald Douglas until, in 1528, aged sixteen, he escaped from Edinburgh to join his mother in Stirling and assume the reins of government himself. Douglas and his family had their lands confiscated and he was forced to seek refuge in England. James continued to reign until his death in 1542.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Inventory of Battlefields historic-scotland.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
2. ^ Ken Emond, The Minority of James V (Edinburgh, 2019), pp. 244-5.
3. ^ Ken Emond, The Minority of James V (Edinburgh, 2019), p. 245.

## References

[edit]

* The Battle of Linlithgow Bridge (archived 2014-05-27)

## External links

[edit]

* Historic Environment Scotland. "Battle of Linlithgow Bridge (BTL25)".

55°58′16″N 3°38′02″W﻿ / ﻿55.971°N 3.634°W﻿ / 55.971; -3.634

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Scottish clan battles

Wars of Scottish Independence|

| First War of Scottish Independence|

* First Berwick
* Dunbar
* Lanark
* Stirling Bridge
* Falkirk
* Roslin
* Happrew
* Stirling Castle
* Methven
* Dalrigh
* Turnberry
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* Campaign in Ireland
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* Connor
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* Skaithmuir
* Second Berwick
* Faughart
* Myton
* Arbroath Declaration
* Great Raid of 1322
* Old Byland
* Corbeil Treaty
* Stanhope Park
* Edinburgh-Northampton Treaty

|

Second War of Scottish Independence|

* Wester Kinghorn
* Dupplin Moor
* Annan
* Dornock
* Berwick (1333)
* Halidon Hill
* Boroughmuir
* Culblean
* Neville's Cross
* Nisbet Moor (1355)
* Berwick (1357)

Anglo-Scottish Wars|

| Border wars|

* Duns
* Otterburn
* 1385
* 1400
* Nesbit Moor (1402)
* Homildon Hill
* Yeavering
* Piperdean
* Sark
* Roxburgh
* Berwick (1482)
* Redeswire

|

Flodden campaign|

* Flodden Field

Solway Moss campaign|

* Haddon Rig
* Solway Moss

Rough Wooing|

* Edinburgh
* Ancrum Moor
* Pinkie
* Inchkeith
* Haddington
* Broughty Castle

Private and local clan battles
(Many of these also had links at national
level, including the feuds between Clan Donald
and the Crown, Clan Douglas and the Crown
and the Mary, Queen of Scots civil war)|

| 13th century|

* Embo (1245)
* Largs (1263)
* Red Ford (1294/96)

|

14th century|

* Dalrigh (1306)
* Pass of Brander (1308)
* Drumlui (1330/37)
* Invernahavon (1370/86)
* Angus (1391)
* North Inch (1396)

15th century|

* Drumoak (1402)
* Tuiteam Tarbhach (1406)
* Dingwall (1411)
* Harlaw (1411)
* Harpsdale (1426)
* Drumnacoub (1427/33)
* Lochaber (1429)
* Palm Sunday (1429)
* Inverness (1429)
* Mamsha (1429)
* Inverlochy (1431)
* Sandside Chase (1437)
* Craignaught Hill (1439)
* Craig Cailloch (1441)
* Arbroath (1445/46)
* Brechin (1452)
* Bealach nam Broig (1452)
* Clachnaharry (1454)
* Arkinholm (1455)
* Skibo and Strathfleet (1455)
* Tannach (1464/38)
* Champions (1464/78)
* Stalc (1468)
* Corpach (1470)
* Tarbat (1480)
* Lagabraad (1480/83)
* Bloody Bay (1480/83)
* Lochmaben Fair (1484)
* Aldy Charrish (1487)
* Blar Na Pairce (1485/91)
* Raid on Ross (1491)
* Drumchatt (1497)
* Black Mount (1497/98)
* Daltullich (1499)

16th century|

* Drumchatt (1501)
* Achnashellach (1505)
* Knock Mary (1511)
* Glendale (1513)
* Torran Dubh (1517)
* Alltachuilain (1518/19)
* Cleanse the Causeway (1520)
* Glenboultachan (1522)
* Melrose (1526)
* Linlithgow Bridge (1526)
* Summerdale (1529)
* Alltan-Beath (1542)
* Shirts (1544)
* Raids of Urquhart (1544/45)
* Garbharry (1555)
* Corrichie (1562)
* Inverness (1562)
* Chaseabout Raid (1565)
* Carberry Hill (1567)
* Langside (1568)
* Chanonry Castle (1569–1573)
* Garbhain (1570)
* Torran-Roy (1570)
* Craibstone (1571)
* Tillieangus (1571)
* Beauly (1577/78)
* Spoiling Dyke (1578)
* Allt Camhna (1586)
* Leckmelm (1586)
* Western Isles (1586)
* Clynetradwell (1590)
* Dryfe Sands (1593)
* Glenlivet (1594)
* Logiebride (1597)
* Traigh Ghruinneart (1598)
* Benbigrie (1598)

Early 17th century|

* Bengrime (1601)
* Carinish (1601)
* Coire Na Creich (1601)
* Morar (1602)
* Glen Fruin (1603)
* Braes of Strathdearn (1645)

Scotland in the Wars of
the Three Kingdom|

| Bishops Wars|

* Brig of Dee
* Newburn

|

First English Civil War|

* Boldon Hill
* Newcastle
* York
* Marston Moor
* Carlisle
* Tippermuir
* Aberdeen (1644)
* Inverlochy
* Auldearn
* Alford
* Kilsyth
* Philiphaugh
* Lagganmore
* Aberdeen (1646)
* Rhunahaorine Moss
* Dunaverty

Second English Civil War|

* Mauchline Muir
* Preston

Third English Civil War|

* Whiggamore Raid
* Stirling
* 1st Inverness
* 2nd Inverness
* Carbisdale
* Dunbar
* Inverkeithing
* Worcester

Glencairn's rising|

* Tullich
* Dalnaspidal

Period from Restoration of 1660
to Glorious Revolution of 1688|

| Covenanter rebellion of 1679|

* Drumclog
* Bothwell Bridge
* The Killing Time

|

Monmouth Rebellion|

* Argyll's Rising

Private and local clan battles|

* Fords of Arkaig (1665)
* Altimarlach (1680)
* Mulroy (1688)

Jacobite risings|

| Jacobite rising of 1689|

* Loup Hill
* Killiecrankie
* Dunkeld
* Cromdale
* Glencoe

|

Jacobite rising of 1715|

* Cornwall
* Culloden House
* Alness
* Dunfermline
* Preston
* Inverness
* Sheriffmuir
* Brahan

Jacobite rising of 1719|

* Eilean Donan
* Glen Shiel
* Glen Affric
* Coille Bhan

Jacobite rising of 1745|

* Highbridge
* 1st Ruthven
* Prestonpans
* Culloden House
* 1st Carlisle
* Clifton
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* 1st Fort Augustus
* Inverurie
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* Moy
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* Keith
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* Culloden
* Loch nan Uamh
* Loch Ailort
* Arisaig
* Lochaber and Shiramore
* Killin
* Appin Murder
* Rannoch

See also|

* Scottish clan
* Marian civil war
* Military of Scotland
* Independent Highland Companies
* Manrent
* List of battles involving the Kingdom of Scotland

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