alternatehistory.com
1338: Scotland
1338: 'AND WHEN IN HELL YOU SIT, TELL THEM 'TWAS THE STEWARD SENT YOU.'
"By 1338, the English situation in Scotland, so recently restored, was close to disintegrating again. Funds and men had been diverted from the conquest to deal with the matter of France. Edward Balliol, the purported ally they were aiding was treated dismissively by the Prince who even ordered him about like a servant. Many of the Disinherited were losing faith with the English as a result of this, most notably the reliably unreliable Earl of Atholl. A siege of the Moravian[1] stronghold of Dunbar had been proposed under the Earl of Salisbury, but he was still gathering a rather underwhelming force at York, quarreling with the Percys and Nevills to give him more men, and waiting for the money to pay them all. About the only thing preventing a complete failure for the English was the divisions and rivalries of the Scots, who remained riven between the Moravian and Steward camps...
"John Stewart had emerged from the ongoing war and the recent Scottish council of notables as an increasingly major leader in his nation. Despite having bitterly offended the Murrays and Neil of Carrick, he had made allies, such as Sir William Douglas, the Knight of Liddesdale, a brutal, self-serving warrior who later generations of Scots would declare the "Flower of Chivalry"[2]. A man after the Steward's own heart, Douglas had solved the problem of his limited resources by keeping only small bands of men, who could be called together as needed, and spend the rest of their time harrying the English and Balliol supporters. The Steward, despite his far greater wealth, had adopted a similar system--indeed his network of allies had spread over much of Scotland over the ensuing months, giving even the Murrays a pause...
"In early February, the Steward called his forces together, and took Kinclavin Castle, to the north of Perth[3]. He followed this up by linking up with Douglas' forces, and invading Fife. This brought a protest from Salisbury, who claimed the Earldom of Fife from his abduction and marriage to its countess, but seemed to have done little to stir the Percys and Nevills to his side. Likewise, his protests to the Prince of Wales brought reprimands, as the Prince declared he was preoccupied with French raiders, and that Salisbury would have to do better[4]. Salisbury could not, at least not immediately, and instead did nothing as the Steward's forces took the tower of Falkland and Leuchars, then subjected St. Andrews to a brief and brutal siege. This was followed by an attack on Bothwell castle, recently rebuilt by the English. The garrison surrendered almost immediately, inspired by the Steward's brutal treatment of the St. Andrews' garrison. The fate of all these strongholds was the same--the Steward had his men raze them to the ground. Bothwell was so ruined that not even its foundations stood afterwards[5].
"News of this reached Prince Edward in Westminster, where he was already preparing for his Continental campaign. It almost inspired him to return to Scotland, despite the fact that this would almost certainly mean the dissolution of all his plans there. The only thing that spared him is the Steward's own lack of funds--he had his army disperse after Bothwell, though small raiding parties caused trouble throughout Galloway for the rest of the year[6]. As it became clearer that a marauding horde of Scots would not be descending on England soon, Edward recommitted to his European plans, while insisting that Salisbury should work harder to capture the Steward. Salisbury swore that he would, but swiftly found that the elusive Scot had once again gone to ground. By the end of the year, he and and his newly made joint commander, the Earl of Arundel[7] had found themselves beginning the very siege of Dunbar that had been initially planned in an effort to justify their campaign..."
--From A Very Quarrelsome People: A History of the Scots, by Mark Campbell Mackenzie (1970)
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[1] A term used by this author and others for the Murrays and their supporters.
[2] Sir William Douglas wound up with a similar reputation IOTL. History can sometimes be shockingly kind to real bastards.
[3] Sir Andrew Murray lead a similar campaign in 1337 IOTL.
[4] Edward was just as preoccupied about the whole affair IOTL. He really just let Scotland fall to the wayside after his last campaign there.
[5] The Scots achieved similar victories IOTL and destroyed the castles as well. It really wasn't that difficult--the English were fatally overspread and under-supplied.
[6] And here the Scots' divisions hurt them--Sir Andrew Murray's united command was able to keep the momentum going with an actual campaign in Galloway.
[7] IOTL, Arundel found himself made sole commander of the northern army in 1338 after previously being a joint commander. Here, Salisbury got himself a sole command thanks to his Scottish holdings and Edward really wanting more people with him in Europe, and then lost it by not performing miracles.
"By 1338, the English situation in Scotland, so recently restored, was close to disintegrating again. Funds and men had been diverted from the conquest to deal with the matter of France. Edward Balliol, the purported ally they were aiding was treated dismissively by the Prince who even ordered him about like a servant. Many of the Disinherited were losing faith with the English as a result of this, most notably the reliably unreliable Earl of Atholl. A siege of the Moravian[1] stronghold of Dunbar had been proposed under the Earl of Salisbury, but he was still gathering a rather underwhelming force at York, quarreling with the Percys and Nevills to give him more men, and waiting for the money to pay them all. About the only thing preventing a complete failure for the English was the divisions and rivalries of the Scots, who remained riven between the Moravian and Steward camps...
"John Stewart had emerged from the ongoing war and the recent Scottish council of notables as an increasingly major leader in his nation. Despite having bitterly offended the Murrays and Neil of Carrick, he had made allies, such as Sir William Douglas, the Knight of Liddesdale, a brutal, self-serving warrior who later generations of Scots would declare the "Flower of Chivalry"[2]. A man after the Steward's own heart, Douglas had solved the problem of his limited resources by keeping only small bands of men, who could be called together as needed, and spend the rest of their time harrying the English and Balliol supporters. The Steward, despite his far greater wealth, had adopted a similar system--indeed his network of allies had spread over much of Scotland over the ensuing months, giving even the Murrays a pause...
"In early February, the Steward called his forces together, and took Kinclavin Castle, to the north of Perth[3]. He followed this up by linking up with Douglas' forces, and invading Fife. This brought a protest from Salisbury, who claimed the Earldom of Fife from his abduction and marriage to its countess, but seemed to have done little to stir the Percys and Nevills to his side. Likewise, his protests to the Prince of Wales brought reprimands, as the Prince declared he was preoccupied with French raiders, and that Salisbury would have to do better[4]. Salisbury could not, at least not immediately, and instead did nothing as the Steward's forces took the tower of Falkland and Leuchars, then subjected St. Andrews to a brief and brutal siege. This was followed by an attack on Bothwell castle, recently rebuilt by the English. The garrison surrendered almost immediately, inspired by the Steward's brutal treatment of the St. Andrews' garrison. The fate of all these strongholds was the same--the Steward had his men raze them to the ground. Bothwell was so ruined that not even its foundations stood afterwards[5].
"News of this reached Prince Edward in Westminster, where he was already preparing for his Continental campaign. It almost inspired him to return to Scotland, despite the fact that this would almost certainly mean the dissolution of all his plans there. The only thing that spared him is the Steward's own lack of funds--he had his army disperse after Bothwell, though small raiding parties caused trouble throughout Galloway for the rest of the year[6]. As it became clearer that a marauding horde of Scots would not be descending on England soon, Edward recommitted to his European plans, while insisting that Salisbury should work harder to capture the Steward. Salisbury swore that he would, but swiftly found that the elusive Scot had once again gone to ground. By the end of the year, he and and his newly made joint commander, the Earl of Arundel[7] had found themselves beginning the very siege of Dunbar that had been initially planned in an effort to justify their campaign..."
--From A Very Quarrelsome People: A History of the Scots, by Mark Campbell Mackenzie (1970)
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[1] A term used by this author and others for the Murrays and their supporters.
[2] Sir William Douglas wound up with a similar reputation IOTL. History can sometimes be shockingly kind to real bastards.
[3] Sir Andrew Murray lead a similar campaign in 1337 IOTL.
[4] Edward was just as preoccupied about the whole affair IOTL. He really just let Scotland fall to the wayside after his last campaign there.
[5] The Scots achieved similar victories IOTL and destroyed the castles as well. It really wasn't that difficult--the English were fatally overspread and under-supplied.
[6] And here the Scots' divisions hurt them--Sir Andrew Murray's united command was able to keep the momentum going with an actual campaign in Galloway.
[7] IOTL, Arundel found himself made sole commander of the northern army in 1338 after previously being a joint commander. Here, Salisbury got himself a sole command thanks to his Scottish holdings and Edward really wanting more people with him in Europe, and then lost it by not performing miracles.
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