Flodden

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Battle of Flodden Field Part of the War of the League of Cambrai Date September 9, 1513 Location Near Branxton, Northumberland, England Result Decisive English victory Belligerents England Scotland Commanders Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey; Lord High Admiral Thomas Howard; Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre; Sir Edward Stanley; Edmund Howard James IV  †, Lord Alexander Home; William Graham, Earl of Montrose; Adam Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell; Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox; Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyll Strength 26,000 English soldiers 34,000 Scots Casualties and losses 1,500 7,000 - 8,000 to as many as 13,000 v • d • e War of the League of Cambrai Agnadello – Padua – Polesella – Mirandola – Brescia – Ravenna – St. Mathieu – Novara – Guinegate – Dijon – Flodden Field – La Motta – Marignano v • d • e Anglo-Scottish Wars Otterburn – Nesbit Moor – Humbleton Hill – Yeavering – Piperdean – Sark – Berwick – Flodden Field –Haddon Rig – Solway Moss – Ancrum Moor – Pinkie Cleugh – Haddington – Redeswire

The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. It ended in a victory for the English and a bloody defeat for the Scots and was the largest battle (in terms of numbers) fought between the two nations.^[1]

Background

This conflict began when King James IV of Scotland declared war on England to honour the Auld Alliance with France by diverting Henry VIII's English troops from their campaign against the French king Louis XII. England was involved in a larger conflict – defending Italy and the Pope from the French (see Italian Wars) as a member of the "Catholic League". Using the pretext of revenge for the murder of Robert Kerr, a warden of the Scottish East March who had been killed by John "The bastard" Heron in 1508, James of Scotland invaded England with an army of about 30,000 men in 1513.^[1]

The battle actually took place near the village of Branxton, in the county of Northumberland, rather than at Flodden — hence the alternative name is Battle of Branxton. The Scots had previously been stationed at Flodden Edge, to the south of Branxton.

Flodden in history

Western side of the battlefield, looking south-south-east from the monument erected in 1910. The Scottish army advanced down the ploughed field, the English down the grassy field in the foreground, and they met, presumably at the valley boundary between the two fields.

Flodden was essentially a victory of bill over pike. As a weapon, the pike was effective only in a battle of movement, especially to withstand a cavalry charge. The hilly terrain of Northumberland, the nature of the combat, and the slippery footing did not allow it to be employed to best effect. Indeed the Scots might have managed better if they had kept to their traditional schiltron spears.^{[citation needed]}

The infantrymen at Flodden, both Scots and English, had fought in a fashion that in essence would have been familiar to their ancestors, and it has rightly been described as the last great medieval battle in the British Isles. But this was the last time that bill and pike would come together as equals in battle. Two years later Francis I defeated the Swiss pikemen at the Battle of Marignano, using a combination of heavy cavalry and artillery, ushering in a new era in the history of war.

Tactically, this battle was one of the first major engagements on the British Isles where artillery would play a decisive role. This battle is considered the last decisive use of the longbow, yet through the 16th century the English longbowmen continued to have success, as in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh.

Many of these archers were recruited from Lancashire and Cheshire. Sir Richard Assheton raised one such company from Middleton, near Manchester. In gratitude for his safe return, he rebuilt St. Leonard's, the local parish church. It contains the unique "Flodden Window" depicting each of the archers, and the priest who accompanied them, by name in stained glass.

Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk was given an augmentation of honour to commemorate the Battle of Flodden Field

As a reward for his victory, Howard was subsequently restored to the title of "Duke of Norfolk", lost by his father's support for Richard III. The arms of the Dukes of Norfolk still carry an augmentation of honour awarded on account of their ancestor's victory at Flodden, a modified version of the Royal coat of arms of Scotland with an arrow through the lion's mouth.

Every noble family in Scotland was supposed to have lost a member at Flodden. The dead are remembered by the song (and pipe tune) "The Flowers of the Forest";

We'll hae nae mair lilting, at the yowe-milking,

Women and bairns are dowie and wae.

Sighing and moaning, on ilka green loaning,

The flowers of the forest are all wede away.

Notable casualties

• James IV , King of Scots (1488–1513); died in battle
• Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Lord Chancellor of Scotland; died in battle
• Lieutenant General Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll; died in battle
• Sir Alexander Boswell of Balmuto; died in battle
• Thomas Boswell of Auchinleck; died in battle
• John Campbell of Auchreoch; died in battle
• John Carnegie, 5th of Kinnaird; died in battle
• William Craig, of Craigfintray Castle, Aberdeenshire; died in battle
• Robert Elwold (Elliott, leader of the Elliott Clan); died in battle
• Alan Cathcart, Master of that ilk; died in battle
• George Douglas, Master of Angus; died in battle
• Sir William Douglas of Glenbervie; died in battle
• Alexander Elphinstone the Younger; died in battle
• Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone; died in battle
• William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose; led part of the Scottish vanguard; died in battle
• James Henderson (or Henrysone), Laird of the barony of Fordell, Fife; Lord Justice Clerk; killed along with his eldest son, see below.
• (Robert) Henderson, eldest son of James, above; killed with his father.
• Adam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of Bothwell
• George Hepburn
• Andrew Herries, 2nd Lord Herries of Terregles
• David Kennedy, 1st Earl of Cassilis
• Alexander Lauder of Blyth
• George Leslie, 2nd Earl of Rothes
• Uchtred MacDowall, 9th of Garthland; died in battle
• Thomas MacDowall of Renfrewshire son of Uchtred; died in battle
• John Maxwell, 3rd Lord Maxwell
• John Mure of Rowallan; died in battle
• Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie; died in battle
• Sir John Rattray, Lord of that Ilk; died in battle
• John Ross of Halkhead; died in battle
• William Ruthven of that ilk; died in battle
• John Sempill, 1st Lord Sempill of Eliotstoun; died in battle
• William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
• Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan; died in battle
• Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox; died in battle
• Sir Lain MacFarlane, 11th Captain (Chief) of Clan Pharlane; died in battle
• Sir Brian Tunstall, died in battle

Battlefield today

The battlefield still looks much as it probably did at the time of the battle, however the burn and marsh which so badly hampered the Scots advance is now drained. A monument, erected in 1910, is easily reached from Branxton village by following the road past St Paul's Church. There is a small car park and a clearly marked and signposted battlefield trail with interpretive boards which make it easy to visualise the battle. Only the chancel arch remains of the medieval church where James IV's body was said to have rested after the battle – the rest is Victorian, dating from 1849 in the "Norman" style.

See also

• Percy Folio
• Selkirk Common Riding

Footnotes

References

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Edinburgh after Flodden

• flodden.net
• A detailed account of the battle.
• Hawick Common Riding
• Follow the archaeological project excavating in and around Flodden Battlefield.

Coordinates: 55°37′37″N 2°10′31″W / 55.62693°N 2.1753°W / 55.62693; -2.1753