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Andrew Moray ( xno, Andreu de Moray; la, Andreas de Moravia), also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, was an
esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
, who became one of Scotland's war-leaders during the
First Scottish War of Independence The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between English and Scottish forces. It lasted from the English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until the ''de jure'' restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty o ...
. Moray, heir to an influential north Scotland baron, initially raised a small band of supporters at
Avoch Castle Ormond Castle, also known as Avoch Castle, was a powerful stronghold, overlooking the village of Avoch, on the Black Isle, in the former county of Ross and Cromarty, now part of Highland, Scotland. It controlled a prominent position overlooking ...
in early summer 1297 to fight King
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
, and soon had successfully regained control of north Scotland for the Scots king,
John Balliol John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an ...
. He subsequently merged his army with that of
William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
, and jointly led the combined army to victory at the
Battle of Stirling Bridge The Battle of Stirling Bridge ( gd, Blàr Drochaid Shruighlea) was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne ...
on 11 September 1297. Moray was mortally wounded in the fighting at Stirling, dying at an unknown date and place that year.


Childhood

Andrew Moray the younger of Petty was born late in the second half of the 13th century. The date and place of his birth are unknown. Andrew's father was Sir Andrew Moray of Petty,
Justiciar of Scotia The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Scotie'') was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ''Scotia'' (meaning Scotland) in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and Rive ...
(1289?–1296), and his mother was the historically-anonymous fourth daughter of
John Comyn I of Badenoch John Comyn (Cumyn) (c. 1215 – c. 1275) was Lord of Badenoch in Scotland. He was Justiciar of Galloway in 1258. He held lands in Nithsdale (Dalswinton, a Comyn stronghold, and Duncow) and Tynedale. Life The Comyn family were in effe ...
. Nothing is known of the formative years of Moray the younger's life. Similarly to other members of his social class, he likely embarked in his youth on the training for knighthood. This would have entailed him being fostered in the household of a mature knight outwith his family, where he would undergo training in horsemanship and the use of weapons, care for the knight's armour and weapons, care for his horses, and serve the knight meals at the table.


The Morays of Petty’s place in Scottish society

The Morays of Petty were a wealthy and politically influential baronial family whose power base was located in the province of
Moray Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland. Between 1975 ...
in north-east
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. The family traced their origins to
Freskin Freskin (died before 1171) was a Flemish nobleman who settled in Scotland during the reign of King David I, becoming the progenitor of the Murray and Sutherland families, and possibly others. Origins Freskin was said to have come to the Lowlands ...
of Uphall, in
Lothian Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sco ...
, who was granted lands in the
Laich of Moray The Laich of Moray or Laigh of Moray (locally: Laich o' Moray) ( gd, Machair Mhoireibh) is the rich agricultural coastal plain in Moray. ''Laich'' is a Scots word meaning Low-lying land. The generally accepted area covered by the term ''Laich ...
during the 12th-century reign of King
David I of Scotland David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Malcolm ...
. Freskin built a
motte-and-bailey A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...
castle on these lands at
Duffus Duffus ( gd, Dubhais) is a village and parish in Moray, Scotland. The Duffus Village Inn, the local shop, Post Office and Duffus Village Hall provide a focal point for the community. Nearby are the remains of Duffus Castle, St. Peters' Kirk, a ...
on the north shore of
Loch Spynie Loch Spynie is a small loch located between the towns of Elgin and Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. Close to Spynie Palace, the ancient home of the bishops of Moray, it is an important wildlife habitat which is protected as a Ramsar Site. Histo ...
(this sea-loch was almost completely drained in the 18th and 19th centuries to bring hundreds of acres of land into agricultural use). The Morays of Petty's wealth was accompanied by significant political influence. The family were loyal agents of the Scots king. Sir Andrew acted from 1289 as the king's chief law officer in north Scotland (the Justiciar) and may have been co-opted to the guardianship following in the premature death of
King Alexander III Alexander III (Medieval ; Modern Gaelic: ; 4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286) was King of Scots from 1249 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of Perth, by which Scotland acquired sovereignty over the Western Isles and the Isle of Man. His ...
. Sir Andrew Moray of Petty had close personal connections to the most politically influential family in Scottish society, the Comyns. Sir Andrew’s first wife, and the mother of his son, was a daughter of John (I) 'the Red' Comyn of Badenoch, and his second wife was Euphemia Comyn. The Morays of Petty also had links to the Douglases of Douglasdale. At the outbreak of the Scottish Wars of Independence the Moray family was well established in north and south Scotland. Sir Andrew Moray of Petty the head of the north branch of the family, held the lordship of
Petty Petty may refer to: People * Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist * Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player * Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host * Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Amer ...
,Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 98 which was controlled from Hallhill manor on the south bank of the
Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: ''An Cuan Moireach'', ''Linne Mhoireibh'' or ''Caolas Mhoireibh'') is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotl ...
; the lordship of Avoch in the
Black Isle The Black Isle ( gd, an t-Eilean Dubh, ) is a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands. It includes the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose, and the villages of Culbokie, Jemimaville, Rosemarkie, Avoch, Munlochy, Tore, and Nor ...
, controlled from
Avoch Castle Ormond Castle, also known as Avoch Castle, was a powerful stronghold, overlooking the village of Avoch, on the Black Isle, in the former county of Ross and Cromarty, now part of Highland, Scotland. It controlled a prominent position overlooking ...
situated to the east of
Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
and overlooking the
Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: ''An Cuan Moireach'', ''Linne Mhoireibh'' or ''Caolas Mhoireibh'') is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotl ...
; and the lordship of
Boharm Boharm is a rural parish in the Speyside area of north Scotland, midway between Aberlour and Fochabers, and north of Dufftown. It lies on minor roads to either side of the A95. The main settlements in the parish are Maggieknockater and Mulben. ...
in
Banffshire Banffshire ; sco, Coontie o Banffshire; gd, Siorrachd Bhanbh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county town is Banff, although the largest settlement is Buckie to the west. It borders the Moray ...
, controlled from Gauldwell Castle. Amongst Sir Andrew's estates at Petty were lands at Alturile, Brachlie and Croy, and at
Boharm Boharm is a rural parish in the Speyside area of north Scotland, midway between Aberlour and Fochabers, and north of Dufftown. It lies on minor roads to either side of the A95. The main settlements in the parish are Maggieknockater and Mulben. ...
were lands at Arndilly and Botriphnie. Andrew Moray the younger was heir to these lands and castles.Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 1178, p. 300 The influence of the Moray family was not confined to north Scotland. Sir William Moray of Bothwell, the elder brother of Andrew the younger's father, held extensive lands in
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
and at Lilleford in
Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
. Sir William, who was known as ''le riche'' due to his extensive personal wealth, was in 1296 constructing
Bothwell Castle Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle, sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle wa ...
overlooking the
River Clyde The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
. Its design was influenced by the latest continental European trends in castle construction. It was clearly intended as an unequivocal statement of his influence and wealth. Moray the younger was also heir to his uncle's lands and castles. The Morays of Petty also had a presence in the Scottish medieval church. A forebear of Moray the younger, also named
Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...
, was bishop of Moray early in the thirteenth century and a younger brother of Sir Andrew Moray of Petty,
David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, was in the closing years of the thirteenth century a rector of Bothwell church in central Scotland and a canon of Moray. He would subsequently be consecrated in the summer of 1299 as Bishop of Moray by
Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII ( la, Bonifatius PP. VIII; born Benedetto Caetani, c. 1230 – 11 October 1303) was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 to his death in 1303. The Caetani, Caetani family was of b ...
, and become a vociferous supporter of King Robert I's kingship.


A kingdom in turmoil

The late thirteenth century was a time of upheaval in Scotland. On 19 March 1286,
King Alexander III Alexander III (Medieval ; Modern Gaelic: ; 4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286) was King of Scots from 1249 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of Perth, by which Scotland acquired sovereignty over the Western Isles and the Isle of Man. His ...
died after apparently being thrown from his horse as he made his way to
Kinghorn Kinghorn (; gd, Ceann Gronna) is a town and parish in Fife, Scotland. A seaside resort with two beaches, Kinghorn Beach and Pettycur Bay, plus a fishing port, it stands on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, opposite Edinburgh. According ...
, in
Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, from
Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
to be with his young Flemish queen, Yolande. On Alexander III's death, the Crown passed to his three-year-old granddaughter,
Margaret, Maid of Norway Margaret (, ; March or April 1283 – September 1290), known as the Maid of Norway, was the queen-designate of Scotland from 1286 until her death. As she was never inaugurated, her status as monarch is uncertain and has been debated by historian ...
, the children of his previous marriage to Margaret, a sister of King Edward I, having predeceased him. The child-queen was never enthroned, dying in 1290 during the sea passage to Scotland. Scots nobles vied for the vacant crown. The Bruces of Annandale had already made an unsuccessful attempt in November 1286 to seize it in an armed coup. In this uncertain time, Scotland's leaders sought support from
King Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
. The price of Edward I's involvement in what became known as 'The Great Cause' was the claimants' acknowledgement of him as overlord of Scotland. Edward duly presided over a court to assess the merits of these claims. The most serious claims were advanced by
John Balliol John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an ...
, the lord of Galloway, and Robert Bruce, lord of Annandale and grandfather of the future
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
. Balliol was eventually awarded the Crown, and duly swore fealty to Scotland's new English overlord, Edward I. This decision was widely accepted by the Scottish political community, including many whom previously supported Bruce.


Invasion and defeat

King Edward I became a constant presence in Scottish legal and political affairs. The Scottish political community did not welcome his involvement, and by late 1295 King John had renounced his fealty to the English king and entered into a treaty with France. King Edward was reputedly enraged by such defiance, making hostilities between the kingdoms inevitable. Andrew Moray the younger was part of the Scottish feudal host assembling at Caddonlee in March 1296 in preparation for war with England. He was likely part of his father's retinue. A part of Scottish host, led by the earls of
Atholl Atholl or Athole ( gd, Athall; Old Gaelic ''Athfhotla'') is a large historical division in the Scottish Highlands, bordering (in anti-clockwise order, from Northeast) Marr, Badenoch, Lochaber, Breadalbane, Strathearn, Perth, and Gowrie. Histor ...
,
Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
, and
Mar Mar, mar or MAR may refer to: Culture * Mar or Mor, an honorific in Syriac * Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland * MAA (singer) (born 1986), Japanese * Marathi language, by ISO 639-2 language code * March, as an abbreviation for the third month ...
and John Comyn the younger of Badenoch, entered
Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...
. It marched to
Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
, destroying, according to The ''St. Edmundsbury Chronicle'', 120 villages. More Scots raiders crossed from Jedburgh, burning homes and farms in Northumberland.
Pierre de Langtoft Peter Langtoft, also known as Peter of Langtoft ( fro, Piers de Langtoft; died 1305) was an English historian and chronicler who took his name from the small village of Langtoft in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Langtoft was an Augustinian canon ...
, an English chronicler, records: King Edward I assembled a large army on the Anglo-Scottish border for the invasion of Scotland. By 30 March it was besieging the prosperous Scottish port of Berwick. Berwick soon fell and was sacked by the English army. The English
Lanercost Chronicle The ''Lanercost Chronicle'' is a northern English history covering the years 1201 to 1346. It covers the Wars of Scottish Independence, but it is also highly digressive and as such provides insights into English life in the thirteenth century as we ...
condemned this slaughter as a "crime" and recorded that fifteen thousand "of both sexes perished, some by the sword, others by fire, in the space of a day and a half". It had been many years since Scotland had mobilized for war, and at the Battle of Dunbar the Scots were overwhelmed quickly by a detachment from led by John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey. The author of the ''Chronicle of Bury St. Edmunds'' records the death of eight thousand Scots soldiers at Dunbar. Scotland now capitulated. Edward I deposed King John at Montrose castle: the symbols of the Scottish kingship were stripped from him, including the royal coat of arms from his surcoat (thereby earning him the enduring title Toom Tabard ('Empty Coat')). King Edward undertook an extended march across Scotland, reaching Elgin on 26 July 1296. He remained in the town's castle for a few days, taking the fealty of a number of Scots nobles, Scots nobles captured at Dunbar were sent to prisons across England. The most important prisoners, such as Sir Andrew Moray of Petty, were taken to the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
.Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 742, pp. 176–178. Sir Andrew spent the remainder of his life there, dying in the Tower on 8 April 1298. Andrew Moray the younger, a prisoner of little significance, was imprisoned in
Chester Castle Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls. The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining par ...
.


Rebellion

King Edward's English administration in the defeated Scottish kingdom was headed by the
Earl of Surrey Earl of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of England that has been created five times. It was first created for William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, William de Warenne, a close Companions of William the Conqueror, companion of William the Con ...
. Sir
Hugh de Cressingham Sir Hugh de Cressingham (died 11 September 1297William Wallace & Andrew Moray defeat English) was the treasurer of the English administration in Scotland from 1296 to 1297. He was hated by the Scots and did not seem well liked even by the Engli ...
was appointed Treasurer, and Walter Amersham, Chancellor. The Justiciars for Lothian, Scotia (i.e. the territories north of the Forth), and Galloway were English appointees. Most of Scotland's former royal castles were held by English nobles. English tax collectors began to impose heavy taxes on the Scots, corruptly exploiting the populace to enrich themselves as they collected the king's taxes and . Cressingham had by the end of May 1297 dispatched £5,188 6s. 8d. to the English treasury. Edward also sought to conscript Scots, including the nobility, into the armies being raised to fight in
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
. This plan caused widespread alarm across Scotland and further contributed to growing restlessness against English rule. While the Scots suffered under English occupation, Andrew Moray the younger continued to be imprisoned in Chester castle, but sometime in winter 1296–97 he escaped and made his way back to his father's lands in north Scotland. Scotland may have been easily conquered by King Edward in 1296, but outbreaks of violence soon followed against the English occupiers and their Scots allies. These are usually dated to May 1297. Argyll and Ross were the scenes of earlier violence. In Argyll,
Lachlann Mac Ruaidhrí Lachlann Mac Ruaidhrí (fl. 1297 – 1307/1308) was a Scottish magnate and Scottish clan chief, chief of Clann Ruaidhrí. He was a free-booting participant in the First War of Scottish Independence, who remarkably took up arms against figures su ...
and
Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí (died 14 October 1318?) was a fourteenth-century Scottish magnate and chief of Clann Ruaidhrí. He was an illegitimate son of Ailéan mac Ruaidhrí, and is recorded to have participated in the kindred's military actions a ...
were in rebellion, attacking Edward I's MacDonald supporters, killing royal officials and destroying royal property. In Galloway the rebels seized English-held castles. There was also violence Aberdeenshire and in
Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, where MacDuff of Fife and his sons led the rising. In Central Scotland, William Hesilrig, the English sheriff of
Lanark Lanark (; gd, Lannraig ; sco, Lanrik) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a population of 9 ...
, was murdered on 3 May 1297, during an attack on the town led by
William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
and Richard Lundie. Andrew Moray the younger was also involved in the uprising against English rule. He raised his standard at
Avoch Avoch harbour Avoch ( ; from the gd, Abhach – meaning mouth of the stream) is a harbour-village located on the south-east coast of the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth. History Origins Ormond Castle or ''Avoch Castle'' was a stronghold built o ...
in the first days of May 1297. News of Moray's actions drew supporters to him. Sir William fitz Warin, the English constable of
Urquhart Castle Urquhart Castle (; gd, Caisteal na Sròine) is a ruined castle that sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, south-west of Inverness and east of the village of Drumnadrochit. The present ruins dat ...
on the shores of
Loch Ness Loch Ness (; gd, Loch Nis ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for clai ...
, wrote to King Edward in July 1297: Amongst them were Alexander Pilche, a burgess from Inverness, and a number of burgesses from the town. King Edward I ordered supporters in
Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
and
Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
to assist the Sheriff of Argyll Alexander of the Isles to suppress the rebels. The English Sheriff of
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, Sir Henry de Latham, was ordered on 11 June 1297 to deal with rebels Aberdeenshire. Men were dispatched from England, including Henry Percy and Walter Clifford, to suppress the rebellion.


Attack on Castle Urquhart

In May 1297 Andrew Moray the younger was leading the rebellion in the province of Moray. King Edward's Scots lieutenant in the area was Sir Reginald Cheyne, the sheriff of Elgin. Cheyne was alarmed by the growth of Moray's rebellion, writing to the king to request assistance. In response to the king's orders to suppress the rebellion, Sir Reginald ordered his subordinates to a meeting at Inverness Castle on 25 May 1297 to discuss how to deal with Moray. One participant was Sir William fitz Warin constable of
Urquhart Castle Urquhart Castle (; gd, Caisteal na Sròine) is a ruined castle that sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, south-west of Inverness and east of the village of Drumnadrochit. The present ruins dat ...
standing on the western shore of
Loch Ness Loch Ness (; gd, Loch Nis ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for clai ...
.Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 922, p. 239. After this meeting, Sir William fitz Warin returned to his castle accompanied by an escort of men-at-arms. A few miles south of Inverness, he was unsuccessfully ambushed by a force led by Moray and Alexander Pilche. Next day, Sir William found himself besieged in his castle by Moray. The Countess of Ross unexpectedly arrived on the scene with her retinue. The countess, whose husband was held by King Edward in the Tower of London, advised him to surrender. Moray, with no siege ebigness, unsuccessfully tried to take the castle in a night attack. He left Sir William to send an account of this mêlee to his king.


King Edward fights back

Although Andrew Moray the younger was thwarted at Urquhart Castle, he continued to prosecute a vigorous campaign against his enemies in the province of Moray. The devastation of Sir Reginald Cheyne's lands was later reported to King Edward King
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
, who was preparing to campaign in Flanders, sought to deal with the threat posed by Andrew Moray by making use of Scots nobles released from his prisons. The king issued orders on 11 June 1297 to a number of apparently loyal Scots lords to raise their retinues and march into the province of Moray to relieve fitz Warin and to restore English authority. They included Henry Cheyne,
Bishop of Aberdeen The Bishop of Aberdeen (originally Bishop of Mortlach, in Latin Murthlacum) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Nech ...
, Sir Gartnait of Mar, heir to the earldom of
Mar Mar, mar or MAR may refer to: Culture * Mar or Mor, an honorific in Syriac * Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland * MAA (singer) (born 1986), Japanese * Marathi language, by ISO 639-2 language code * March, as an abbreviation for the third month ...
and whose father was currently held in the Tower of London, and
John Comyn, Earl of Buchan John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan (circa 1260 – 1308) was a chief opponent of Robert the Bruce in the civil war that paralleled the War of Scottish Independence. He should not be confused with the better known John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch ...
and Constable of Scotland, together with his brother, Alexander. The Comyn brothers, who were related to Moray via his mother, were to remain in the province of Moray until the rebellion had been stamped out. The column departed from
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
in early July 1297, and Moray the younger responded by marching east to confront it. The two forces met on the banks of the
River Spey The River Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Spè) is a river in the northeast of Scotland. At it is the eighth longest river in the United Kingdom, as well as the second longest and fastest-flowing river in Scotland. It is important for salmon fishi ...
at Enzie, where the road from Aberdeen to Inverness forded the waters of the river, on the eastern edge of the province of Moray. An extremely ambiguous account of events at Enzie was sent on 25 August 1297 from Inverness to King Edward by Bishop Cheyn, It relates that after some discussion, Moray and his rebel army withdrew into This was a highly dubious explanation when one considers the Comyn family pacified for the Scots king the province of Moray in the early thirteenth century. It appears more likely that neither side wished to fight men that they did not consider their enemies. But if Cheyne thought he could save face with this letter, he failed to reckon with
Hugh de Cressingham Sir Hugh de Cressingham (died 11 September 1297William Wallace & Andrew Moray defeat English) was the treasurer of the English administration in Scotland from 1296 to 1297. He was hated by the Scots and did not seem well liked even by the Engli ...
. Cressingham, having seen this letter, wrote to the king on 5 August:Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLXVII, pp. 225–227. Cressingham clearly did not believe that the Scots lords tasked with dealing with Moray had done their duty, believing they were playing a double game at King Edward's expense. He was especially dismissive of the account of confrontation at the Spey, writing to King Edward: While Andrew Moray seized control of north Scotland and William Wallace was active in west-central Scotland, a rising led by Scotland's traditional feudal leaders was taking place in the south of the kingdom. Amongst its leaders were James, the High Steward of Scotland, Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, and Robert Bruce of Carrick, the future king. Faced with an army led by Henry de Percy and Robert de Clifford, they entered negotiations in June and capitulated at
Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier *Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia *Irvine Island *Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada *Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotla ...
in July. In summer 1297 King Edward proposed to release the younger Moray's father, Sir Andrew Moray of Petty, from imprisonment in the Tower to serve in the ranks of the English army in
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
, if his son was prepared to take his father's place as a royal hostage. A
safe conduct Safe conduct, safe passage, or letters of transit, is the situation in time of international conflict or war where one state, a party to such conflict, issues to a person (usually an enemy state's subject) a pass or document to allow the enemy ...
, allowing him to come to England, was issued under the king's seal on 28 August 1297. It is not known if this letter ever reached him, but if it did, it was ignored and his father remained confined in the Tower, dying there on 4 April 1298.


Battle of Stirling Bridge

By late summer 1297, King Edward I had lost control of Scotland. The extent of the breakdown in his rule was described in a letter to him from Cressingham: Of the castles north of the River Forth, only
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
remained in English hands. In the late summer of 1297, the earl of Surrey finally acted against Moray and Wallace. He was subsequently vilified for this indolence.
Walter of Guisborough Walter of GuisboroughWalter of Gisburn, Walterus Gisburnensis. Previously known to scholars as Walter of Hemingburgh (John Bale seems to have been the first to call him that).Sometimes known erroneously as Walter Hemingford, Latin chronicler of t ...
, said of him: Moray and Wallace, who were besieging Dundee castle, entrusted the siege to the townspeople and marched to Stirling to meet him. They deployed their men to the north of the
River Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of th ...
, close to the old bridge at
Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
and
Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
. Surrey was outmanoeuvred and outfought in the ensuing battle. The bridge over the river Forth was narrow, and Surrey deployed the vanguard of his army across it. Moray and Wallace struck when only part of the English vanguard had crossed. In the
Battle of Stirling Bridge The Battle of Stirling Bridge ( gd, Blàr Drochaid Shruighlea) was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne ...
, this vanguard was destroyed. The bulk of Surrey's army, which had still not crossed the bridge, fled. Surrey led this flight. He galloped for Berwick, causing one English chronicler, Walter of Guisborough, to sneer that Surrey's "charger never once tasted food during the whole journey". The casualties of the Scottish army, composed largely of anonymous infantry soldiers, were unrecorded. But there was one recorded casualty: Andrew Moray the younger. Walter of Guisborough stated that Surrey lost one hundred knights and five thousand infantrymen at Stirling. This is likely an over estimate. The most notable death was Hugh Cressingham. According to the chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft Cressingham, unaccustomed The Lanercost Chronicle claims that Wallace had: The defeat of Surrey at the
Battle of Stirling Bridge The Battle of Stirling Bridge ( gd, Blàr Drochaid Shruighlea) was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne ...
was the zenith of Moray the younger's military career. He was no skilled soldier by accident. The training for knighthood that he had received as a baron's son equipped him with the skills to fulfill a leadership role in Scotland's feudal host.


Death

There is seemingly contradictory evidence about the death of Andrew Moray the younger. Two letters issued in autumn 1297 appear to indicate he survived for some months after the fighting at Stirling Bridge. The first letter was sent from Haddington on 11 October 1297 to the mayors of
Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the stat ...
and
Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...
, two of the leading towns of the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label=Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German to ...
. It was issued by: The second was sent just under a month later, on 7 November, during a Scottish raid on the northern counties of England. It was issued to the prior of
Hexham Hexham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden, Northumberland, Warden nearby, and ...
by: Moray's name does not appear on any other later document. The inclusion of Moray the younger's name in these letters is apparently contradicted by a formal inquisition into the affairs of his recently-deceased uncle, Sir William Moray of Bothwell. It was held in
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
in November 1300 and determined that Moray the younger was: "slain at Stirling against the king." It may be significant that no chronicle source places Moray at
Hexham Hexham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden, Northumberland, Warden nearby, and ...
or ascribes to him any role in this raid, which Walter Guisborough's chronicle says was led by Wallace. The letters issued to the mayors of Lübeck and Hamburg, and to the prior of Hexham, may, for reasons now unknown, have been issued in Moray's absence. In response to these apparently conflicting facts, most historians choose to believe that Moray the younger was wounded at Stirling Bridge, later dying of his injuries sometime around November 1297.


Legacy

Andrew Moray the younger's early death has meant that his achievements have not fully received the recognition that they deserve. There are no statues or monuments to him. They are often obscured by the greater fame of William Wallace. Wallace's deeds have received more attention, much of which is attributable to the 11,000 line biographical poem, The Acts and Deeds of the Illustrious and Valiant Champion Sir William Wallace, written in the late fifteenth-century reputedly by Scots poet Blind Hary. Nevertheless, in the late twentieth century there was increased recognition of Moray's important role in the events of 1297. One historian recently described his actions as "the greatest threat to the English government". One legacy that is not in doubt is the birth of his son. At Pentecost 1298, Andrew Moray the younger's widow bore him a son, also named
Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...
. The child eventually acceded to the lordships of Avoch, Boharm, Petty and Bothwell, and would play a major role in leading the resistance to the attempts of King
Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
, grandson of Edward I, to conquer Scotland in the 1330s. He would twice be appointed
Guardian of the Realm Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
during the minority of young King David II, the son of Robert I. Andrew Moray the younger's lack of recognition has been the subject of discussion in the Scotland's parliament. In December 2009,
Murdo Fraser Murdo MacKenzie Fraser (born 5 September 1965) is a Scottish politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2005 to 2011. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Mid Scotland and Fife reg ...
, a Conservative List MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, called for a national debate on an appropriate monument to Moray. He stated that it should raise awareness of Moray's historical role.Scotsman.com
The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...
, 26 December 2009 - accessed 3 January 2010


See also

*
Bothwell Castle Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle, sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle wa ...
*
Clan Murray Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
*
Duffus Castle Duffus Castle, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland, was a motte-and-bailey castle and was in use from c. 1140 to 1705. During its occupation it underwent many alterations. The most fundamental was the destruction of the original wooden structure and it ...
*
History of Scotland The recorded begins with the arrival of the Roman Empire in the 1st century, when the province of Britannia reached as far north as the Antonine Wall. North of this was Caledonia, inhabited by the ''Picti'', whose uprisings forced Rom ...
*
Kildrummy Castle Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar. It is own ...
*
Robert Wishart Robert Wishart was Bishop of Glasgow during the Wars of Scottish Independence and a leading supporter of Sir William Wallace and King Robert Bruce. For Wishart and many of his fellow churchmen, the freedom of Scotland and the freedom of the S ...


Notes


References

* ''Anglo-Scottish Relations 1174-1328: Some Selected Documents'', ed. E. L. G Stones, 1970; * Barron, E. M., ''The Scottish War of Independence'', Second Edition. 1934; * Barrow, G. W. S. ''Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm'', Third Edition, 1988; * Barrow, G. W. S. ''Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm'', Fourth Edition, 2005; * Barrow, G. W. S. ''The Kingdom of the Scots'', Second Edition, 2003; * Broun, D, ''New information on the Guadians' appointment in 1286 and Wallace's rising in 1297'', September 2011, www.thebreakingofbritain.ac.uk * Brown, M., ''The Wars of Scotland 1214–1371'', 2004; * ''Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland'', Four Volumes, ed. J. Bain, 1881–1888; * '' The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough'', ed. H. Rothwell, 1957; * ''Chronicle of Holyrood'', ed. M. A. Anderson, 1938; * '' The Chronicle of Lanercost 1272–1346'', ed. H. Maxwell, 1913; * ''The Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft'', ed. T Wright, Two volumes. 1866–8. * ''Documents Illustrative of Scotland 1286-1306''," ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, 2 vols. 1870; * Ferguson, J, ''William Wallace'', 1938; * Fisher, A, ''William Wallace'', 1992; * ''Foedera, Conventiones, Litterae'', ed T. Rymer, 1816; * Kightly, ''Folk Heroes of Britain'', 1982; * Oram, Richard, Ed., ''The Kings and Queens of Scotland'', Stroud, 2001; * Oram, Richard, ''David I: The King who made Scotland'', Stroud, 2004; * * Prestwich, M., ''Edward I'', 1990; * ''The Scalacronica of Sir Thomas Gray'', ed. Sir H. Maxwell, 1907; * ''A Source Book of Scottish History''. Three Volumes. Second Edition, eds. W. C. Dickson, G. Donaldson and I. A. Milne, 1958; * Taylor, J. G., ''Fighting for the Lion: The Life of Andrew Moray'', in History Scotland, September/October 2005; * Watson F. J., ''Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland 1286-1306'', 1998. {{DEFAULTSORT:Moray, Andrew 1297 deaths Scottish generals Scottish Roman Catholics Scottish people of the Wars of Scottish Independence Scottish rebels People from Ross and Cromarty Scottish escapees Scottish pre-union military personnel killed in action Guardians of Scotland Year of birth unknown
Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...