Battle of Kringen ( no, Slaget ved Kringen) involved an ambush by Norwegian peasant militia of Scottish
mercenary
A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
soldiers who were on their way to enlist in the Swedish army for the
Kalmar War
The Kalmar War (1611–1613) was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden. Though Denmark-Norway soon gained the upper hand, it was unable to defeat Sweden entirely. The Kalmar War was the last time Denmark-Norway successfully defended its '' do ...
.
The battle has since become a part of folklore in Norway, giving names to local places in the
Ottadalen
Ottadalen ( en, Otta Valley) is a valley in the municipalities of Skjåk, Lom, Vågå, and Sel in Innlandet county, Norway.
The valley is one of the side valleys that branch off of the large Gudbrandsdalen valley. It lies on the northern edge o ...
valley.
Background
The Scottish forces (''Skottetoget'') were partly recruited, partly pressed into service by
Sir James Spens, apparently against the preferences of
James VI
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
, who favored the
Danish-Norwegian side in the war. Two ships sailed from
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 ...
and
Caithness
Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland.
Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...
in early August, met up on the
Orkney Islands
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
and sailed for
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
.
Because sea routes had been blocked by
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
forces in the
Kalmar War
The Kalmar War (1611–1613) was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden. Though Denmark-Norway soon gained the upper hand, it was unable to defeat Sweden entirely. The Kalmar War was the last time Denmark-Norway successfully defended its '' do ...
, the Scots decided to follow a land route to Sweden that other Scottish and Dutch forces had successfully used. On 20 August the ships landed in
Isfjorden in
Romsdal
Romsdal is a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named after the val ...
, though the pilot apparently put the forces on shore in rough terrain. The soldiers proceeded to march up the valley of
Romsdalen
Romsdalen is a valley in the western part of Norway. The long valley runs through Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county and Lesja Municipality in Innlandet county. It is the valley of the Rauma river, from Old Norse word ''Raumsdalr'' w ...
and down into the
Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdalen (; en, Gudbrand Valley) is a valley and Districts of Norway, traditional district in the Norway, Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer (town), Lille ...
.
Having been warned of the incursion, and probably inflamed by a massacre of Norwegian conscripts at
Nya Lödöse and the events of
Mönnichhoven's march (''Mönnichhoven-marsjen'') earlier in July, farmers and peasants from
Vågå
Vågå () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vågåmo. Other village areas in Vågå include Lalm and Besshei ...
,
Lesja
Lesja is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is village of Lesja. Other villages in the municipality include Bjorli, Lesjaskog, L ...
,
Lom,
Dovre
Dovre is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dovre. Other villages in Dovre include Dombås and Hjerkinn. The ...
,
Fron, and
Ringebu
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vålebru (the village is also known as ''Ringebu'').
The municipality i ...
mobilized to meet the enemy. Legend has it that the sheriff of the area,
Lars Gunnarson Hågå ( 1570 – 1650), came into the church in Dovre with a battle axe, struck it on the floor, and shouted "Let it be known - the enemy has come to our land!" (''Gjev ljod - fienden har kome til landet!'').
Order of battle
Ramsay had as captains George Sinclair, George Hay, and Sir Henry Bruce. As the Scottish forces progressed southward, they were reportedly followed by Norwegian scouts. The Scottish forces included two companies on foot, commanded by George Sinclair and Ramsay. In recent years, it has been argued that the Scots were lightly armed but this is not probable and the bodies were looted afterwards for weapons and belongings. The Norwegians were armed with swords, spears, axes, scythes, a few muskets, and some crossbows.
[''Scottish Expedition In Norway IX 1612'' (John Beveridge, M.B.E., B.D., F.S.A. Scot.)](_blank)
/ref>
According to folklore, the force of the Scottish troops was between 900 and 1,100 or more, but historians generally discount the estimate, placing the probable strength as low as 300. The strength of the Norwegian militia troops is estimated to have been no more than 500.
Combat operations
There are few entirely credible accounts of the battle, but the oral history has two Norwegians on horseback following the Scottish troops, possibly on the other side of the valley. One was a woman by the name of Guri, known as Prillar-Guri
Prillar-Guri or Prillarguri is a semi legendary figure who according to oral tradition was a woman from Sel, Norway who played a key role in the Battle of Kringen (''Slaget ved Kringen'') in August 1612.
Background
Sweden and Denmark-Norway ...
to posterity; the other was an unnamed man. The man rode his horse facing backward, providing a distraction for the marching troops. When the Scots reached the narrowest section of the Gudbrandsdal at Kringen, Guri blew her horn, signaling the ambush. The chosen place of assault is fairly steep, and the river runs close to what would be considered the only passable road at the time. Thus, the Scots would be trapped between the river and the mountain side, which they could not possibly scale.
According to folklore, the Norwegian troops threw logs and rocks down the valley, crushing the marching Scottish soldiers, but this is not confirmed. It is known, however, that they shot at the Scottish soldiers with crossbows and muskets. Among the first to fall was George Sinclair, apparently shot by a militiaman named Berdon Sejelstad. It is his name that is most commonly associated with the battle. Sinclair was a nephew of the Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have ...
and a historical figure in the Clan Sinclair
Clan Sinclair ( gd, Clann na Ceàrda ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness. Th ...
.
Close combat ensued, the militiamen fighting with swords, axes, scythes, and presumably other improvised weapons. Over half of the Scottish troops were killed in action during the battle. Some may have escaped, but others were captured. All but 14 of around 300 were summarily executed at Kvam
Kvam is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located along the Hardangerfjorden in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Norheimsund. Other larger settle ...
in what is now Nord-Fron
Nord-Fron is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vinstra. Other population centers in Nord-Fron include the villages ...
, the survivors then sent to Christiania for imprisonment. Those killed were thrown into a mass grave at the local cemetery, north of the Scottish barn (''Skottelåven''), in which captured soldiers had been held; this was later called ''Skottehaugen'' (Scottish barrow). Among the survivors were the officers Alexander Ramsay, Sir Henry Bruce, James Moneypenny, and James Scott, who were eventually repatriated.
Aftermath and legacy
A statue depicting Prillar-Guri is located in the community of Otta, Norway. The peak where she allegedly stood bears her name to this day, and a local broadcasting antenna is symbolically set on the top.
A number of places were named after the Scottish incursion, notably along the route. The barn was destroyed by artillery fire during the Battle for Kvam
The Battle for Kvam took place 25 and 26 April 1940, in the Gudbrandsdalslågen, Gudbrandsdal Valley in the village of Kvam, Oppland, Kvam, Oppland (now known as Innlandet), Norway, between British, Norwegian, and German troops. The Germans were m ...
in the Norwegian campaign.
Captured Scottish weapons, including a pistol, a Lochaber axe
The Lochaber axe ( Gaëlic: tuagh-chatha) is a type of poleaxe that was used almost exclusively in Scotland. It was usually mounted on a staff about five feet long.
Specifics of the weapon
The Lochaber axe is first recorded in 1501, as an "old ...
, a broadsword and several basket hilt claymore
A claymore (; from gd, claidheamh- mòr, "great sword") is either the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed sword or the Scottish variant of the basket-hilted sword. The former is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sl ...
s, were put on display at the Gudbrandsdal War Museum at Kvam (''Gudbrandsdal Krigsminnesamling i Kvam'') to commemorate the battle. The display also includes a model of one of the Caithness Scots.
There is evidence that some Scots may have settled in Norway and farm names may confirm that. There is a "Sinclair's Club" in Otta and there are regular re-enactments of the battle. Sinclair's grave is now a local landmark though the Norwegians at the time sought to desecrate his memory by burying him outside the church walls.
Part of the bunad
''Bunad'' (, plural: ''bunader''/''bunadar'') is a Norwegian umbrella term encompassing, in its broadest sense, a range of both traditional rural clothes (mostly dating to the 18th and 19th centuries) as well as modern 20th-century folk costumes ...
design for this area—known as ''rutaliv''—is reminiscent of the Sinclair red tartan.
In literature and music
Norwegian poet Edvard Storm
Edvard Storm (21 August 1749 – 29 September 1794) was a Norwegian poet, songwriter and educator. His writings were frequently characterized by the Norwegian romantic nationalism common to the age.
Background
Storm was from Vågå in Oppland, Nor ...
wrote a poem that tells the story of the battle, ''Zinklarvisa'' ("Sinclair's ballad"). Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...
wrote a historical tragedy
Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...
called ''Sinklars død'' (''The Death of Sinclair''). The plotline concerns Sinclair and his lady
The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inform ...
, telling of the fatal choices that led to the tragic deaths at Kringen. The Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
folk-rock band Folque's song "Sinclairvise" makes use of Storm's poem.
Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the foremost Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of ...
composed Sinclair's March, one of his four Norwegian Dances, in honor of George Sinclair, hero of the Battle of Kringen.
The Faroese metal group Týr
(; Old Norse: , ) is a god in Germanic mythology, a valorous and powerful member of the and patron of warriors and mythological heroes. In Norse mythology, which provides most of the surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic peoples, ...
included a version of this song on their 2008 album ''Land
Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various islan ...
'', called "Sinklars Vísa". The ballad is still being sung in the Faroe Islands along with the traditional chain dance without any use of musical instruments.
In 2009, the Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
rock band
A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...
Street Legal released an instrumental song called "The Battle of Kringen" on their album titled ''Bite the Bullet''.
References
Sources
This article is based in part upon ''Sagn, samlede i Gudbrandsdalen om Slaget ved Kringen, 26de August 1612'' first published in 1838 by Hans Petter Schnitler Krag (1794-1855), pastor of the parish of Vågå
Vågå () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vågåmo. Other village areas in Vågå include Lalm and Besshei ...
.
Other sources
*Michell, Thoma
''History of the Scottish Expedition to Norway in 1612''
(T. Nelson, London. 1886)
* Gjerset, Knutbr>''History of the Norwegian People''
(The MacMillan Company, 1915, Volume I, pages 197 – 204)
*"''The Battle of Kringen''", by Ann Pedersen, was featured as the cover story in the August 2012 edition of the "''Viking''" (USPS 611-600, ISSN 0038-1462), a Sons of Norway
Sons of Norway ( no, Sønner av Norge), founded in 1895 as the Independent Order of the Sons of Norway, is a fraternal organization principally representing people of Norwegian-American, Norwegian heritage in the United States and Canada. The or ...
publication (pp. 10–14).
External links
Zinklarvisa
Scottish Military Disasters
Gudbrandsdal War Memorial, Kvam
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kringen, Battle Of
Battles involving Norway
Battles involving Scotland
1612 in Norway
1612 in Scotland
Kalmar War
Conflicts in 1612
History of Oppland
Norway–Scotland relations
Scottish mercenaries
Clan Sinclair
Massacres in Norway