Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar and March ( 1312 – 1369), known as Black Agnes for her dark complexion, was the wife of
Patrick, 9th Earl of Dunbar and March. She is buried in the vault near
Mordington
Mordington is an agricultural parish in the extreme south-east of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders region. It is five miles from Berwick-upon-Tweed and borders Northumberland to the east, and south (where the boundary is the Whiteadder Wate ...
House.
She was the daughter of
Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, nephew and companion-in-arms of
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
, and Moray's wife, Isabel Stewart, herself a daughter of
John Stewart of Bonkyll
Sir John Stewart (died 22 July 1298), the brother of James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland, Sir James the 5th High Steward of Scotland, was a Scottish knight and military commander during the First Scottish War of Independence.
Origins
Sir ...
. Agnes became renowned for her heroic defence of
Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle was one of the strongest fortresses in Scotland, situated in a prominent position overlooking the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian. Several fortifications were built successively on the site, near the English-Scott ...
in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
against an English siege led by
William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury
William Montagu, alias de Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury, 3rd Baron Montagu, King of Man (1301 – 30 January 1344) was an English nobleman and loyal servant of King Edward III.
The son of William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu, he entered the r ...
, which began on 13 January 1338 and ended on 10 June the same year during the
Second War of Scottish Independence
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
from 1331 to 1341.
Siege of Dunbar
![Ruins of Dunbar Castle, East Lothian Scotland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Ruins_of_Dunbar_Castle%2C_East_Lothian_Scotland.jpg)
On 13 January 1338,
when Patrick Dunbar was away, the English laid siege to Dunbar Castle, where Lady Reynolds was in residence with her servants and a few guards. However, she was determined not to surrender the fortress
and is said to have declared:
Women were known to take charge of castle or manor business while their husbands were away in the Middle Ages and defend it if need be, but the stand of Lady Agnes is one of the best remembered instances. Salisbury's first attempt at taking the castle centered on catapulting huge rocks and lead shot against the ramparts, but this was met with disdain by Lady Agnes, who had one of her ladies-in-waiting dust off the ramparts with her kerchief.
[
The English employed a siege structure called a ''sow'' in an attempt to bypass the castle's defenses. However, the countess simply advised Salisbury that he should "take good care of his sow, for she would soon cast her pigs eaning his menwithin the fortress." She then ordered that a boulder, which had been heaved on them earlier, be thrown down from the battlements and crushed Salisbury's sow to pieces.]
When one of the Scottish archers struck an English soldier standing next to Salisbury, the earl cried out, "There comes one of my lady's tire pins; Agnes's love shafts go straight to the heart."[
Unable to make progress through arms, Salisbury turned to craft. He bribed the Scotsman who guarded the principal entrance, advising him to leave the gate unlocked or to leave it in such a manner that the English could easily break in. However, the Scotsman, though he took the Englishman's money, reported the stratagem to Agnes, so she was ready for the English when they made entry. Although Salisbury was in the lead, one of his men pushed past him just at the moment when Agnes's men lowered the ]portcullis
A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down gr ...
, separating him from the others. Agnes, of course, had meant to trap Salisbury, but she moved from stratagem to taunt, shouting at the earl, "Farewell, Montague, I intended that you should have supped with us, and assist us in defending the Castle against the English."
At one point, having captured Agnes's brother, John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray
John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray (died 17 October 1346) was an important figure in the reign of David II of Scotland, and was for a time joint Regent of Scotland.
Family
He was son of the famous Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, a companion-i ...
, the English threw a rope around his neck and threatened to hang him if Agnes did not surrender the castle. However, she merely responded that his death would only benefit her, as she was his heir. She was not in line for the earldom
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
but was the heir to his lands along with her sister.
When supplies for her garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
began to run low after several months being cut off, Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie
Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie (c. 1290–1342) (sometimes spelt: ''Dalwolsey'') was a Scottish nobleman and knight who fought for David II, King of Scots in the south of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence and is famous for h ...
, who had earned a reputation for being a constant thorn in the English king's side, moved from Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
to the coast with 40 men. Appropriating some boats, Ramsay and his company approached the castle by the sea and entered the postern
A postern is a secondary door or gate in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. Posterns were often located in a concealed location which allowed the occupants to come and go inconspicuously. In the event of a siege, a postern ...
next to the sea. Charging out of the castle, the Scotsmen surprised Salisbury's advance guard
The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.
History
The vanguard derives fr ...
and pushed them all the way back to their camp.[
After five months, Salisbury admitted defeat and lifted the siege on 10 June 1338. The triumph of a Scotswoman over an English army was written into a ballad, in which Salisbury says:
The failed siege of Dunbar had cost the English crown nearly 6,000 English pounds and the English had gained nothing from it.
For centuries afterwards, Agnes' defense of Dunbar Castle caught the attention of contemporary chroniclers and Scottish historians due to her bravery and might.][
]
Family
Some accounts describe her as Countess of Moray, on the assumption that she inherited the earldom when her brother John was killed at the Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy loss ...
in 1346. However, the earldom actually reverted to the crown. But in 1371/2, Agnes’ nephew, John Dunbar, was created Earl of Moray by Robert II, his father-in-law.
Agnes's family was active in Scottish resistance against the English attempts to conquer Scotland in the 14th century.
Her father, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, was appointed regent from 1329 to 1332. Agnes's brother became joint regent in 1335, but was captured by the English shortly afterwards.[ In 1324, Agnes married Patrick, ninth Earl of Dunbar and March, governor of Berwick. After the Scottish loss at the ]Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
, Patrick was forced to make peace with the English surrendering Berwick which was in his charge. He was ordered by the English to refortify Dunbar Castle. However, by the following year, he had returned to his natural allegiance to Scotland, fighting the English partisans wherever possible.
It seems that there were no surviving children of the marriage between Agnes and the earl. Their estates were left to children of the marriage between the earl's cousin John de Dunbar of Derchester and Birkynside, and his wife, Isobel Randolph, Agnes' younger sister.
The three nephews were:
* George, Earl of Dunbar and March
*John Dunbar, Earl of Moray
John Dunbar, Earl of Moray (died 1390) was a Scottish nobleman.
Life
John Dunbar was the son of Sir Patrick Dunbar and Lady Isabella Randolph, a daughter of Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, and a younger brother to George I, Earl of March. The ...
*Sir Patrick de Dunbar, of Beil
She also had a ward, Agnes Dunbar
Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar and March ( 1312 – 1369), known as Black Agnes for her dark complexion, was the wife of Patrick V, Earl of March, Patrick, 9th Earl of Dunbar and March. She is buried in the vault near Mordington House.
She ...
, who became mistress of King David II
David II (5 March 1324 – 22 February 1371) was King of Scots from 1329 until his death in 1371. Upon the death of his father, Robert the Bruce, David succeeded to the throne at the age of five, and was crowned at Scone in November 1331, becom ...
.
References
Bibliography
*Chicago, Judy. (2007). ''The Dinner Party: From Creation to Preservation''. London: Merrell. .
*
*Douglas and Wood's Peerage of Scotland, ii. 169, 170;
*Boece and Stewart's Buik of the Croniclis of Scotland (Rolls Ser.), ed. Turnbull, iii. 341;
*Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, ii. 654, and pref. pp. lxiii, lxxv n.;
*Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerage;
*Ridpath's Border History (1776), p. 325;
*Burton's Hist. of Scotland, ii. 324, Keith's Bishops of Scotland, p. 143;
*information from Capt. A. H. Dunbar
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agnes, Countess of Dunbar
1312 births
1369 deaths
Scottish people of the Wars of Scottish Independence
People from Dunbar
14th-century Scottish people
14th-century Scottish women
Women in medieval European warfare
Women in 14th-century warfare
People from East Lothian
Daughters of Scottish earls