The Capitulation of Irvine was an early armed conflict of the
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
which took place on 7 June 1297. Due to dissension among the Scottish leadership, it resulted in a stand-off.
Prelude
In May 1297,
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 ...
killed William de Heselrig, the English
High Sheriff of Lanark. At the time, it was not an isolated incident, although it is unclear whether this was a spontaneous occurrence or co-ordinated with other risings in Scotland. The story that Wallace was seeking revenge for the killing by Heselrig of his wife, Marion Braidfute of
Lamington
A lamington is an Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. The thin mixture is absorbed into the outside of the sponge cake and left to set, gi ...
is derived from the poem by
Blind Harry
Blind Harry ( 1440 – 1492), also known as Harry, Hary or Henry the Minstrel, is renowned as the author of ''The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace'', more commonly known as '' The Wallace''. This wa ...
, ''
''.
Wallace then joined with
William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas
Sir William Douglas "le Hardi" (''"the Bold"''), Lord of Douglas (1243 – 24 January 1298) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier.
Early life
William Douglas was the son of William Longleg, Lord of Douglas and it is supposed by his possibl ...
, and they carried out the
raid of Scone. This was one of several rebellions taking place across Scotland, including those of several Scottish nobles and
Andrew Moray
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, who became one of Scotland's war-leaders during the First Scottish War of Independence. Moray, he ...
in the north.
Irvine
John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey (123127 September 1304) was a prominent English nobleman and military commander during the reigns of Henry III of England and Edward I of England. During the Second Barons' War he switched sides twice, e ...
and Edward's warden in Scotland, sent his grandson,
Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy
Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy of Alnwick (25 March 1273 – October 1314) was a medieval English magnate.
He fought under King Edward I of England in Wales and Scotland and was granted extensive estates in Scotland, which were later retaken ...
with an army of 40,000 foot and 300 horse to deal with the insurrection.
[Wright, Thomas. ''The History of Scotland'', The London Printing and Publishing Company, London, 1873]
/ref>
On 9 July 1297, the nobles of Scotland gathered on the banks of a loch between Irvine and Bourtreehill House. They were prepared to go into battle against the approaching English forces and had made camp at Knadgerhill, on the north side of the loch. When the English arrived, they too camped on the side of the loch but on the opposite banks to the south.
However, dissension amongst the Scots leaders was so great that a knight, Sir Richard Lundie said that there was no safety in a host which was divided against itself, and went over with his men to join Percy. 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 ...
, Bishop 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 ...
of Glasgow, William Douglas and others followed.[Simpson, Anne Turner & Stevenson, Sylvia (1980). Historic Irvine. the archaeological implications of development. Scottish Burgh Survey. Glasgow University. p.2] Wallace was in central Scotland at the time.
Percy negotiated their submission, possibly at Seagate Castle
Seagate Castle is a castle in North Ayrshire, in the town of Irvine, close to the River Irvine, Scotland. The castle was formerly a stronghold, a town house, and later a dower house of the Montgomery Clan. The castle overlooks the oldest stree ...
, subduing southern Scotland for a while.
G.W.S. Barrow argues that the intention of the Scots nobles was to prolong negotiations with King Edward I of England, allowing William Wallace to organise his rebellion. Wallace refused to join in the submission and retreated with his followers to the forest of Selkirk. Wallace was particularly indignant with the Bishop of Glasgow, and attacked Wishart's castle and lands.[ Wishart himself was imprisoned for a time, and swore his fealty to Edward anew, only to break it as soon as he was released.
]
Document
The Capitulations of Irvine, is housed in the National Archives, Kew Surrey, England.
See also
* Capture of Berwick (1296)
References
Sources
*
*
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Military history of Scotland
Conflicts in 1297
1297 in Scotland