The Second Battle of Alnwick

On July 13, 1174, King William I of Scotland was captured by English forces under Ranulf de Granville.  William was in the area to try and regain territory he'd lost to England's King Henry II in 1157, attacking Prudhoe Castle.  After capture, William was taken.  The treaty lasted 15 years until Richard the Lionheart sold the castle back to William to fund his crusade.

Walter Scott writes of William's travails at Alnwick in his "Tales of a Grandfather: History of Scotland":

...Now William, King of Scotland, having chosen for his armorial bearing a Red Lion, rampant (that is, standing on its hind legs, as if it were going to climb), he acquired the name of William the Lion. And this Rampant Lion still constitutes the arms of Scotland, and the President of the Heralds' Court in that country, who is always a person of high rank, is called Lord Lion King-at-Arms.


William, though a brave man, and though he had a lion for his emblem, was unfortunate in war. In the year 1174, he invaded England, for the purpose of demanding and compelling restoration of the portion of Northumberland which had been possessed by his ancestors. He himself, with a small body of men, lay in careless security near Alnwick, while his numerous, but barbarous and undisciplined army, were spread throughout the country, burning and destroying wherever they came. Some gallant Yorkshire barons marched to the aid of their neighbors of Northumberland. They assembled four hundred men-at-arms, and made a forced march of twenty-four miles from Newcastle towards Alnwick, without being discovered. On the morning a thick mist fell, — they became uncertain of their road, — and some proposed to turn back. " If you should all turn back," said one of their leaders, named Bernard de Baliol, " I will go forward alone." The others adopted the same resolution, and, concealed by the mist, they rode forward towards Alnwick. In their way they suddenly encountered the Scottish King, at the head of a small party of only sixty men. William so little expected a sudden attack of this nature, that at first he thought the body of cavalry which he saw advancing was a part of his own army. When he was undeceived, he had too much of the Hon about him to fear. " Now shall we see," he said, " which of us are good knights ;" and instantly charged the Yorkshire barons, with the handful of men who attended him. But sixty men-at-arms could make no impression on four hundred, and as the rest of William's army were too distant to give him assistance, he was, after defending himself with the utmost gallantry, unhorsed and made prisoner. The English immediately retreated with their royal captive, after this bold and successful adventure. They carried William to Newcastle, and from that town to Northampton, where he was conducted to the presence of Henry II., King of f England, with his legs tied under his horse's belly, as if he had been a common malefactor or felon.


This was a great abuse of the advantage which fortune had given to Henry, and was in fact more disgraceful to himself than to his prisoner. But the English King's subsequent conduct was equally harsh and ungenerous. He would not release his unfortunate captive until he had agreed to do homage to the King of England, not only for his English possessions, but also for Scotland, and all his other dominions. The Scottish Parliament were brought to acquiesce in this treaty ; and thus, in order to recover the liberty of their King, they sacrificed the independence of their country, which remained for a time subject to the English claim of paramount sovereignty. This dishonorable treaty was made on the 8th of December, 1174...

Malcolm III of Scotland

Yesterday's post covered the death of Duncan II of Scotland. Duncan was Malcolm's son. After Malcolm died, the Scottish throne went to his brother Donalbane, rather than to Duncan or one of Malcolm's other sons. In fact, the throne would have gone to Duncan's half-brother, were it not for the fact that this son of Malcolm's was killed with him during the battle of Alnwick. Duncan, with tacit support from King William II of England, seized the throne from his uncle. Malcolm's death came nearly to the day, one year prior to Duncan's murder.

Scott includes King Malcolm III in his Tales of a Grandfather:

"...This King Malcolm Canmore was a brave and wise prince, though without education. He often made war on King William the Conqueror of England, and on his son and successor William...in the year 1093...Malcolm besieged the border fortress of Alnwick, where he was unexpectedly attacked by a great Norman baron, Robert de Moubray...Malcolm Canmore was killed in action, and his eldest son was killed by his side..."

Duncan II of Scotland

On this day in 1094, King Duncan II was murdered. Duncan was the son of Malcolm III, who died during the invasion of Northumbria in 1093 (Battle of Alnwick). Along with Malcolm, his son Edward, Duncan's half brother, also died.

Duncan had not been considered by his father as a successor. Duncan's early life was spent in the English court of William I, at first as a hostage (beginning 1072), but later as a member of court. William's successor, William II ultimately knighted Duncan.

After Malcolm died, his brother Donalbane took the Scottish throne. Duncan, with the support of William II, challenged Donalbane, and was victorious. Duncan's reign was short lived, as we was soon murdered by one of Donalbane's supporters, known as Mael Patair.

Duncan is buried at Dunfermline Abbey, a place Scott was familiar with. Scott's Abbotsford contains oak paneling from the old church in Dunfermline Abbey. This fact is reported in biographer Lockhart's Memoirs of the life of Sir Walter Scott, as described by Scott himself in a letter (10/10/1822) to solicitor D. Terry.