Battle of Boroughmuir facts for kids

The Battle of Boroughmuir was a fight that happened on July 30, 1335. It was part of the Second War of Scottish Independence. The battle was between a Scottish army led by John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray and an English force. This English force was commanded by Guy, Count of Namur. Guy was a cousin of England's Queen Philippa.

Count Guy was on his way to join King Edward III of England. King Edward was leading a big invasion of Scotland. But Guy's group was stopped on the open land south of Edinburgh, called the Borough Muir. The fighting was tough and moved into the city itself. It ended in a desperate struggle at the ruins of the old Edinburgh Castle. The Scots, led by Earl Moray, won this important battle.

Why Did England Invade Scotland?

Since 1332, some Scottish nobles had been trying to put Edward Balliol on the Scottish throne. Edward Balliol was the son of a former Scottish king, John Balliol. These nobles were called the 'disinherited' because they had lost their lands in Scotland. They had fought against Robert the Bruce in the first war for independence.

The English king, Edward III, strongly supported Edward Balliol. Even though Balliol had won two big battles, he wasn't popular enough to stay king. He was put on the throne twice but quickly removed both times. So, in 1335, King Edward III decided to lead a huge army into Scotland himself. This was the biggest English army to enter Scotland in many years.

Edward III's Big Plan

By July 1335, King Edward had over 13,000 soldiers ready. He met Edward Balliol, and they planned a massive attack on Scotland. Their plan was like a giant pincer movement, attacking from two sides by land and sea.

One part of the army, led by King Edward, would march from Carlisle. The other part, led by Edward Balliol, would move north from Berwick. English ships would support both armies along the coasts. The main goal was to find and destroy the Scottish army, not just to capture castles.

As the English armies moved, they caused a lot of damage. They burned towns and monasteries. For example, the abbey on Inchcolm island was destroyed. Even a religious writer from England felt sad about the destruction.

The Earl of Moray's Resistance

The main leader of the Scottish resistance was the Earl of Moray. He knew his army wasn't strong enough to fight the English head-on. So, he used a different tactic. He focused on small attacks behind the main English army. He would hit their supply lines and other weak points.

An opportunity for a bigger fight came when King Edward and Edward Balliol met up near Glasgow.

The Battle at Boroughmuir

Count Guy of Namur arrived in Berwick too late to join King Edward's main invasion. Guy was a Fleming from a region now part of Belgium. He was related to Queen Philippa of England. He came to Scotland for adventure and to gain fame as a knight. He brought about 300 knights, soldiers, and archers with him.

Guy hoped to meet King Edward in the middle of Scotland. But his small force was likely watched from the moment they entered Scotland. As they got close to Edinburgh, the Earl of Moray ambushed them.

On July 30, Guy found himself in a full-scale battle at the Borough Muir. His men fought bravely. But then, Sir William Douglas arrived from the nearby Pentland Hills. He brought more Scottish soldiers to help Moray. Guy's force was now in great danger of being completely defeated.

A Wall of Horses

With no other choice, Guy and his men headed for Edinburgh, which was a short distance north. The Scots chased them closely. The fighting continued through the city streets, all the way up to the old castle. The castle had been in ruins since 1314, so it had no strong walls.

To create a defense, Guy's men did something desperate. They killed their horses and used their bodies to make a barricade. This "wall of horse flesh" held off Moray's men for a while. But their situation was hopeless.

A writer from that time, Walter Bower, described what happened. He said Guy's men fought bravely on the ruined castle hill. They used their dead horses to form a wall. The Scots surrounded them and kept them under attack all night. Guy's men were hungry, cold, thirsty, and tired. With no hope of help, they surrendered the next morning. They agreed to pay a ransom and were allowed to return home.

After the Battle

Earl Moray showed great kindness to Guy of Namur. He let Guy and his men go after they promised never to fight against King David II's supporters again. This was not just about knightly honor. It was also a smart political move. Guy was a subject of King Philip VI of France. France was Scotland's most important ally, and Moray didn't want to upset them.

Moray even decided to personally escort Guy back towards the English border. This decision cost him dearly. On his way back, Moray was ambushed by an English force. Sir William Douglas managed to escape, but Moray himself was captured. He spent the next five years in English prisons.

Guy of Namur returned to Berwick and then sailed to meet King Edward at Perth. King Edward welcomed him. However, because of his promise to Moray, Guy could not fight for Edward. He soon left Scotland and never returned. Some English writers criticized Guy for entering enemy land with such a small group of soldiers.