kids encyclopedia robot

Battle of Carberry Hill facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Battle of Carberry Hill
Part of the Marian civil war
Mary Q Scots 1567.JPG
Commemorative Stone at Carberry marking the site of the conflict
Date 15 June 1567
Location
Carberry Hill, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland
Result Victory for opponents of Mary, Queen of Scots
Belligerents
Forces loyal to Mary, Queen of Scots Forces opposed to Mary, Queen of Scots
Commanders and leaders
Earl of Bothwell Kirkcaldy of Grange
Strength
2,000, including
200 musketeers
300 pikemen		 2,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Carberry Hill happened on 15 June 1567. It took place near Musselburgh, East Lothian, a few miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Many Scottish lords were unhappy with Mary, Queen of Scots' rule. This was especially true after she married the Earl of Bothwell. Many people believed Bothwell was involved in the death of her previous husband, Lord Darnley. The lords wanted justice for Darnley's death.

At Carberry Hill, Bothwell managed to escape. Queen Mary, however, surrendered to the lords. Later, Mary gave up her crown, escaped from prison, and was defeated at the battle of Langside. She then went to live in England. Her supporters continued a civil war in Scotland for several years.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

In May 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots married the Earl of Bothwell. Many of her former friends and allies did not approve of this marriage. These included important figures like Maitland, Morton, and Balfour.

Just two months earlier, in April, Bothwell had been accused of being involved in Lord Darnley's death. Bothwell was found not guilty at his trial. Lord Darnley's father, the Earl of Lennox, who was the main accuser, did not show up.

Many Scottish nobles disagreed with the trial's decision. Some even offered to fight Bothwell in a duel. Despite this strong disagreement, Mary made Bothwell the Duke of Orkney and Marquis of Fife. She married him three days later.

By June 1567, Bothwell's enemies gathered in Edinburgh. They announced their plan to "free" the Queen. They also wanted to get revenge for Darnley's death and protect the young Prince.

The Standoff at Carberry Hill

On the morning of 15 June 1567, Queen Mary and Bothwell left Fa'side Castle. They had only the support of the Clan Hamilton. They took their position on Carberry Hill, ready to face their enemies. These enemies were known as the rebel Confederate Lords.

Mary's army set up their position on an old fort on Carberry Hill. This fort had been built by the English many years before. They had cannons and long spears called pole-arms from Dunbar Castle. The Queen had 200 "hagbutters" (soldiers with early guns). They also had 300 pikes (long spears) from Dunbar.

The Confederate Lords approached from Musselburgh with an army of similar size. They had some volunteers from Edinburgh who carried "harquebusiers" (another type of early gun). The standoff lasted for several hours, from 11 AM to 5 PM.

A French ambassador tried to make peace between the two sides. However, the Earl of Morton, a leader of the rebel lords, insisted on fighting Bothwell. Bothwell fired his cannons first, aiming at the enemy cavalry.

Banners and Challenges

Queen Mary's supporters carried the banner of the Lion of Scotland. This was a traditional Scottish flag. The rebel lords' banner showed a picture of Lord Darnley dead under a tree. It also showed his baby son, James VI. The banner's motto was, "Judge and Revenge my cause, O Lord." This banner had been displayed at Edinburgh castle.

Bothwell offered to fight any of the Confederate Lords in a one-on-one duel. William Kirkcaldy accepted the challenge, but Bothwell refused to fight him because he was only a baron. Bothwell also refused to fight William Murray of Tullibardine and Lord Lindsay.

The day was hot, and Queen Mary's soldiers had no water to drink. The situation dragged on. Some of Bothwell's supporters realized he planned to leave. They apologized to the Queen and rode away.

Queen Mary's Surrender

The rebel lords made an oath to Queen Mary. They promised to treat her well if she surrendered. Queen Mary agreed to surrender to Kirkcaldy. He led her horse down the hill. Bothwell, meanwhile, rode off to Dunbar Castle with 25 horsemen.

A drawing of the battlefield was sent to London at the time. It helps us understand what happened during the standoff.

Some accounts say Mary surrendered wearing a simple, plain dress. However, she had left her fancier clothes at Fawside Castle. These included a black dress, a crimson coat, and a hat decorated with gold and silver.

Who Was There?

According to a history book called The Historie of James the Sext, Queen Mary's supporters at Carberry included:

The Confederate Lords included:

All their horsemen and foot soldiers were also present.

What Happened Next?

The rebel lords took Queen Mary to Edinburgh. Then, they broke their promise to her. They imprisoned her in Lochleven Castle, near Kinross. Her keeper there was Sir William Douglas.

William Kirkcaldy was very angry that the lords had broken their word. He had given his oath to Mary in good faith. A spy named Ninian Cockburn quickly took the news of Mary's capture to the French court.

Queen Mary stayed in prison for eleven months. The lords who had captured her at Carberry Hill continued to make accusations against her. Bothwell got a ship and sailed to Norway. He was captured there and later became ill.

Mary eventually escaped from Lochleven Castle. She headed for Dumbarton Castle in western Scotland. However, she was drawn into another battle at Langside and was defeated again.

Mary then sought safety in England. She became a closely watched prisoner there and was executed in 1587. In Scotland, her supporters continued a civil war for the next five years.

Images for kids

  • Mary Q Scots 1567

    Commemorative Stone at Carberry marking the site of the conflict

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Battle of Carberry Hill Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.