Battle of Inverurie (1308) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Inverurie |
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| Part of Wars of Scottish Independence | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Scottish Royal Army |
Scottish opponents of Bruce | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Robert Bruce |
John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Official name | Battle of Barra | ||||||
| Designated | 30 November 2011 | ||||||
| Reference no. | BTL18 | ||||||
The Battle of Inverurie, also known as the Battle of Barra, was an important fight in the north-east of Scotland. It happened in May 1308, though some historians think it was in December 1307. This battle was part of the bigger Wars of Scottish Independence. But it was also a short, fierce civil war between different Scottish groups.
The battle was a big win for the Scottish king, Robert Bruce. He defeated his main Scottish enemy, John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan. After the battle, Bruce's army caused a lot of damage in Buchan, an event known as the Harrying of Buchan. This destruction was remembered for a long time. The battlefield was officially recognized as a historic site in Scotland in 2011.
Why They Fought: A Deadly Rivalry
In February 1306, Robert Bruce and his supporters had a deadly conflict with John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch. This John Comyn, also called the Red Comyn, was a powerful Scottish leader. He was a nephew of the former king, John Balliol. He had also been a key figure in the wars against the English.
Because of this conflict, Comyn's large family and friends saw Bruce as their enemy. The most important of these was Comyn's cousin, John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan.
In July 1307, Edward I of England died. His son, Edward II, was busy with problems in his own country. This meant he couldn't send much help to his Scottish allies. Bruce quickly took advantage of this. He knew the English would likely return with a stronger army in 1308.
King Robert's Campaign
King Robert Bruce began to face his Scottish enemies one by one. He started in the south of Scotland. Then he moved through areas held by the English. He traveled north through Argyll and the Great Glen. His goal was to reach Inverness and the north-east, where Buchan's lands were.
One letter from the Earl of Ross to King Edward claimed Bruce had 3,000 men. However, this number might have been made bigger to explain why the Earl didn't stop Bruce. King Robert later became very ill. This kept him from fighting for a long time. By the time of the Battle of Inverurie, he had only about 700 men.
The only stories we have about this campaign in Aberdeenshire come from people who didn't like Buchan. Buchan did try to attack King Robert's camp at Slioch with archers, but his attack failed. Bruce's brother, Edward Bruce, moved their camp to Strathbogie. King Robert, still sick, had to be carried there on a special stretcher.
The Battle at Barra Hill
While he was sick, King Robert was carried from place to place by his loyal supporters. In either December 1307 or May 1308, his army set up camp near Inverurie, close to Oldmeldrum. Buchan gathered his own forces, planning to attack King Robert the next day. Buchan's army camped at Meldrum, north-east of King Robert's position.
At dawn, David, Lord of Brechin launched a surprise attack on one of King Robert's small outposts. Many of Bruce's men were killed. The rest ran back to the main army near Inverurie.
King Robert, even though he was still very ill, got out of his bed. He prepared his army for a counter-attack. As he moved closer, Buchan quickly lined up his forces. They stood across the road to Inverurie, between Barra Hill and the swampy Lochter Burn. Buchan put his less reliable soldiers at the back. His knights and trained fighters were at the front.
The less reliable soldiers had been told that King Robert was too sick to fight in person. Their shock when they saw him explains why Buchan's army fell apart so quickly. A writer named John Barbour described the scene in his poem:
The king came on in fine array With much display his foes stood set Until the ranks were nerly met. But when his foemen saw the king Advancing without lingering, A little on their reins they drew. The king by this time right well knew That in their hearts they were distressed, And with his banners forward pressed. Thus they retreated more and more. And when the small folk with them saw Their leaders all retreating so, They quickly turned their backs to go, And fled and scattered far and wide. Their lords, that still were side by side, When they beheld the small folk flee, And the king advancing steadily, Themselves became disheartened so That they, too, turned their backs to go. A short while stayed they side by side, And then they scattered far and wide.
Buchan tried to keep his soldiers in line, but he soon joined the retreat. King Robert's men chased them as far as Fyvie. Later that year, after his castles likely fell, the Earl of Buchan fled to England. He died there in the same year.
The Battle of Inverurie and the Harrying of Buchan ended all active resistance to King Robert in Aberdeenshire. King Robert didn't want to leave a potentially dangerous area behind him. So, he took strong actions that people remembered for about fifty years.
Right after the battle, King Robert ordered his men to burn down farms, homes, and strongholds connected to the Comyns. This violent act was part of the Harrying of Buchan.
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