Battle of Langside facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Langside |
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| Part of the Marian civil war | |||||||
 Monument erected to commemorate the Battle of Langside |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 King's men |
Queen's men |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Regent Moray Kirkcaldy of Grange |
Campbell of Argyll | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| about 4,000 | about 6,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed, unknown casualties | over 100 killed, unknown casualties | ||||||
| Designated | 14 December 2012 | ||||||
| Reference no. | BTL35 | ||||||
The Battle of Langside was a fight that happened on May 13, 1568. It was between the supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the forces loyal to her young son, James VI. Mary's time as queen ended in 1567 after she was captured. She was then forced to give up her crown to James VI.
Mary was held prisoner in Lochleven Castle. Her half-brother, James Stewart, Earl of Moray, became the Regent (a ruler for the young king). In May 1568, Mary escaped. She headed west to the area where her supporters, the Hamiltons, lived. She hoped to reach the safety of Dumbarton Castle and get her crown back. But Mary was defeated at Langside. She then went to England, where she was held captive. This battle is often seen as the start of the Marian civil war in Scotland.
Contents
Who Fought at Langside?
Mary's Supporters: The Queen's Men
Not everyone agreed with Mary stepping down as queen. Many people, even some Protestant nobles, were happy when she escaped. Mary arrived in Lanarkshire with about fifty horsemen. Soon, many important nobles joined her. These included the Earls of Argyll, Cassillis, Rothes, and Eglinton. Many lords and their followers also joined. In just a few days, Mary had gathered a strong army of about 6,000 men.
Mary's Declaration at Hamilton
At Hamilton, Mary said that she was forced to give up her crown and agree to James's coronation. Her supporters then passed a rule saying that Moray becoming Regent was wrong. On May 8, they signed an agreement to help Mary get her crown back. Eight earls, nine bishops, eighteen lords, twelve abbots, and almost a hundred barons signed it. Mary later wrote that her enemies were very close by.
Robert Melville brought some jewelry to Mary at Hamilton. She gave some brooches to her supporters. A special heart-shaped diamond ring was a gift from Elizabeth I of England. Mary sent this ring back to Elizabeth, hoping for her help.
Moray's Supporters: The King's Men
The forces fighting for young King James VI were led by Regent Moray. He was a skilled leader. His army included important nobles like the Earl of Morton and the Earl of Glencairn. They also had strong fighters from the Scottish borders and the Highlands. Moray's army was smaller, with about 4,000 men, but they were well-trained and organized.
The Battle Begins
Guns and Pikes
Mary's army was led by Argyll. He didn't show much military skill. He seemed to hope that their larger numbers would simply push Moray's army away. Some stories say Argyll even fainted during the battle. The Queen watched the battle from about half a mile away, near Cathcart Castle. This spot is now called the Court Knowe.
As Mary's army tried to move through Langside, they faced heavy fire from Moray's soldiers, who used early guns called hackbutters. Many soldiers in the front ranks were killed. This caused confusion and pushed others back. Mary's army kept pushing forward and reached the top of a hill. But there, they found Moray's main army ready and waiting.
The Earl of Morton and his pikemen (soldiers with long spears) moved to stop Mary's lead fighters. Both sides then met in a "push of pike." This meant their long spears locked together. It was said that the spears were so thick that thrown objects would just rest on them instead of falling to the ground.
Moray's Victory
Grange, one of Moray's commanders, fought bravely. He rode around, helping and encouraging his soldiers where the fighting was hardest. The battle was very intense, and it was hard to tell who would win. Then, Grange saw that the right side of Moray's army was starting to lose ground. He quickly rode to the main group and brought more soldiers to help. This counter-attack was so strong that it broke Mary's army's lines.
Moray, who had been defending, now charged at Mary's main group. The fight spread along the whole line. Mary's men began to fall apart. Soldiers from the Highlands chased those who ran away. The Battle of Langside lasted about forty-five minutes. It was a clear victory for Moray.
What Happened After the Battle?
Langside was a huge loss for Mary. Only one of Moray's men was killed. More than 100 of Mary's men died. Many more would have been killed, but Moray stopped his soldiers from chasing them to avoid more bloodshed. Over 300 of Mary's men were captured. This included Lord Seton and Sir James Hamilton.
Mary and her escort rode away. They first tried to reach Dumbarton Castle. Then they turned south and finally arrived at Dundrennan Abbey. From there, she left for England. Mary never saw Scotland again.
Mary crossed the Solway Firth to Workington on May 16, 1568, with twenty friends. This surprised the English border officials. She stayed her first night at the house of Heny Curwen. The next day, she moved to Cockermouth. She was met by Richard Lowther, who was in charge for Lord Scrope at Carlisle Castle. Lowther took Mary to Carlisle on May 18.
Meanwhile, the Earl of Northumberland heard the news. Workington was in his area. The Earl got permission to be Mary's host and to "let none of them escape." But when the Earl arrived at Carlisle on May 22, Richard Lowther did not let him take Mary. Francis Knollys, a high-ranking English official, supported Lowther's actions.
For the next five years, Mary's supporters in Scotland continued a civil war against the Regents of Scotland.
Key People at the Battle
Historians have studied lists of who supported each side during the battle. This helps us understand who was loyal to Mary and who supported the King.
For the Queen (Mary's Side):
- Earl of Argyll
- Earl of Eglinton
- Earl of Cassillis
- Earl of Rothes
- Lord Seton
- Lord Herries
- Lord Boyd
- Lord Hay of Yester
- Lord Ross
- Lord Somerville
- Lord Claude Hamilton
- Sir James Hamilton and many from the Hamilton family
For Regent Moray and the King (James VI's Side):
