Battle of Myton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Myton
Part of First War of Scottish Independence
Date 20 September 1319 Location Myton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, England 54°05′44″N 1°20′27″W / 54.0956°N 1.3409°W / 54.0956; -1.3409 Result Scottish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Sir James Douglas Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray	William Melton
Strength
10-15,000 (probably less than the English)	10–20,000
Casualties and losses
unknown, but comparatively light	1,000–5,000 killed

The Battle of Myton was a big fight during the First War of Scottish Independence. It happened in Yorkshire, England, on September 20, 1319. This battle was also called the Chapter of Myton or The White Battle. These names came from the large number of church leaders and other clergy who fought in it. The battle was a major victory for the Scottish army.

Why the Battle of Myton Happened

This battle was part of a long war between Scotland and England. After Scotland won the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the Scottish army often raided northern England. These raids were meant to pressure England.

Berwick Falls to Scotland

In April 1318, a very important port called Berwick-upon-Tweed was captured by the Scots. Berwick was the last Scottish stronghold still held by the English. It had been under English control since 1296 and had strong defenses.

Two skilled Scottish commanders, Sir James Douglas and Thomas Randolph, led the attack. They were both trusted leaders of King Robert Bruce.

England's Response to Berwick's Fall

The loss of Berwick was a big shock for England. King Edward II had been busy with arguments among his own powerful nobles. But losing Berwick made him and his nobles realize they needed to act.

So, King Edward II and his nobles gathered a large army in the summer of 1319. They marched north to try and take Berwick back. King Edward's wife, Queen Isabella, traveled with him to York and stayed there.

Scottish Diversionary Raid

The Scots defending Berwick fought bravely. They stopped all the English attacks. However, King Robert Bruce knew his army couldn't hold out forever against such a large English force.

Instead of fighting the English army directly, King Robert came up with a clever plan. He sent Sir James Douglas and Thomas Randolph on another big raid into England. This time, their target was Yorkshire. The idea was to make the English army leave Berwick and come after them. The Scots used fast mounted soldiers called hobelars for this raid.

The Chapter of Myton Battle

The Scottish raiders heard that Queen Isabella was in York. A rumor spread that they might try to capture her. Because of this, the Queen was quickly moved out of York by boat. She found safety further south in Nottingham.

Yorkshire was not well defended. The Scottish raiders moved easily through the area, causing damage. William Melton, who was the Archbishop of York, decided to gather an army to stop them.

An Unlikely Army

Archbishop Melton's army was unusual. It included many men who worked for the church, like priests and monks. While some important people led the army, like John Hotham, they had very few trained soldiers. Most of the men were not used to fighting.

This army marched out from York to face the experienced Scottish fighters. They met about 3 miles (5 km) east of Boroughbridge, near where the River Swale and River Ure rivers meet at Myton.

The Battle Unfolds

The battle was described in an old book called Brut or the Chronicles of England. It said that the Scots came into England, taking everything they could until they reached York. When the English heard about this, everyone who could travel, including monks, priests, and other churchmen, went to meet the Scots at Myton-on-Swale.

The English, who were mostly farmers and churchmen with no war experience, were badly defeated. Many were pushed into the River Swale and drowned. The Archbishop of York and other leaders fled back to York.

The Scots cleverly set fire to three stacks of hay. The smoke was so thick that the English couldn't see the Scottish army. When the English crossed the river, the Scots attacked quickly. The English had almost no trained soldiers and fled. Many were killed, and many more drowned in the river. Because so many churchmen were killed, the Scots called it 'the White Battle'.

Heavy Losses for England

Many people who were not trained soldiers, including monks and singers from the cathedral, were forced to fight. Since so many church leaders died, the battle also became known as the 'Chapter of Myton'.

One account says that 1,000 English soldiers were killed, including 300 priests. Another source, the Lanercost Chronicle, claims that 4,000 Englishmen were killed by the Scots and another 1,000 drowned in the River Swale. Nicholas Fleming, the Mayor of York, was among those who died.

The English Siege Ends

The Battle of Myton had the effect King Robert Bruce wanted. Back at Berwick, the English army was split. Some, like King Edward, wanted to continue the siege. But others, especially the nobles from northern England, were worried about their homes and lands being attacked by the Scots.

Because of this disagreement, King Edward's army broke apart. The siege of Berwick had to be given up. It was another failure for the English.

Aftermath and Truce

After the English army left Berwick, Sir James Douglas led another destructive raid into Cumberland and Westmorland. King Edward had no choice but to ask King Robert for a truce, which is a temporary stop to fighting. The truce was agreed upon shortly before Christmas.