Siege of Wark (1138) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Wark 1138 |
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| Part of the Anarchy | |||||||
 The ruins of Wark on Tweed Castle |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| King David I | Unknown | ||||||
The siege of Wark was a long battle for Wark on Tweed Castle in 1138. Scottish forces, led by King David I, attacked the castle from May to November. The English soldiers inside defended it bravely.
This siege was part of a bigger fight. King David I supported his niece, the Empress Matilda. She believed she should be the Queen of England. But Stephen of Blois had taken the throne in 1135. King David's invasion followed earlier attacks in 1136, 1137, and 1138.
Even after David's army lost the battle of the Standard in August 1138, the siege of Wark continued. The castle finally fell in November. The soldiers inside were starving. A church leader, the abbot of Rievaulx, helped them surrender honorably. They were allowed to leave with their weapons. Because Wark fell, Stephen had to give control of Northumberland to David in 1139. Both Cumberland and Northumberland stayed under Scottish control until David died in 1153.
Contents
Why the Siege Happened
England and Scotland: A Tricky Relationship
When King Henry I ruled England, things were peaceful with Scotland. David I of Scotland was good friends with Henry. David fully supported Henry's wish for his daughter, the Empress Matilda, to become queen. David was Matilda's uncle and a strong supporter.
After Henry died in 1135, his nephew, Stephen, took the throne. David reacted by taking control of Cumberland and Northumberland. In February 1136, a peace treaty was signed. David kept Cumberland but gave up lands in Northumberland. His son, Henry, became lord of Huntingdon. Stephen also promised to discuss Henry's claim to Northumberland.
But the peace did not last. In 1137 and early 1138, David launched raids into England. These attacks happened at the same time as rebellions in southern England. Wark was attacked for three weeks starting on January 10. After this, David's army raided Northumberland. They were eventually pushed back by the English. Stephen then attacked coastal Lothian in Scotland. This time, there was no talk of peace. Stephen left so quickly that some thought he doubted his own army.
England's Civil War: The Anarchy
After Easter in 1138, many people rebelled against Stephen in western England. A very important leader, Robert of Gloucester, stopped supporting Stephen. He declared his support for Matilda.
One rebel, Eustace fitz John, joined David while the King was raiding England again. Eustace's brother joined Robert's campaign in the south. This linked the two rebel forces. A letter from Matilda asking for David's help is mentioned in old writings. David started his campaign in Northumberland again on April 8. David's army had gone back to Roxburgh when Stephen raided Lothian. Now, they crossed the border to attack coastal Northumberland and County Durham.
The Siege of Wark Castle
How the Siege Started
The siege began in May 1138. David's army was bothered by the soldiers from Wark Castle. They kept raiding the Scottish supply lines. This was one of the only times a castle's soldiers raided behind enemy lines during these wars. They even took people hostage for money.
An old writer, Richard of Hexham, said the first part of the siege was a fierce fight. The Scottish army used battering rams and other siege machines. Many attackers were hurt. David then left to find a bigger victory elsewhere. He left two barons to continue blocking the castle. It was during this time that Eustace fitz John joined David. Eustace wanted the king to attack Bamburgh castle, which Eustace had lost earlier. But David chose to march south instead. He might have wanted to put pressure on Stephen.
The Wider War
David's army marched south, passing Durham. They entered Yorkshire at the end of July. The Scots were stopped at Northallerton. There, they were defeated at the battle of the Standard by an English army. This battle happened on August 22.
Stephen had problems in the south of England, so he could not follow up on this victory. This allowed David to gather his army again at Carlisle. In late September, David met a church official, Alberic, the Bishop of Ostia. They negotiated a truce between Scotland and England. The Scots agreed to return all the women they had taken during the campaign. They also promised not to attack England again before November 11, 1139. However, Wark Castle was specifically left out of this truce. This meant David could continue the siege.
The Siege Ends
After the Battle of the Standard, David returned to Wark. People from the nearby town joined the soldiers defending the castle. Much of the Scottish siege equipment was destroyed when the defenders bravely attacked out of the castle. David continued to block the castle, starving the people inside. In November, the abbot of Rievaulx helped negotiate a surrender. The defenders were allowed to leave honorably with their weapons.
What Happened Next
After Wark Castle fell, David ordered it to be destroyed. Taking Wark Castle, along with Norham Castle (which fell quickly) and Alnwick Castle (which Eustace fitz John gave to the Scots), put David in a strong position. This was true even though he lost at Northallerton.
The Treaty of Durham was signed on April 9, 1139. In this treaty, Stephen had to give control of Northumberland to David. David also kept the lands of Huntingdon. Even though fighting started again in 1141, David kept Northumberland and Cumberland. He made them part of Scotland. Carlisle became the main place where David's government was based. He died there in May 1153.
Some English writers at the time criticized David for the terrible things his followers did during the invasions of 1137 and 1138. But William of Newburgh gave him credit for keeping peace in Northern England. This was important because there was a lot of fighting in the south of England at that time.
Controlling Northumberland and Cumberland greatly increased Scotland's resources. David could use the silver mines near Carlisle to make the first coins of Scotland. This helped him pay for building many new monasteries.
David's son, Henry, died before him in 1152. This meant Henry's son, Malcolm IV, who was only 12 years old, became king when David died in 1153. Without an adult king in Scotland, Northumberland and Cumberland were lost within four years of David's death. This started almost a century of fighting to get them back.
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