Battle site of Glenlivet (1594) *

Region: Aviemore & The Cairngorms

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Description:

On the 3rd October 1594, the Catholic Earls of Huntly and Errol, commanding a force of only 1500 horsemen, defeated the much larger Protestant royalist army led by the Earl of Argyll.  Records suggest Argyll's force consisted of around 6,000 -10,000 infantrymen.

Huntly's victory was partly due to his possession of six small artillery pieces, but the treachery of John Grant of Gartenberg, an ally of Argyll, must also have been a significant factor. John Grant struck a secret agreement with Huntly, and led the Grant forces away from the battle. It was a dramatic event with deep and complex roots, and the battle represented a victory of artillery and horse over regular infantry.