Description:

After the battle at Hadden Rigg in August 1542, an army of 10.000 (some say 18.000!) under the command of Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns, was to push as far into England as they could.

James V may have respected Sinclair, but the nobles under his command couldn’t stand the “upstart.” Infighting broke out, and some even left before the battle began. Among the foot soldiers, the Borderers questioned their loyalty to a king who had persecuted them, with many preferring capture by the English over dying for a tyrant. Despite the odds, Sir Thomas Wharton, an experienced commander, chose open battle instead of retreating behind Carlisle’s defenses. The two armies clashed between the Rivers Lyne and Esk in Arthuret parish, just north of Carlisle. When the Scots saw the English positioned on a hill, they hesitated, suspecting a trap. The English seized the moment, sending their cavalry charging and breaking the Scottish lines. As they tried to retreat, the Scots were trapped at a ford on the River Esk. Some fought a last stand before surrendering, but many drowned crossing the river, and others hid in the bogs. It was a humiliating defeat for James V—while battle casualties were low, hundreds drowned and over 1,000, including Sinclair, were captured.

James had not accompanied the army. He remained instead at Lochmaben on the Scottish side of the Border and awaited news of the invasion. When the news came he retreated to Falkland Palace, ill with fever and humiliated. He died a few weeks later, aged just 30, succeeded by his six day old daughter, Mary (Mary, Queen of Scots).