James IV's Invasion of Northumberland
- When
- 1496
- Where
- Coldstream crossing; Northumberland
- Episodes
- 2
In September 1496, James IV of Scotland invaded Northumberland with Perkin Warbeck, destroying several castles before withdrawing on 25 September upon the approach of English forces under Lord Neville.
Episodes
- Destruction of Fortifications
Scottish troops destroyed multiple towers and castles in Northumberland during the invasion.
- Crossing the Border
Scottish forces crossed the Tweed at Coldstream on 21 September 1496 to enter Northumberland.
Background and detail
Background. James IV received the pretender Perkin Warbeck in Scotland in November 1495. By September 1496, James prepared to invade England in support of Warbeck's claim to the English throne, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between the two kingdoms.
The Invasion. The Scottish army reached Ellem on 19 September 1496 and crossed the River Tweed at Coldstream on 21 September. Once in Northumberland, the forces destroyed Tillmouth, Duddo, Branxton, and Howtel towers, as well as Twizell and Heaton Castles.
People involved
- James IV of Scotland · Invading monarch
- Perkin Warbeck · Pretender to the English throne
Sources
- James IV Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-03
- Perkin Warbeck Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-27
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.