English Campaign in Scotland and Clan Conflict (1544)

In 1544, Edward Seymour led an English force that captured Leith and Edinburgh in May. Later that year, the Battle of the Shirts occurred in the Great Glen, involving Clan Macdonald of Clanranald and Clan Fraser.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Following the Scottish Parliament's renunciation of the Treaty of Greenwich in December 1543, Henry VIII ordered military action. In March 1544, Edward Seymour was appointed lieutenant-general of the north with instructions to punish the Scots for repudiating the marriage treaty between Prince Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots.

English Campaign. Seymour landed at Leith on 3 May 1544, leading a force that included Viscount Lisle. The English army captured and pillaged Edinburgh, with Seymour issuing a proclamation blaming Cardinal Beaton for the Scottish rejection of the marriage alliance. The force then returned by land, burning villages and castles along the route.

Clan Conflict. In 1544, the Battle of the Shirts occurred in the Great Glen at the northern end of Loch Lochy. This Scottish clan battle involved the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald and their allies against the Clan Fraser and men from Clan Grant. The engagement was a significant local conflict distinct from the broader Anglo-Scottish hostilities.

People involved

Sources

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