This day in September, 1513, saw James IV killed in battle at Flodden Field, near Branxton, in Northumberland. The opposing English and Scottish armies, led by the Earl of Surrey and James IV respectively, were roughly similar in size, numbering between 20 and 30,000 men. The initial position on Flodden Hilll favoured by the Scots was promising. However, the English guns found it easy to pick off the Scots. Both forces had sophisticated artillery, but the lighter and more manoeuvreable weaponry used by the English was more suited to the rain-soaked conditions of the hill. The carnage among the Scottish forces was heavy, reputed to be close to 10,000 men, including the king, nine earls, fourteen lords and a handful of prominent clerics, including the Archbishop of St.Andrews.
493rd. Anniversary of the Battle of Flodden
Bookmarks