Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, fought on September 9, 1513, was a significant conflict between England and Scotland, arising from the political tensions related to the ongoing war in France involving Henry VIII of England. The Scottish King James IV, defying English authority, led a large army into England in support of the French, reflecting the historical alliance known as the "Auld Alliance." The battle took place at Flodden Field and resulted in a decisive victory for the English forces commanded by Thomas Howard, the Earl of Surrey.
The engagement was marked by intense fighting and resulted in substantial casualties, with a significant portion of the Scottish aristocracy and King James IV himself killed in the conflict. This defeat is often regarded as a national disaster for Scotland, reshaping its political landscape for years to come. Despite the heavy losses, the battle was considered bravely fought by the Scots. The aftermath of Flodden saw Scotland under the regency of Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's sister, with ongoing animosity towards England and continued support for France, sustaining the dynamics of the Auld Alliance. The battle remains a poignant moment in Scottish history, emblematic of the struggles between the two nations.
On this Page
Battle of Flodden
Type of action: Ground battle in the Anglo-Scottish Wars of 1513–1560
Date: September 9, 1513
Location: Northern England, Tweed River, Flodden Hill
Combatants: England vs. Scotland
Principal commanders:English, Catherine of Aragon, regent of England (1485–1536), Thomas Howard I, earl of Surrey (1473–1554); Scottish, James IV (1473–1513)
Result: British victory; James IV was killed, leaving James V, a child, under the regency of Margaret, sister of Henry VIII
Because Henry VIII of England was participating in a war against France with Spain for weak and ambitious reasons, it was expected that the Scots would invade England’s northern borders on behalf of France and the Scottish “Auld Alliance” and friendship with the French kings. England was prepared for the invasion.
On August 11, 1513, a Scottish herald arrived at the English camp at Therouanne and delivered notice of James IV’s defiance of the English king’s involvement with France and of Scottish support for the French. Henry VIII dismissed the messenger “roughly.” Warned by Pope Julius not to do so, James IV nevertheless raised an immense army and crossed the English border in September, 1513.
Thomas Howard I, earl of Surrey, and the English army, in a horrible, bloody battle, encountered James and his army. In three hours, the battle left the English as the undisputed masters of the field. Most of the Scottish aristocracy, which included twelve earls, the archbishop of St. Andrews, two bishops, two abbots, thirteen lesser earls, fourteen lords, scores of knights, and gentlemen and their servants, died with the Scottish king. Legend tells of the Scottish king’s bloody coat having been sent by Catherine of Aragon, regent of England, to Henry VIII in France as a sign of victory. The Battle of Flodden saw two wings of the Scottish army destroyed before the center, where the king and aristocracy fought, was annihilated. A national disaster for Scotland, the Battle of Flodden was nevertheless bravely fought and therefore no disgrace.
Significance
The surviving Scots fled from England under cover of darkness. Henry VIII’s sister Margaret ruled as regent for her son James V. Scotland remained a natural enemy of England with the French support and the “Auld Alliance” intact to threaten England.
Bibliography
Elton, Geoffrey. England Under the Tudors. New York: Routledge, 1991.
Guy, John. Tudor England. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Prall, Stuart E., and David Harris Willson. A History of England. Vol. 1. Fort Worth, Texas: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1991.
Scarisbrick, J. J. Henry VIII. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1970.