Scotland's defeat at Neville's Cross, including the capture of King David II, secured England's northern border and freed resources for the Hundred Years' War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 17 October 1346
- Scottish army size
- 12,000 men
- English army size
- 6,000–7,000 men
- Scottish king captured
- King David II
- Peace duration after ransom
- 40 years of border truce
- Distance from Durham
- 0.5 miles (800 m) west
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
King Philip VI of France, invoking the Auld Alliance, called upon Scotland to invade England and relieve pressure from England's ongoing campaign in France during the Hundred Years' War. David II obliged, leading a Scottish army of 12,000 into northern England, ravaging the countryside before being caught off guard by English defenders.
On 17 October 1346, west of Durham, an English force of approximately 6,000–7,000 men under Ralph Neville, Lord Neville, defeated the larger Scottish army. The battle ended in a complete Scottish rout. King David II was captured, and most of the Scottish leadership was either killed or taken prisoner.
The Scottish defeat eliminated the northern threat, allowing England to concentrate resources on the French war. Border counties could defend themselves independently from remaining Scottish incursions. David II's eventual ransom negotiations produced a truce that brought approximately forty years of relative peace to the Anglo-Scottish border.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Ralph Neville, Lord Neville.
Side B
1 belligerent
King David II of Scotland.