A major Anglo-Scottish border engagement in which Scottish forces defeated a larger English army, killing the English commander Henry Percy's forces near Otterburn.
Key Facts
- Date (Scottish sources)
- 5 August 1388
- Date (English sources)
- 19 August 1388
- Scottish commander
- James, 2nd Earl of Douglas
- Secondary Scottish attack target
- Carlisle Castle
- Context
- Retaliation for Richard II's invasion of Scotland c.1385
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ongoing border conflicts between England and Scotland provided the backdrop, aggravated by King Richard II's invasion of Scotland three years prior. Scottish commanders sought to exploit internal divisions between Ralph Neville and Henry Percy, who had recently assumed responsibility for English border defence, by launching coordinated raids into northern England.
A Scottish army led by James, 2nd Earl of Douglas and John Dunbar, Earl of Moray advanced toward Durham, while a secondary force under Archibald Douglas and Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, simultaneously attacked Carlisle Castle. The two forces engaged near Otterburn in Northumberland in a night battle, resulting in a Scottish victory.
The battle became one of the most celebrated conflicts of the era and was immortalised in Border ballads. The Scottish forces prevailed despite the death of their commander James, 2nd Earl of Douglas during the fighting, demonstrating the vulnerability of the English northern border and temporarily weakening English dominance in the region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
James, 2nd Earl of Douglas, John Dunbar, Earl of Moray, Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas, Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife.
Side B
1 belligerent
Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland.