Bannockburn left Northern England open to attack, and in the years that followed many communities in the area became closely acquainted with the ‘Blak Dowglas.’ Along with Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, Douglas was to make a new name for himself in a war of mobility, which carried Scots raiders as far South as Pontefract and the Humber. But in a real sense this ‘war of the borders’ belonged uniquely to Douglas, and became the basis for his family’s steady ascent to greatness in years to come.
War ruined many ancient noble houses; it was the true making of the house of Douglas. The tactics used by Douglas were simple but effective: his men rode into battle - or retreated as the occasion demanded - on small ponies known as hobbins, giving the name of ‘hobelar’ to both horse and rider. All fighting, however, was on foot. Scottish hobelars were to cause the same degree of panic throughout Northern England as the Viking longships of the ninth century.
With the king, Moray and Edward Bruce diverted in 1315 to a new theatre of operations in Ireland, Douglas became even more significant as a border fighter. In February 1316 he won a significant engagement at Skaithmuir, near Coldstream, with a party of horsemen sent out from the garrison of Berwick. The dead included one Raymond de Calhau, seemingly a nephew of Piers Gaveston, the former favourite of Edward II. Douglas reckoned this to be the toughest fight in which he had ever taken part. Another raiding party was intercepted and defeated at Lintalee, to the south of Jedburgh, and a third group was defeated near Berwick, where their leader, Robert Neville, known as the ‘Peacock of the North’, was killed. Such was Douglas’ status and reputation that he was made deputy for the kingdom when Bruce and Moray went to Ireland in the Autumn of 1316.
Douglas’ military achievements inevitably increased his political standing still further. When Edward Bruce, the king’s designated successor, was killed in Ireland at the Battle of Faughart in the Autumn of 1318, Douglas was named as Guardian of the Realm after Randolph if Robert should die without a male heir. This was decided at a parliament held at Scone in December 1318, where it was noted that ‘Randolph and Sir James took the guardianship upon themselves with the approbation of the whole community.’
18 February 2009
Battle of Bannockburn
The greatest challenge for Bruce came in 1314 as Edward invaded Scotland with a large army, nominally aimed at the relief of Stirling Castle, but with the real intention of pinning down the foxes. The Scots army - roughly a quarter the size of the enemy force - was poised to the south of Stirling, ready to make a quick withdrawal into the wild country to the west. However, their position, just north of the Bannock Burn, had strong natural advantages, and the king made ready to suspend for a time the guerilla tactics pursued hitherto.
During the two days of the Battle of Bannockburn - 23th and 24th June - Douglas played a conspicuous part, commandiing the main battalion - or schiltron - on the left flank of the army. On the morning of the 24th June, the day of the main battle, he received the singular honour of being created a Knight banneret by the king, a distinction only ever conferred on the battlefield.
Once the English army was defeated Bruce ordered Douglas off in pursuit of the fleeing Edward and his party of knights, a task carried out with such relentless vigour that the fugitives, according to Barbour, ‘had not even leisure to make water.’ In the end Edward managed to evade Douglas by taking refuge in Dunbar Castle.
Bannockburn effectively ended the English presence in Scotland, with all strongpoints - outwith Berwick - now in Bruce’s hands. It did not, however, end the war. Edward had been soundly defeated but he still refused to abandon his claim to Scotland. For Douglas one struggle had ended and another was about to begin.
During the two days of the Battle of Bannockburn - 23th and 24th June - Douglas played a conspicuous part, commandiing the main battalion - or schiltron - on the left flank of the army. On the morning of the 24th June, the day of the main battle, he received the singular honour of being created a Knight banneret by the king, a distinction only ever conferred on the battlefield.
Once the English army was defeated Bruce ordered Douglas off in pursuit of the fleeing Edward and his party of knights, a task carried out with such relentless vigour that the fugitives, according to Barbour, ‘had not even leisure to make water.’ In the end Edward managed to evade Douglas by taking refuge in Dunbar Castle.
Bannockburn effectively ended the English presence in Scotland, with all strongpoints - outwith Berwick - now in Bruce’s hands. It did not, however, end the war. Edward had been soundly defeated but he still refused to abandon his claim to Scotland. For Douglas one struggle had ended and another was about to begin.
Roxburgh Falls
In the years before 1314 the English presence in Scotland was reduced to a few significant strongholds. There were both strengths and weaknesses in this. The Scots had no heavy equipment or the means of attacking castles by conventional means. However, this inevitably produced a degree of complacency in garrisons provisioned enough to withstand a blockade.
In dealing with this problem the Scots responded in the ‘manner of foxes’, and among the more cunning of their exploits was Douglas’ capture of the powerful fortress at Roxburgh. His tactic, though simple, was brilliantly effective. On the night of 19th/20th February 1314 - Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday - several dark shapes were seen beneath the battlements and mistakenly assumed to be cattle. Douglas had ordered his men to cover themselves with their cloaks and crawl towards the castle on their hands and knees.
With most of the garrison celebrating just prior to the fast of Lent, scaling hooks with rope ladders attached were thrown up the walls. Taken by complete surprise the defenders were overwhelmed in a short space of time. Roxburgh Castle, among the best in the land, was slighted in accordance with Bruce’s policy of denying strongpoints to the enemy.
In dealing with this problem the Scots responded in the ‘manner of foxes’, and among the more cunning of their exploits was Douglas’ capture of the powerful fortress at Roxburgh. His tactic, though simple, was brilliantly effective. On the night of 19th/20th February 1314 - Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday - several dark shapes were seen beneath the battlements and mistakenly assumed to be cattle. Douglas had ordered his men to cover themselves with their cloaks and crawl towards the castle on their hands and knees.
With most of the garrison celebrating just prior to the fast of Lent, scaling hooks with rope ladders attached were thrown up the walls. Taken by complete surprise the defenders were overwhelmed in a short space of time. Roxburgh Castle, among the best in the land, was slighted in accordance with Bruce’s policy of denying strongpoints to the enemy.
17 February 2009
The Douglas Larder
In 1307, with the help of a local farmer, a former vassal of his father, Douglas and his small troop were hidden until the morning of Palm Sunday, when the garrison left the battlements to attend the local church.
Gathering local support they entered the church and the war-cry ‘Douglas!’ ‘Douglas!’ went up for the first time. Some of the English soldiers were killed and others taken prisoner. The prisoners were taken to the castle, now largely empty. All the stores were piled together in the cellar; the wine casks burst open and the wood used for fuel. The prisoners were then beheaded and placed on top of the pile, which was set alight. Before departing the wells were poisoned with salt and the carcases of dead horses.
The local people soon gave the whole gruesome episode the name of the ‘Douglas Larder’. As an example of frightfulness in war it was meant to leave a lasting impression, not least upon the men who came to replace their dead colleagues. Further attacks followed by a man now known to the English as the ‘Blak Dowglas’, a sinister and murderous force ‘mair fell than wes ony devill in hell’. It would seem in this that Douglas was an early practitioner of psychological warfare, as well as guerilla warfare, in his knowledge that fear alone could do much of the work of a successful commander.
Gathering local support they entered the church and the war-cry ‘Douglas!’ ‘Douglas!’ went up for the first time. Some of the English soldiers were killed and others taken prisoner. The prisoners were taken to the castle, now largely empty. All the stores were piled together in the cellar; the wine casks burst open and the wood used for fuel. The prisoners were then beheaded and placed on top of the pile, which was set alight. Before departing the wells were poisoned with salt and the carcases of dead horses.The local people soon gave the whole gruesome episode the name of the ‘Douglas Larder’. As an example of frightfulness in war it was meant to leave a lasting impression, not least upon the men who came to replace their dead colleagues. Further attacks followed by a man now known to the English as the ‘Blak Dowglas’, a sinister and murderous force ‘mair fell than wes ony devill in hell’. It would seem in this that Douglas was an early practitioner of psychological warfare, as well as guerilla warfare, in his knowledge that fear alone could do much of the work of a successful commander.
The Black Douglas
The Black Douglas weblog is written by John Douglas. The title is an epithet of Good Sir James, Lord of Douglas (c.1286-1330), Scottish guerilla leader and General who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.
Douglas was the greatest Captain under Robert the Bruce in the War of Independence and is held as the third of Scotland’s finest patriots, after Bruce and William Wallace. He died in his 73rd battle (won 59) at Teba, a small town in Andalusia, Spain, assisting the Spanish Reconquista to free themselves from Islamic rule.
In the towns Plaza Espana there is erected a big granite stone in his memory. One side of this stone is in Spanish and the other side in English.
...Read more at James Lord of Douglas.
Douglas was the greatest Captain under Robert the Bruce in the War of Independence and is held as the third of Scotland’s finest patriots, after Bruce and William Wallace. He died in his 73rd battle (won 59) at Teba, a small town in Andalusia, Spain, assisting the Spanish Reconquista to free themselves from Islamic rule.In the towns Plaza Espana there is erected a big granite stone in his memory. One side of this stone is in Spanish and the other side in English.
...Read more at James Lord of Douglas.
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