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Battle of the Standard

 
Battle of the Standard

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Battle of the Standard



 
 
The Battle of the Standard, sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, in which English forces
History of the British Army

The history of the British Army spans over three and a half centuries and numerous List of conflicts in Europe wars, colonial wars and world wars....
 repelled a Scottish army
Military of Scotland

Historically, Scotland has a long British military history that predates the Acts of Union 1707 with England. Its armed forces now form part of those of the United Kingdom and are known as the British Armed Forces....
, took place on 22 August 1138 on Cowton Moor near Northallerton
Northallerton

Northallerton is a market town in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York....
 in Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
. The Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 forces were led by King David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland

David I or Dabhidh Mac Maol Chaluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later List of monarchs of Scotland . The youngest son of Maol Chaluim Mac Donnchaidh and Saint Margaret of Scotland, David spent most of his childhood in Scotland, but was exiled to England temporarily in 1093....
. The English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 were commanded by William of Aumale
William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle

William le Gros was the Count of Aumale , Earl of Yorkshire, and Lord of Holderness. He was the son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore....
. King Stephen of England
Stephen of England

Stephen often known as Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William I of England. He was the last Norman dynasty King of England, from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne jure uxoris....
 (fighting rebel barons in the south) had sent a small force (largely mercenaries), but the English army was mainly local militia and baronial retinues from Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 and the north Midlands.






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The Battle of the Standard, sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, in which English forces
History of the British Army

The history of the British Army spans over three and a half centuries and numerous List of conflicts in Europe wars, colonial wars and world wars....
 repelled a Scottish army
Military of Scotland

Historically, Scotland has a long British military history that predates the Acts of Union 1707 with England. Its armed forces now form part of those of the United Kingdom and are known as the British Armed Forces....
, took place on 22 August 1138 on Cowton Moor near Northallerton
Northallerton

Northallerton is a market town in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York....
 in Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
. The Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 forces were led by King David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland

David I or Dabhidh Mac Maol Chaluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later List of monarchs of Scotland . The youngest son of Maol Chaluim Mac Donnchaidh and Saint Margaret of Scotland, David spent most of his childhood in Scotland, but was exiled to England temporarily in 1093....
. The English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 were commanded by William of Aumale
William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle

William le Gros was the Count of Aumale , Earl of Yorkshire, and Lord of Holderness. He was the son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore....
. King Stephen of England
Stephen of England

Stephen often known as Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William I of England. He was the last Norman dynasty King of England, from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne jure uxoris....
 (fighting rebel barons in the south) had sent a small force (largely mercenaries), but the English army was mainly local militia and baronial retinues from Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 and the north Midlands. Archbishop Thurstan of York
Thurstan

Thurstan, or Turstin was a medieval Archbishop of York. The son of a priest, he served King William II of England and King Henry I of England before his election to the see of York in 1114....
 had exerted himself greatly to raise the army, preaching that to withstand the Scots was to do God’s work. The centre of the English position was therefore marked by a mast (mounted upon a cart) bearing a pyx
Pyx

A pyx or pix is a small container used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and Anglican Churches to carry the consecrated Host , to the sick or invalid or those otherwise unable to come to a church in order to receive Holy Communion....
 carrying the consecrated host
Sacramental bread

Sacramental bread, sometimes called the Lamb , Host or simply Communion Bread, is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist....
 and from which were flown the consecrated banners of the minster
Minster

Minster may mean:*Minster Minster may also refer to placesin Canada:*Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewanin the United Kingdom:...
s ofYork
York Minster

York Minster is a Gothic architecture cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral....
, Beverley
John of Beverley

Saint John of Beverley was an Angle bishop during the time of the kingdom of Northumbria. He was the Bishop of Hexham and then the Bishop of York which was the most important religious designation in the area....
 and Ripon: hence the name of the battle.

David had entered England for two declared reasons, :
  • To support his niece Matilda
    Empress Matilda

    Empress Matilda, also known as Matilda of England or Maude was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry....
    's claim to the English throne against that of King Stephen
    Stephen of England

    Stephen often known as Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William I of England. He was the last Norman dynasty King of England, from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne jure uxoris....
     (married to another niece
    Matilda of Boulogne

    Matilda I or Maud , was suo jure Count of Boulogne. She was also wife of Stephen of England and thus queen consort of Kingdom of England....
    )


  • To enlarge his kingdom beyond his previous gains
    Political and military events in Scotland during the reign of David I

    Political and military events in Scotland during the reign of David I are the events which took place in Scotland during David I of Scotland's reign as King of Scots, from 1124 to 1153....
    .


David’s forces had already taken much of Northumberland
Northumberland

Northumberland is a Counties of England in the North East England of England. The non-metropolitan counties of England of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham to the south and Tyne and Wear to the south east, as well as having a border with the Scottish Borders council area to the north, and nearly eighty miles of Nort...
 apart from castles at Wark
Wark on Tweed

in the same countyWark on Tweed is a village in the England county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-TweedIt is on the south bank of the River Tweed that can be considered the border between England and Scotland....
 and Bamburgh
Bamburgh

Bamburgh is a large village and civil parish in the Berwick-upon-Tweed on the coast of Northumberland, England. It has a population of 454.It is notable for two reasons: the imposing Bamburgh Castle, overlooking the beach, seat of the former Monarch of Northumbria, and at present owned by the Armstrong family ; and its association with th...
. Advancing beyond the Tees towards York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
, early on 22 August 1138 the Scots found the English army drawn up on open fields two miles N of Northallerton; they formed up in four ‘lines’ to attack it. The first attack, by unarmoured spearmen
Infantry in the Middle Ages

Infantry in the Middle Ages were soldiers who fought on foot during the Middle Ages. They were frequently part of a specialised division such as the pike men, crossbowmen and longbowmen....
 against armoured men
Infantry in the Middle Ages

Infantry in the Middle Ages were soldiers who fought on foot during the Middle Ages. They were frequently part of a specialised division such as the pike men, crossbowmen and longbowmen....
 (including dismounted knight
Knight

File:Gothic armor 2.jpgKnight is the term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. In the Commonwealth of Nations, knighthood is a non-heritable form of gentry....
s) supported by telling fire from archers
English longbow

Self bow longbows, widespread across Europe since Mesolithic times, were used in Middle Ages Europe as a decisive weapon of war. Particularly powerful bows were employed to penetrate all but the best of contemporary armour....
  failed. Within 3 hours, the Scots army disintegrated apart from small bodies of knights and men-at-arms around David and his son Henry. At this point Henry led a spirited attack with mounted knights; he and David then withdrew separately with their immediate companions in relatively good order. Heavy Scots losses are claimed, in battle and in flight.
The English did not pursue far; David fell back to Carlisle
Carlisle

Carlisle is in the City of Carlisle, a district of Cumbria in North West England. It is located at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, River Caldew and River Petteril, south of the Anglo-Scottish border....
 and reassembled an army. Within a month a truce was negotiated which left the Scots free to continue the siege of Wark
Wark on Tweed

in the same countyWark on Tweed is a village in the England county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-TweedIt is on the south bank of the River Tweed that can be considered the border between England and Scotland....
 castle, which eventually fell. Despite losing the battle, David was subsequently given most of the territorial concessions he had been seeking (which the chronicles say he had been offered before he crossed the Tees). David held these throughout the Anarchy
The Anarchy

The Anarchy or The Nineteen Year Winter refers to a period of history of England during the reign of the Normans King, Stephen of England, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government....
, but on the death of David, his successor Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV of Scotland

Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne....
 was soon forced to surrender David's gains to Henry II of England
Henry II of England

Henry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France....



Some chronicle accounts of the battle include an invented pre-battle speech on the glorious deeds of the Normans, occasionally quoted as good contemporary evidence of the high opinion the Normans held of themselves.

Background

David had gained the Scottish throne largely because of the support of Henry I of England
Henry I of England

Henry I was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror. He succeeded his elder brother William II of England as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106....
 and he had attempted to remodel Scotland to be more like Henry's England. He had carried out peaceful changes in the areas of Scotland over which he had effective control and he had conducted military campaigns against semi-autonomous regional rulers to reassert his authority; in administration, in warfare, and in the settling of regained territory he had drawn on the talent and resources of the Anglo-Norman lands. The death of Henry I in 1135 by weakening England made David more reliant on his native subjects, and allowed him to contemplate winning control over substantial areas of Northern England.
Henry I had wished his inheritance to pass to his daughter Matilda, and in 1127 made his notables swear an oath to uphold the succession of Matilda (David was the first layman to do so). Many of the English and Norman magnates and barons were against Matilda, because she was married to Geoffrey V, count of Anjou
Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou

Geoffrey V , called the Handsome and Plantagenet, was the Count of Anjou, Count of Tours, and Count of Maine by inheritance from 1129 and then Duke of Normandy by conquest from 1144....
. On Henry’s death, Stephen
Stephen of England

Stephen often known as Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William I of England. He was the last Norman dynasty King of England, from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne jure uxoris....
, younger brother of Theobald, count of Blois
Theobald II of Champagne

Theobald the Great was Count of Blois and of Chartres as Theobald IV from 1102 and was Count of Champagne and of Brie as Theobald II from 1125....
, seized the throne instead. When Stephen was crowned on 22 December, David went to war. After two months of campaigning in northern England, a peace treaty
Treaty of Durham (1136)

The first treaty of Durham was a peace treaty concluded between kings Stephen of England and David I of Scotland on 5 February 1136. In January 1136, during the first months of the reign of Stephen, David I crossed the border and reached Durham....
 ceding Cumberland
Cumberland

Cumberland is one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an Administrative counties of England from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
 to David was agreed. Additionally, David’s son Henry was made Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon

Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is chiefly associated with the Hastings family....
, David declining to swear the required oath of loyalty to Stephen, since he had already sworn allegiance to Matilda. In spring 1137 David again invaded England: a truce was quickly agreed. In November, the truce expired; David demanded to be made earl of the whole of the old earldom of Northumberland
Earl of Northumbria

Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Danish people, late Anglo-Saxon England, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia....
. Stephen refused and in January 1138 David invaded for a third time.

Campaigning in 1138 before the Battle


David invades Northumberland

David first moved against English castles on the Tweed frontier. Norham Castle
Norham Castle

Norham Castle is a partly ruined castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. The castle saw much action during the wars between England and Scotland....
 belonged to the Bishop of Durham
Bishop of Durham

The Bishop of Durham is the Church of England bishop responsible for the diocese of Diocese of Durham in the province of York. The Diocese is one of the oldest in the country and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords....
 and its garrison was under-strength; it quickly fell. Having failed to rapidly seize the castle at Wark on Tweed
Wark on Tweed

in the same countyWark on Tweed is a village in the England county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-TweedIt is on the south bank of the River Tweed that can be considered the border between England and Scotland....
, David detached forces to besiege it and moved deeper into Northumberland, demanding contributions
Blackmail

Blackmail is the crime of threatening to reveal Substantial truth information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand made upon the victim is met....
 from settlements and religious establishments to be spared plunder and burning.

Scots slave-raiding and Anglo-Norman alarm

The actions of the army which invaded England in early 1138 shocked the English chroniclers, Richard of Hexham
Richard of Hexham

Richard of Hexham was an England chronicler. He became prior of Hexham about 1141, and died between 1163 and 1178.He wrote Brevis Annotatio, a short history of the church of Hexham from 674 to 1138, for which he borrowed from Bede, Eddius and Symeon of Durham....
  records
"an execrable army, more atrocious than the pagans, neither fearing God nor regarding man, spread desolation over the whole province and slaughtered everywhere people of either sex, of every age and rank, destroying, pillaging and burning towns, churches and houses".
Monastic chroniclers often deplore depredations made by foreign armies and sometimes even those of their own rulers but some Scots forces were going beyond normal Norman 'harrying' by systematically carrying off women and children as slaves. In the contemporary Celtic world this was regarded as a useful source of revenue, like (and not significantly more reprehensible than) cattle-raiding
"Then (horrible to relate) they carried off, like so much booty, the noble matrons and chaste virgins, together with other women. These naked, fettered, herded together; by whips and thongs they drove before them, goading them with their spears and other weapons. This took place in other wars, but in this to a far greater extent."
The practicalities of this would support the chroniclers’ tales of sexual abuse of the slaves and casual slaughter of unsalable encumbrances:
"For the sick on their couches, women pregnant and in childbed, infants in the womb, innocents at the breast, or on the mother's knee, with the mothers themselves, decrepit old men and worn-out old women, and persons debilitated from whatever cause, wherever they met with them, they put to the edge of the sword, and transfixed with their spears; and by how much more horrible a death they could dispatch them, so much the more did they rejoice."
In February, King Stephen marched north with an army to deal with David. David successfully evaded him., and Stephen returned south.

Scots raid into Craven and the Battle of Clitheroe

In the summer, David's nephew William fitz Duncan
William fitz Duncan

William fitz Duncan was a Scottish prince, a territorial magnate in northern Scotland and northern England, a fine general and the legitimate son of king Duncan II of Scotland by Athelreda of Dunbar....
 marched into Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 and harried Craven
Craven

Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic in origin and is related to the Welsh language word craf, or "garlic"....
; on 10 June, he met and defeated an English force of knights and men-at-arms at the battle of Clitheroe
Battle of Clitheroe

The Battle of Clitheroe was a battle between a force of Gaels and England knights and men at arms which took place on 10 June 1138. The battle was fought on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, at Clitheroe, Lancashire....
. He also destroyed the recently founded Calder Abbey
Calder Abbey

Calder Abbey in Cumbria was a Savigniac monastery founded in 1135 by Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester and moved to this site following a refoundation in 1142....
 in Copeland
Copeland, Cumbria

Copeland is a Non-metropolitan district and borough in western Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Whitehaven. It was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of the borough of Whitehaven, Ennerdale Rural District and Millom Rural District....
.Victoria County History: 'Houses of Cistercian monks: The abbey of Calder', A History of the County of Cumberland : Volume 2 (1905), pp. 174-178. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39958. Date accessed: 17 August 2008
Byland flourished; the refounded Calder did not, and a dispute ensued as to whether Byland was a daughter house of either Furness
Furness

Furness is a peninsula in south Cumbria, England. As a socio-cultural unit, it is more loosely defined. At its widest extent, it is considered to cover the whole of North Lonsdale, that part of the Lonsdale Hundred that is an exclave of the Historic counties of England of Lancashire, lying to the north of Morecambe Bay....
 or the refounded Calder
Calder

Calder is a Scottish people name and can refer to:...
; eventually the matter was referred to Ailred
Ailred of Rievaulx

Ailred , Abbot of Rievaulx , was an England Christian saint and writer....
 for his decision : Ailred was a leading light in his age and his region
Burton, Janet, The Monastic Order in Yorkshire, 1069-1215, Cambridge University Press,(Cambridge,1999)ISBN 0-5215-5229-X The choice of targets has no obvious strategic logic; it may be pertinent that William eventually inherited both the Honour of Skipton
Skipton

Skipton is a civil parish and historic market town in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is a popular tourist destination in its own right, as well as being a convenient base for visitors to the Yorkshire Dales ....
 in Craven , and the Lordship of Copeland
Egremont, Cumbria

Egremont is a town in the county of Cumbria, England, on the A595 road south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town historically belongs to the county of Cumberland....
, previously held by his father-in-law William de Meschines and which should have passed to him on the death of William de Meschines' son Ranulph Meschin, the founder of Calder.

Peace Feelers Fail; David enters Yorkshire

By late July David had had crossed the river Tyne
River Tyne

The River Tyne is a river in England. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'....
 and was in "St Cuthbert's land" (the lands of the Bishop of Durham
Bishop of Durham

The Bishop of Durham is the Church of England bishop responsible for the diocese of Diocese of Durham in the province of York. The Diocese is one of the oldest in the country and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords....
). With him were contingents from most of the separate regions of his kingdom, amounting to more than 26,000 men. Eustace fitz John
Barony of Halton

The Barony of Halton, in England, comprised a succession of 15 barons. After the Norman conquest of England, William I of England divided his kingdom into three earldoms, namely Shrewsbury, Hereford and Chester....
 had declared for David and handed over to him Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle is a castle and stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England and the residence of the Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, built immediately following the Norman conquest of England, and renovated and remodelled a number of times....
 in Nothumberland. The garrison of Eustace's castle at Malton
Malton, North Yorkshire

Malton is a market town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is the location of the offices of Ryedale District Council and has a population of around 4,000 people....
 to the North East of York began to raid surrounding areas in support of David (or Matilda). The magnates of Yorkshire gathered in York to discuss the worsening crisis:
Archbishop Thurstan of York
Thurstan

Thurstan, or Turstin was a medieval Archbishop of York. The son of a priest, he served King William II of England and King Henry I of England before his election to the see of York in 1114....
 (who, as will presently appear, greatly exerted himself in this emergency), William of Aumale
William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle

William le Gros was the Count of Aumale , Earl of Yorkshire, and Lord of Holderness. He was the son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore....
, Walter de Gant, Robert de Brus
Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale

Robert I de Brus was an early 12th century Normans baron and knight, the first of the House of Bruce of Scotland. A monastic patron, he is remembered as the founder of Gisborough Priory in Yorkshire in 1119....
, Roger de Mowbray
Robert de Mowbray

Robert de Mowbray , a Normans, was Earl of Northumbria from 1086, until 1095, when he was deposed for rebelling against William Rufus, King of England....
, Walter Espec
Walter Espec

Walter Espec was a prominent military and judicial figure of the reign of Henry I of England. In the years up to 1120 he with Eustace Fitz John controlled northern England....
, Ilbert de Lacy
De Lacy

de Lacy is the surname of an old Normans noble family originating from Lassy, Calvados. The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendents of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and traveled to England along with William I of England....
,William de Percy
Baron Percy

The title Baron Percy has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The first, in 1066, became extinct in 1299. The second, in 1299, became extinct in 1517....
, Richard de Courcy
Richard de Courcy

Richard de Courcy was a Norman baron. He accompanied William the Conqueror as a soldier, in the invasion of England.He was subsequently granted lands, giving his name to Stoke Courcy, in Somerset....
, William Fossard
Robert of Thornham

Robert of Thornham or Robert de Turnham was an English soldier and administrator. The namesake of his landowner father, he was the younger brother of Stephen of Thornham....
, Robert de Stuteville
Robert de Stuteville

Robert de Stuteville was Bishop of St. Andrews and Bishop of Dunkeld. Robert was dean of Dunkeld as early as 1253, when he was elected to the bishopric of St Andrews on June 28th of that year....
 
Much irresolution was caused by distrust of each other, arising from suspicions of treachery, by the absence of a chief and leader of the war (for their sovereign, king Stephen, encompassed by equal difficulties in the south of England, was just then unable to join them), and by their dread of encountering, with an inadequate force, so great a host]]
However, urged by the 70-year-old Thurstan, to stand and fight and if needs be die in a holy cause, they agreed to gather their forces and return to York, where they were joined by reinforcements from Nottinghamshire under William Peverel
William Peverel

William Peverel , was a Normans knight said to have fought in the Battle of Hastings....
 and Geoffrey Halsalin
Elvaston, Derbyshire

Elvaston is a small village to the south-east of Derby. It is dominated by Elvaston Castle, a country house which is currently in the ownership of Derbyshire County Council, who plan to lease the site to a private company....
 , and from Derbyshire led by Robert de Ferrers. They advanced to Thirsk
Thirsk

Thirsk is a small market town in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and 20 miles to Teesside International Airport....
, from where they sent Robert de Brus
Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale

Robert I de Brus was an early 12th century Normans baron and knight, the first of the House of Bruce of Scotland. A monastic patron, he is remembered as the founder of Gisborough Priory in Yorkshire in 1119....
 and Bernard de Balliol
Bernard I de Balliol

Bernard I de Balliol , the second known ruling Balliol of his line, was a twelfth-century Anglo-Norman-Picardy baron based for much of his time in the north of England, as well as at Bailleul-en-Vimeu close to Abbeville in northern France....
 (recently arrived with a few mercenaries sent by King Stephen) on an embassy to David, whose army was now approaching the River Tees
River Tees

The Tees is a river in Northern England. It source on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the Pennines, and flows eastwards for about 85 miles to the North Sea, between Hartlepool and Redcar....
 and North Yorkshire.

The emissaries promised to obtain the earldom of Northumberland for Henry, if the Scots army withdrew. Ailred of Rievaulx
Ailred of Rievaulx

Ailred , Abbot of Rievaulx , was an England Christian saint and writer....
 gives de Brus a speech in which he tells David that the English and the Normans have always been his true friends (against the Gaels), and without their help he may not be able to keep his kingdom together. Whatever was initially said , it ended in hard words being exchanged. Having failed to persuade David to withdraw, the emissaries returned to Thirsk, with de Brus angrily withdrawing his homage to David. David’s forces crossed the Tees and moved south. The English forces moved northwards and took up a defensive position to the north of Northallerton.

Battle of the Standard


Battlefield and English Dispositions

Moving south from the Tees David’s army would have had the high ground of the North Yorkshire Moors on its left, and the River Swale
River Swale

The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, Yorkshire, emptying into the North Sea via the River Humber....
 on its right. Nearing Northallerton, the distance between hills and river is about 8 miles, much of it low-lying and (then) poorly drained. The road to Northallerton from the Tees (the Great North Road) therefore approaches the town along a ridge of slightly higher ground running North-South . Minor ups and downs break the line of sight along the ridge, but the ‘ups’ are hills only in relation to the low ground on either side of the ridge . The English army deployed across this ridge about two miles N of Northallerton in a single solid formation with the armoured men and most of the knights (who had dismounted, and sent their horses to the rear) to the front supported by the archers and the more lightly equipped men of the local levies. The barons stood with the remaining dismounted knights at the centre of the line around the standard . Their left is thought to have straddled the road, with its flank protected by a marsh; it is not known if the low ground to the east of the ridge was similarly boggy, or if the English formation extended that far.

Scots Arrive and Deploy

John of Worcester
John of Worcester

John of Worcester was an England monk and English historians in the Middle Ages. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis....
 says that David intended to take the English by surprise, there being a very close mist that day. Richard of Hexham says simply that the Scots became aware of the standard (and by implication the army underneath it) at no great distance.
“In front of the battle were the Picts; in the centre, the king with his knights and English; the rest of the barbarian host poured roaring around them. The king and almost all his followers were on foot, their horses being kept at a distance.”
Ailred of Rievaulx
Ailred of Rievaulx

Ailred , Abbot of Rievaulx , was an England Christian saint and writer....
 gives the eventual deployment of the Scots as being in four ‘lines’
Battle (formation)

A battle or battaile was a medieval Military organization#Units, Formations & Commands, analogous and ancestral to the modern term battalion....
. The Galwegians
Fergus of Galloway

Fergus of Galloway was Lords of Galloway from an unknown date , until his death in 1161. He was the founder of that "sub-kingdom," the resurrector of the Bishopric of Whithorn, the patron of new abbeys , and much else besides....
  - described by a later chronicler as
" men agile, unclothed, remarkable for much baldness; arming their left side with knives formidable to any armed men, having a hand most skillful at throwing spears and directing them from a distance; raising their long lance as a standard when they advance into battle"
- were in the first line. "The second line the King's son Prince Henry arranged with great wisdom; with himself the knights and archers, adding to their number the Cumbrians
David, Prince of the Cumbrians

Before David I of Scotland became King of Scotland in 1124, he was David, Prince of the Cumbrians and earl of a great territory in the middle of England acquired by marriage....
 and Teviotdalesmen
River Teviot

The River Teviot is a river of the Scottish Borders, and rises in the western foothills of Comb Hill on the border of Dumfries and Galloway. It flows north-eastwards through Teviotdale and past Teviothead, Hawick and Roxburgh before joining the River Tweed to the southwest of Kelso, Scottish Borders....
 ... The men of Lothian
Lothian

Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills.In Lothian there is Edinburgh City, West Lothian, Mid Lothian and East Lothian....
 formed the third rank, with the islanders
Argyll and Bute

Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 Council areas of Scotland; and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead....
 and the men of Lorne
Lorne, Argyll and Bute

Lorne is a region and historic district in the west of Scotland, now part of the Argyll and Bute Subdivisions of Scotland. The district bordered Argyll to the south, Lochaber to the north and Breadalbane, Scotland to the east....
. The King kept in his own line the Scots
Scottish people

The Scots people are a nation and an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland.Historically, as an ethnic group, they emerged from an amalgamation of Celts, Picts, Gaels and Brythons....
 and Moravians
Moray

Moray is one of the 32 Council areas of Scotland of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland ....
; several also of the English and French knights he appointed as his bodyguard.”

Henry of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon

Henry of Huntingdon was an English historians in the Middle Ages and archdeacon of Huntingdon....
's account of the battle would imply that the men of Lothian with their ‘long spears’ were in the first line; however, the generally accepted view is that the long spears were those of the Galwegians. .

Scots argue

Ailred says (but this may be a literary device) that this order of battle was decided at the last minute; David had intended to attack first with his knights and armoured men-at-arms, but had faced strong protests from the Galwegians that they should be given the honour of attacking first, since they had already demonstrated at Clitheroe that the vigour of their attack was sufficient to rout Normans in armour. David, however, paid more attention to the counter-argument of his Normans; that if the Galwegians failed the rest of the army would lose heart. The Galwegians resumed their protest , and the debate was not aided by a mormaer
Máel Ísu I, Earl of Strathearn

Mormaer M?el ?su I , , is the earliest known Mormaer of Strathearn; but as with other Mormaerdoms, this is simply a source problem and in no way means the lordship was a novelty....
 (one of David’s native ‘great lords’
Mormaer

The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the Kings of Scots, and the senior of a toisech....
) asking why David listened to 'foreigners' when none of those with armour on would this day outdo the mormaer who wore no armour .
And Alan de Percy, base-born son of the great Alan
Baron Percy

The title Baron Percy has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The first, in 1066, became extinct in 1299. The second, in 1299, became extinct in 1517....
 - a most vigorous knight, and in military matters highly distinguished - took these words ill; and turning to the earl he said, 'A great word hast thou spoken, and one which for thy life thou canst not make good this day.' Then the king, restraining both, lest a disturbance should suddenly arise out of this altercation, yielded to the will of the Galwegians ..


Anglo-Normans orate

Both Ailred and Henry of Huntingdon report a speech made to the Anglo-Normans before battle was joined. The speech may well be a literary device of the chroniclers, to present the reasons why it was fit and proper that the Normans should win, rather than accurate reportage of an actual speech. Ailred of Rievaulx says the speech was made by Walter Espec
Walter Espec

Walter Espec was a prominent military and judicial figure of the reign of Henry I of England. In the years up to 1120 he with Eustace Fitz John controlled northern England....
, Sheriff of York (and founder of Rievaulx). Henry of Huntingdon and after him Roger of Hoveden say the speech was made by Radulf Novell
Radulf Novell

Radulf Novell was a 12th century Anglo-Norman prelate. He was a native of York, and according to writings produced by the Archbishopric of York, was elected as Bishop of Orkney at St Peter's church in York by some representatives of the community of Orkney....
 Bishop of Orkney
Bishop of Orkney

The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics within the territory of modern Scotland....
 as the representative of Thurstan.

The speaker first reminds the Normans of the military prowess of their race (especially when compared to the Scots):
"Most illustrious nobles of England, Normans
Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock....
 by birth, ... consider who you are, and against whom, and where it is, you are waging war; for then no one shall with impunity resist your prowess. Bold France, taught by experience
Battle of Bremule

The Battle of Br?mule was fought in 1119 between Henry I of England and Louis VI of France of France. Henry I had to defend his holdings in Normandy several times and defeated a French invasion at the Battle of Br?mule in 1119....
, has quailed beneath your valour, fierce England
William I of England

William I , better known as William the Conqueror , was Duke of Normandy from 1035 and English monarchy from later 1066 to his death. William is sometimes also referred to as "William II" in relation to his position as the second Duke of Normandy of that name....
, led captive, has submitted
Norman conquest of England

The Norman conquest of England began in 1066 AD with the invasion of the Kingdom of England by the troops of William I of England, Duke of Normandy , and his victory at the Battle of Hastings....
 to you; rich Apulia
Norman conquest of southern Italy

The Normans conquest of southern Italy spanned most of the eleventh century, involving many battles and many independent players conquering territories of their own....
, on having you for her masters, has flourished once again; Jerusalem
First Crusade

The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the primary goal of responding to the appeal from Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. The Emperor requested that western volunteers come to their aid and repel the Seljuk Turks in Anatolia, Modern day Turkey....
 so famed, and illustrious Antioch
Siege of Antioch

The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098. The first siege, by the crusaders against the Muslim city, lasted from October 21, 1097, to June 2, 1098....
, have bowed themselves before you; and now Scotland, which of right is subject to you, attempts to show resistance, displaying a temerity not warranted by her arms, more fitted indeed for rioting than for battle. These are people, in fact, who have no knowledge of military matters, no skill in fighting, no moderation in ruling. There is no room then left for fear, but rather for shame, that those whom we have always sought on their own soil and overcome ..have ...come flocking into our country."


He next assures them that God has chosen them to punish the Scots:
"This .. has been brought about by Divine Providence; in order that those who have in this country violated the temples of God, stained the altars with blood, slain his priests, spared neither children nor pregnant women, may on the same spot receive the condign punishment of their crimes; and this most just resolve of the Divine will, God will this day put in execution by means of your hands. Arouse your spirits then, ye civilized warriors, and, firmly relying on the valour of your country, nay, rather on the presence of God
Transubstantiation

In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation is the change of the Substance theory of Host and Sacramental wine into the Body of Christ and Blood of Christ occurring in the Eucharist while all that is accessible to the senses remain as before....
, arise against these most unrighteous foes"


Any keenness of the Scots to attack is because they don't understand the superiority of Norman equipment:
"And let not their rashness move you, because so many insignia of your valour cause no alarm to them. They know not how to arm themselves for battle; whereas you, during the time of peace, prepare yourselves for war, in order that in battle you may not experience the doubtful contingencies of warfare. Cover your heads then with the helmet
Helmet

A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries, a variation of the hat. The oldest use of helmets was by Ancient Greek soldiers, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from sword blows and arrows....
, your breasts with the coat of mail, your legs with the greaves
Greaves

Greaves may refer to*Greave, armour that protects the leg *Greaves Greaves is also a surname, which may refer to:*Jimmy Greaves, English footballer...
, and your bodies with the shield
Shield

A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. The term often refers to a device that is held in the hand, as opposed to armour or a bullet proof vest....
, that so the foeman may not find where to strike at you, on seeing you thus surrounded on every side with iron."


Furthermore, the Scots' advantage in numbers is no advantage at all, especially when they are up against properly trained Norman knights:
"[I]t is not so much the numbers of the many as the valour of the few that gains the battle. For a multitude unused to discipline is a hindrance to itself, when successful, in completing the victory, when routed, in taking to flight. Besides your forefathers, when but few in number, have many a time conquered multitudes; what then is the natural consequence of the glories of your ancestry, your constant exercises, your military discipline, but that though fewer in number, you should overcome multitudes?"
The bishop then finishes by promising that anyone who dies in battle against the Scots this day will go straight to Heaven
Heaven

Heaven may refer to the physical heavens, the atmosphere or the seemingly endless expanse of the universe beyond. This is the traditional literal meaning of the term in English, however since at least AD 1000, it is typically also used to refer to an afterlife plane of existence in various religions and spirituality philosophy, often descri...
 with all his sins forgiven
Indulgence

An indulgence, in Roman Catholic theology, is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven....
. These preliminaries over, the battle begins.

Galwegian attack is held and fails

The battle began with a charge by the Galwegian spearmen who
"after their custom gave vent thrice to a yell of horrible sound, and attacked the southerns in such an onslaught that they compelled the first spearmen to forsake their post; but they were driven off again by the strength of the knights, and [the spearmen] recovered their courage and strength against the foe. And when the frailty of the Scottish lances was mocked by the denseness of iron and wood they drew their swords and attempted to contend at close quarters"
The English archery caused disorganisation and heavy casualties in the Scottish ranks. Ailred records the bravery and determination of the Galwegians, together with its ineffectiveness:
"like a hedgehog with its quill, so would you see a Galwegian bristling all round with arrows, and nonetheless brandishing his sword, and in blind madness
Berserker

Berserkers were Norsemen warriors who wore coats of wolf or bear skin and were commonly understood to have fought in an uncontrollable rage or trance of fury, hence the modern word berserk....
 rushing forward now smite a foe, now lash the air with useless strokes".
The Galwegians finally fled after the death of two of their leaders (Domnall and Ulgric); the men of Lothian similarly broke after the earl of Lothian
Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian

Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian or Earl of Dunbar, , was an Anglo-Saxon noble from the early 12th century.He was the son of Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, sometime Earl of Northumbria ....
 was killed by an arrow

The King retreats; Prince Henry attacks

David wished to stand and fight, but was forced onto his horse and compelled to retire by his friends. Ailred simply says that the English were advancing; Henry of Huntingdon says that David's 'line' had been progressively melting away. Prince Henry led mounted men in a charge on the Anglo-Norman position, as or just after the Scots foot broke. According to Ailred, Henry successfully broke through and attacked the horse-holders in the rear of the Anglo-Norman position; the 'unarmed men' (ie unarmoured men) were dispersed, and only rallied by a claim that the Scottish king was dead. Since Prince Henry was unsupported and the rest of the army was withdrawing, for the most part in great disorder, he hid any banners showing his party to be Scottish, and retreated towards David by joining the English pursuing him. Henry of Huntingdon is keener to stress Henry's inability to shake the armoured men; again the attack ends in flight
"Next, the king’s troop ... began to drop off, at first; man by man, and afterwards in bodies, the king standing firm, and being at last left almost alone. The king’s friends seeing this, forced him to mount his horse and take to flight; but Henry, his valiant son, not heeding what he saw being done by his men, but solely intent on glory and valour, while the rest were taking to flight, most bravely charged the enemy’s line, and shook it by the wondrous vigour of his onset. For his troop was the only one mounted on horseback, and consisted of English and Normans, who formed a part of his father’s household. His horsemen, however, were not able long to continue their attacks against soldiers on foot, cased in mail, and standing immoveable in close and dense ranks; but, with their lances broken and their horses wounded, were compelled to take to flight."


Scots Rout & Casualties

The battle lasted no longer than between prime
Prime (liturgy)

Prime, or the First Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the traditional Divine Office , said at the first hour of daylight , between the morning Hour of Lauds and the 9 a.m....
 and terce
Terce

Terce, or Third Hour, is a fixed time of prayer of the Divine Office of almost all the Christian liturgies. It consists mainly of psalms and is said at 9 a.m....
 i.e. between daybreak and mid-morning. In Northern England at the end of August that would be no more than 3 1/2 hours (even assuming that encounter and deployment had happened before day-break). , and by mid-morning all elements of the Scottish army were in retreat or flight. No numbers are given for total English losses but they are said to have been light; of the knights present, only one was killed. Scottish casualties during the battle proper cannot be separated from losses whilst fleeing in the 10 or so hours of daylight remaining. The chroniclers talk variously of the fugitives scattering in all directions, of their attempting to cross the Tees where there was no ford and drowning, of their being found and killed in cornfields and woods, and of fighting between the various contingents. Richard of Hexham says that of the army which came forth from Scotland, more than ten thousand were missing from the re-mustered survivors. Later chroniclers built upon this to claim 10-12,000 Scots killed. . John of Worcester gives more details on the fortunes of the Scots knights
"But of [David's] army nearly ten thousand fell in different places, and as many as fifty were captured of his picked men. But the king's son came on foot with one knight only to Carlisle, while his father scarce escaped through woods and passes to Roxburgh. Of two hundred mailed knights whom [David] had, only nineteen brought back their hauberks ; because each had abandoned as booty to the foe almost everything that he had. And thus very great spoils were taken from his army, as well of horses and arms and raiment as of very many other things".


Aftermath


End of the Campaign

David regrouped his forces at Carlisle; the nobles of Yorkshire did not move North against him, and their local levies dispersed to their homes rejoicing at the victory. Thus, although militarily the battle was a "shattering defeat", it did not reverse David's previous gains. David had the only army still under arms and was left to consolidate his hold on Cumberland and Northumberland.
On 26 September Cardinal Alberic, bishop of Ostia
Ostia

Ostia may refer to:*Ostia , a modern township on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast, near Rome, Italy.*Ostia Antica, a township and port of ancient Rome...
, arrived at Carlisle where David had called together his kingdom's nobles, abbots and bishops. Alberic was there as a papal legate to resolve a long-running dispute as to whether the bishop of Glasgow was subordinate to the archbishop of York. However, Alberic also addressed more temporal matters: he persuaded David to refrain from further offensive action until Martinmas (11 November) whilst continuing to blockade Wark in order to starve it into submission, and the 'Picts' to (also by Martinmas) return their captives to Carlisle and free them there
At Martinmas, the garrison of Wark surrendered on the orders of the castle's owner (Walter Espec), conveyed by the abbot of Rievaulx. The garrison had eaten all but two of their horses; King David rehorsed them and allowed them to depart with their arms. "Under Henry II
Henry II of England

Henry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France....
 a standard price [of horses] appears to have been £2" Prestwich, Michael, Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages, page 34

Another Peace Agreement

Negotiations between David and Stephen continued over the winter months, and on April 9 David's son Henry and Stephen's wife Matilda of Boulogne
Matilda of Boulogne

Matilda I or Maud , was suo jure Count of Boulogne. She was also wife of Stephen of England and thus queen consort of Kingdom of England....
 met each other at Durham and agreed a settlement. Henry was given the earldom of Northumberland and was restored to the earldom of Huntingdon and lordship of Doncaster; David himself was allowed to keep Carlisle and Cumberland. However, King Stephen was to retain possession of the strategically vital castles of Bamburgh
Bamburgh

Bamburgh is a large village and civil parish in the Berwick-upon-Tweed on the coast of Northumberland, England. It has a population of 454.It is notable for two reasons: the imposing Bamburgh Castle, overlooking the beach, seat of the former Monarch of Northumbria, and at present owned by the Armstrong family ; and its association with th...
 and Newcastle, and Prince Henry was to perform homage for his English lands, while David himself was to promise to "remain loyal" to Stephen at all times. Stephen released those who held fiefs in the lands Henry now held to do homage to Henry, saving only their fealty to Stephen

Northern England Under the Scottish Yoke

This arrangement lasted for nearly 20 years, and would appear to have been beneficial to both sides. David was able to benefit from the resources of Northern England (for example, the lead mines
Alston, Cumbria

Alston is a small town in Cumbria, England on the River Tyne. It is said to be the highest elevation market town in the country, at about 1000 feet above sea level....
 of the northern Pennines
Pennines

The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range in northern England and southern Scotland. They separate the North West England from Yorkshire and the North East England....
 gave him silver from which he was able to strike his own coinage). Northern England did not become involved in the civil war between supporters of Stephen and those of Matilda, although magnates with holdings further south were drawn in. This included David, who despite his promise to Stephen was a loyal supporter of Matilda, but he did not go South with a Scottish army.
The new southern border of David's realm appeared to be permanently secured in 1149, when Matilda's son Henry
Henry II of England

Henry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France....
 was knighted by David at Carlisle
he having first given an oath that, if he became king of England, he would give to [David]Newcastle and all Northumbria, and would permit him and his heirs to possess in peace without counter-claim for ever the whole land which lies from the river Tweed to the river Tyne>.

Status Quo Restored

However, Prince Henry died in 1152, King David in 1153, and King Stephen in 1154. This brought to the throne of Scotland a 14-year-old Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV of Scotland

Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne....
 now facing a young Henry II of England
Henry II of England

Henry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France....
 who had at his command the resources not only of a England free from civil war, but also of much of Western France
Angevin Empire

The term Angevin Empire describes a collection of states ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty. The Plantagenets ruled over an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland during the 12th and early 13th centuries....
. In 1157, Malcolm travelled to Chester to do homage to Henry who declared that "the king of England ought not to be defrauded of so great a part of his kingdom, nor could he patiently be deprived of it ..."
"And [Malcolm] prudently considering that in this matter the king of England was superior to the merits of the case by the authority of might ..restored to him the .. territories in their entirety, and received from him in return the earldom of Huntingdon, which belonged to him by ancient right. Things being so arranged, England enjoyed for a time her ease and security in all her borders. And the king ruled more widely than all who were known to have ruled in England till that time, that is from the furthest bounds of Scotland as far as to the Pyrenees
Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are a mountain range in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. They separate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe, and extend for about from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea ....
".


Did the Battle Matter ?

It didn't stop David achieving his declared war aims. We now know that achieving those aims whilst England was in turmoil did not prevent all David's gains having to be surrendered when Henry II made the Scottish monarch an offer he could not refuse. Unless David had other undeclared aims and ambitions, which defeat at the Standard thwarted, therefore, the battle had no long-term significance.

See also

  • Relatio de Standardo
    Relatio de Standardo

    Relatio de Standardo , or De bello standardii , is a text composed probably in 1153 or 1154 by the Cistercian monk Ailred of Rievaulx, describing the Battle of the Standard, fought near Allerton in 1138 between David I of Scotland, King of Scotland, and a Norman army fighting in support of King Stephen of England....


Modern secondary sources

  • Aird, William M, "Sweet Civility and Barbarous Rudeness" A view from the frontier, Abbot Ailred of Rievaulx and the Scots p 63 onwards in Ellis Steven G et al. (eds) Imagining Frontiers, Contesting Identities, (Pisa, 2007), ISBN 8 8849 2466 9
  • Baker, D. , Aelred of Rievaulx and Walter Espec p 91-98 in Haskins Society Journal 1989, 1
  • Bartlett, Robert
    Robert Bartlett (historian)

    Professor Robert Bartlett , MA , DPhil , FRHistS, FBA, FRSE, FSA, is an English people historian and medievalist.He currently holds the position of Wardlaw Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland....
    , England under the Norman and Angevin Kings, 1075-1225, (Oxford, 2000)
  • Beeler, John Warfare in England 1066-1189 (New York, 1966) [narrative of battle p 84-95]
  • Bliese J. R. E,. , The Battle Rhetoric of Aelred of Rievaulx p 99-107 in Haskins Society Journal 1989, 1
  • Burton, Janet, The Monastic Order in Yorkshire, 1069-1215, Cambridge University Press,(Cambridge,1999), ISBN 0-5215-5229-X
  • Clancy, M. T., England and its Rulers, 2nd Ed., (Malden, MA, 1998)
  • Davies. R. R., The First English Empire: Power and Identities in the British Isles, 1093-1343, (Oxford, 2000)
  • Duncan, A. A. M., The Kingship of the Scots 842-1292: Succession and Independence, (Edinburgh, 2002)
  • Duncan, A. A. M., Scotland: The Making of the Kingdom, (Edinburgh, 1975)
  • Gransden, Antonia, Historical Writing in England, Routledge, (London, 1974), ISBN 0 4151 5124 4
  • Green, Judith A.
    Judith Green (historian)

    Judith Green is an English medieval historian, currently serving as Professor of Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. A graduate of King's College, London and Somerville College, Oxford, she held a research fellowship and then a lectureship at the University of St Andrews before transferring to a lectureship at Queen's University,...
    , "Anglo-Scottish Relations, 1066-1174", in Michael Jones and Malcolm Vale (eds.), England and Her Neighbours: Essays in Honour of Pierre Chaplais (London, 1989)
  • Green, Judith A., "David I and Henry I", in the Scottish Historical Review. vol. 75 (1996), pp. 1-19
  • Moffat, Alistair The Borders , Birlinn, (Edinburgh, 2007) ISBN 1 84158 466 5
  • Oram, Richard, David: The King Who Made Scotland, (Gloucestershire, 2004)
  • Powicke, M, Aelred of Rievaulx and his Biographer, (Manchester, 1922)
  • Ritchie R L G The Normans in Scotland (Edinburgh , 1954)[narrative of battle is p 256-70)
  • Strickland , Matthew, Anglo-Norman Warfare: Studies in Late Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman Military Organization and Warfare, (Woodbridge, 1992)ISBN 0 8511 5328 3
  • (Victoria County History) A History of the County of Cumberland : Volume 2 (1905)


External links

  • (English traditional chronicle)