BattlefieldsComyn Faction Recovers Control 1257
Medieval

Comyn Faction Recovers Control 1257

1257
Perthshire, Scotland
Also known as: Comyn coup 1257 · Comyns retake guardianship of Alexander III
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Durward faction
Forces
Durward faction c.1,000–2,000.
VS
Victor
Comyn faction
Forces
Comyn faction c.1,500–2,500
Outcome
Comyns regained control of the young king; shared guardianship established
The Battle

History & Significance

The Comyn faction struck back in 1257, seizing Alexander III from the Durward party in a counter-coup near Kinross. The event demonstrates how the Scottish nobility used force or the threat of force to control the minor king. The resulting compromise established a shared guardianship. The bitter rivalry between the Comyn and Durward factions foreshadowed the factional struggles that would explode during the Interregnum after 1286.

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