Battlefields›Battle of Dunsinane
Early Medieval

Battle of Dunsinane

1054
Perthshire, Scotland
Also known as: Battle of Dunsinnan
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Macbeth
Forces
Macbeth: c.1,000–1,500. Scottish pitched battle at Dunsinane.
VS
Victor
Siward of Northumbria / Malcolm Canmore
Forces
Siward & Malcolm: c.1,000–1,500
Outcome
Macbeth defeated but survived; Malcolm placed in southern Scotland
The Battle

History & Significance

Earl Siward of Northumbria invaded Scotland in 1054 on behalf of the future Malcolm III (Canmore). He defeated Macbeth at Dunsinane — the hill that inspired Shakespeare's prophecy. Crucially Macbeth survived this battle and retreated north, ruling for three more years until his death at Lumphanan in 1057. Shakespeare conflated the two battles.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Dunsinane

Mill of Peattie, cairn 500m SE of
Scheduled monument · ~1.2 miles
Pitcur Castle
Scheduled monument · ~1.4 miles
Pitcur,souterrain NNE of
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~1.4 miles
Hillfoot, ring-ditches 400m WNW of
Scheduled monument · ~2 miles
Hill of Dores, fort
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~2.1 miles
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Anglian Assault on Roman York (c.450-500 AD)
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