BattlefieldsGowrie Conspiracy — Perth Mob Aftermath 1600
Tudor

Gowrie Conspiracy — Perth Mob Aftermath 1600

1600
Perthshire, Scotland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
hostile Perth crowd surrounding Gowrie House
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
James VI with armed escort
Outcome
Royal escort forced through hostile Perth crowds; thanksgivings ordered but resisted by Edinburgh clergy
The Battle

History & Significance

After the deaths of the Ruthven brothers at Gowrie House, the citizens of Perth were initially sceptical of James VI's account of the conspiracy — many believed the king had manufactured a pretext to destroy a family he owed money. When the Perth mob threatened to prevent the bodies being removed, James VI's escort had to force their way through hostile crowds. The king's subsequent insistence that special thanksgivings be held throughout Scotland for his deliverance was met with resistance from the Edinburgh pulpit. The popular disbelief in the Gowrie Conspiracy narrative lasted for years.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Perthshire

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Perthshire