BattlefieldsHamilton Castle Siege 1579
Tudor

Hamilton Castle Siege 1579

1579
Scotland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Hamilton garrison
Forces
Hamilton garrison
VS
Victor
Regent Morton
Forces
Regent Morton with government forces and artillery
Outcome
Hamilton Castle taken; Hamilton family power broken; leaders exiled
The Battle

History & Significance

The Regent Morton besieged Hamilton Castle in 1579 to break the power of the Hamilton family — the principal supporters of Mary Queen of Scots who continued to resist the King's government long after the fall of Edinburgh Castle. The castle fell after bombardment and the Hamiltons were temporarily crushed, their lands seized and their leaders exiled. The action was part of Morton's systematic suppression of the remaining Marian nobility.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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