BattlefieldsHuntly Approach to Glenlivet — George Gordon Sword Fight 1594
Tudor

Huntly Approach to Glenlivet — George Gordon Sword Fight 1594

1594
Scotland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Argyll government forces
Forces
Argyll government horse on the approach to Glenlivet
VS
Victor
Catholic Earls (Gordon/Huntly forces)
Forces
Gordon cavalry advance
Outcome
Catholic earls won the approach skirmish and the main Glenlivet battle; Gordon cavalry distinguished
The Battle

History & Significance

On the approach to the Battle of Glenlivet in October 1594, as the government force under the young Earl of Argyll moved through the Glenlivet valley, there was a personal encounter between George Gordon and a government cavalry officer in advance of the main engagement. Gordon allegedly unhorsed his opponent in single combat before the battle proper began. The Glenlivet campaign itself saw Huntly and Erroll's experienced Catholic earls, with Spanish-trained infantry, defeat Argyll's larger but less experienced Highland force through aggressive use of musketry and cavalry on the flanks — a decisive Catholic earls victory that embarrassed James VI.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

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 this battlefield