BattlefieldsDouglas Faction Seizure of James V 1526
Tudor

Douglas Faction Seizure of James V 1526

1526
Scotland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Scott of Buccleuch rescue party c.600
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Douglas Border force
Outcome
Douglas victory; rescue attempt defeated; James V remained Douglas prisoner
The Battle

History & Significance

Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus effectively captured the young James V at Linlithgow and kept him a prisoner-king for three years from 1526. When Scott of Buccleuch attempted to rescue the king at Melrose in 1526 with a force of border reivers, Douglas forces defeated the rescue attempt. The king was present during the fighting. James V never forgave the Douglases — the moment was burned into his memory and he spent years planning his escape and revenge.

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