Battlefields›Moray regent siege of Edinburgh Castle 1571
Tudor

Moray regent siege of Edinburgh Castle 1571

1571
Midlothian, Scotland
Also known as: Lang Siege of Edinburgh Castle — opening phase 1571
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Midlothian, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
King's party forces in the town
VS
Victor
Ongoing — Marians held the castle
Forces
Marian garrison of Edinburgh Castle
Outcome
The opening phase of what became the Lang Siege: Marian supporters held Edinburgh Castle while the King's party (Protestants) controlled the city below; periodic skirmishes through the streets of Edinburgh
The Battle

History & Significance

After Moray's assassination in 1570, Scotland descended into civil war between the King's party (supporting the infant James VI) and the Queen's party (supporting the imprisoned Mary). Edinburgh Castle, held by Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange for Mary, became the focus. The castle exchanged artillery fire with the town below. The conflict turned Edinburgh's streets into a battlefield — shops were looted and burned, and the Old Town divided by faction.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Moray regent siege of Edinburgh Castle 1571

Blackford Hill, fort and settlement
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~1.9 miles
Hanging Stanes,gallows bases,Braid Road
Scheduled monument · ~2 miles
Liberton, standing stone, E end of Ravenswood Avenue
Scheduled monument · Bronze Age · ~2.5 miles
Craigmillar Castle,castle and gardens
Scheduled monument · Medieval · ~2.5 miles
Liberton Battery, anti-aircraft battery 100m E of Liberton Kennels
Scheduled monument · ~2.8 miles
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Henry Tudor's March — Dale to Bosworth
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Skirmish at Welshpool during Henry Tudor March 1485
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