BattlefieldsSack of Edinburgh 1544
Tudor

Sack of Edinburgh 1544

1544
Midlothian, Scotland
Also known as: Hertford's Edinburgh Raid · Burning of Edinburgh 1544
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Midlothian, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Scotland
Forces
Edinburgh garrison c.1,000–2,000. Siege and sack.
VS
Victor
England (Earl of Hertford)
Forces
English forces c.10,000–15,000
Outcome
Edinburgh burned; Holyrood Abbey destroyed; Edinburgh Castle held out
The Battle

History & Significance

Henry VIII sent the Earl of Hertford to devastate Edinburgh in an attempt to force Scotland into a marriage alliance. Hertford burned the city and Holyrood Abbey but could not take the castle. The systematic devastation of towns and monasteries across southern Scotland was intended to terrorise the Scots into compliance — instead it drove them closer to France.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Midlothian

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 Midlothian