The Battle of Flodden Field

A fateful day for Scotland

The Battle of Flodden Field was founded upon the soundest of military maxims-'to take the enemy in rear whilst he is directed upon another enemy.' Unfortunately, as with all strategies, it is never more than a 'plan' and being good or sound is no guarantee of success as James IV, King of Scotland, found out to his fatal cost. In 1513, the year of the battle, Henry VIII, the formidable Tudor king sat upon the throne of England though he was on the continent as war raged with France. The King of Scotland was persuaded by the Queen of France to join in the fray, to his own advantage, in a renewal of that famous alliance said to exist between the two kingdoms. A Scots invasion force moved south into Northumbria where, upon a pretext, King James crossed the Tweed at Coldstream, burning castles and property, as he advanced at the head of a formidable Scottish Army of over 60, 000 men. Whilst King Henry was abroad the defence of the realm was put into the capable hands of Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, who moved northwards, gathering forces as he marched. The initial position as the armies faced one another was close to Millfield Plain where each side fielded approximately 30,000 men with the Scots holding the high ground. However both sides manoeuvred for position along the River Till, the English finally crossing it unopposed. The battle, which was originally known as the Battle of Branxton after the site of the Scottish position on its heights, was mostly fought at close quarters, in the manner of the 16th century, and was a scene of barely conceivable carnage as thousands of men blew each other to pieces, pierced each other with arrows, trampled men under the hooves of chargers or hacked with edged weapons. This book describes this pivotal battle and the campaign that accompanied it. When it was over the King of Scotland was lying dead on the field among the bodies of 10,000 of his countrymen including the flower of Scottish aristocracy. It had been the largest battle ever fought between the two nations.

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.