Burnt Candlemas

Burnt Candlemas was a failed invasion of Scotland in early 1356

Burnt Candlemas
by an English army commanded by King Edward III, and was the
last campaign of the Second War of Scottish Independence. English invasion of Scotland
Tensions on the Anglo-Scottish border led to a military build-up by (1356)
both sides in 1355. In September a nine-month truce was agreed, Part of the Second War of Scottish
and most of the English forces left for northern France to take part Independence
in a campaign of the concurrent Hundred Years' War. A few days
after agreeing the truce, the Scots, encouraged and subsidized by Date 26 January –
the French, broke it, invading and devastating Northumberland. In February 1356
late December the Scots escaladed and captured the important Location Lothian, Scotland
English-held border town of Berwick-on-Tweed and laid siege to Result Lothian sacked and
its castle. The English army redeployed from France to Newcastle
burned
in northern England.
Belligerents
The English advanced to Berwick, retaking the town, and moved
Kingdom of  Kingdom of
to Roxburgh in southern Scotland by mid-January 1356. From
there they advanced on Edinburgh, leaving a trail of devastation England
Scotland
50–60 miles (80–100 km) wide behind them. The Scots practiced Commanders and leaders
a scorched earth policy, refusing battle and removing or destroying King Edward III William, Lord
all food in their own territory. The English reached and burnt Douglas
Edinburgh and were resupplied by sea at Haddington. Edward
intended to march on Perth, but contrary winds prevented the
movement of the fleet he would need to supply his army. While waiting for a better wind, the English
despoiled Lothian so thoroughly that the episode became known as "Burnt Candlemas" due to the
destruction by fire wreaked at the time of the Candlemas feast.[1]

A winter storm drove the English fleet away and scattered it, and the English were forced to withdraw.
They did so via Melrose, continuing to devastate Scottish territory, but this time harassed by Scottish forces.
The English army was disbanded in Carlisle in late February, and the Scots went on to take two English-
held castles. A truce was re-established in April. In 1357 a permanent peace was agreed, largely on English
terms.

Contents
Background
Scottish invasion
Berwick
English invasion
Advance
Retreat
Aftermath
Citations and sources
Citations
 Sources

Background
The First War of Scottish Independence between England and
Scotland began in 1296, when Edward I of England
(r.  1272–1307) stormed and sacked the Scottish border town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed as a prelude to his invasion of
Scotland.[2] Berwick was commercially and militarily the most
important town in the border area.[3] More than 32 years of
warfare followed,[4] with Berwick being recaptured by the
Scots in 1318.[5] The Weardale campaign of 1327 went so
badly for the English that it brought Isabella of France and
Roger Mortimer, regents of the newly crowned, 14-year-old
King Edward III, to the negotiating table. They agreed to the
Treaty of Northampton with Robert Bruce (r.  1306–1329) in
1328 recognising Scotland as an independent nation.[6]

Edward was never reconciled to the treaty.[4] In 1332 he

The 1333 Siege of Berwick
backed a rival claimant to the Scottish throne, Edward Balliol,
son of King John I of Scotland. By 1333 England and
Scotland were formally at war again when Edward besieged
Berwick, starting the Second War of Scottish Independence.[7] The Scots felt compelled to attempt to
relieve the town.[8] A Scottish army 20,000 strong attacked the 10,000 English[9] and suffered a
devastating defeat at the Battle of Halidon Hill.[8] Berwick surrendered the next day.[10]

The Hundred Years' War between England and France commenced in 1337,[11] and in 1346 Edward led
an English army across northern France, winning the Battle of Crécy and besieging Calais.[12] Encouraged
by the French King, the Scots invaded England with a large army, certain that few English troops would be
left to defend the rich northern English cities.[13] The Scots were decisively beaten at the Battle of Neville's
Cross and their king,[14] David II, was captured.[15] The Scottish threat receded and the English were able
to commit fully to the war with France.[16]

Scottish invasion

By 1355 David II was still a prisoner, ransom negotiations having deadlocked several times over the
amount of David's ransom, his successor in the event of his childless death, the restoration of several
English-supporting Scottish lords, whether David was to do homage to Edward for Scotland and how long
any cessation to hostilities was to last before breaking down altogether.[17] At this Scottish nobles,
encouraged by the French, started gathering an army on the border. The English mobilised in response.[18]
The French sent 50[19] or 60[20] men-at-arms under Yon de Garencières to Scotland. They also promised
the Scots a large cash payment to be distributed among the elite if they would invade England.[19] When
this payment failed to arrive by late September, a nine-month truce was agreed between the English and the
Scottish. The English military focus then switched to France: Edward intended to campaign in northern
France[18][21] and his son, the Black Prince, was about to lead an attack in the south west. A large part of
the English force subsequently moved south to join Edward's planned campaign.[22] Many members of the
garrisons of the English border fortresses left their posts without permission to join the expedition to
northern France, including the commander of the Berwick town garrison.[23]
A few days after the Anglo-Scottish truce was signed
the French cash, 40,000 gold écus, arrived. Waiting
only until the departing English were well on their
Perth
way, the Scottish reneged on the treaty and invaded
Northumberland in northern England. They were
probably fewer than 2,000 strong, but there was no
Stirling
English field force to oppose them. The Constable of Haddington
Norham Castle, a significant English border Edinburgh

fortification, attempted to counterattack with part of his

garrison and some locals, but this scratch force was Berwick
routed. The Scots pillaged and burned villages across
Northumbria. Edward received the news on 20 Melrose
Roxburgh
October, by which time much of his army was already
in France and the balance was embarking. He
continued with his campaign in France,[24] where he
led a chevauchée – a large-scale mounted raid – across
Picardy, attempting to draw the French army into
battle. The French evaded, prevaricated and avoided The location of several places mentioned in the
battle.[25] text

Berwick

In late October 1355 the Scottish nobles Thomas, Earl of Angus, and Patrick, Earl of March gathered a
small force of Scots and French and boats to transport them in. They escaladed the walls of the town of
Berwick shortly before dawn on 6 November. Carrying the walls the Scots then pressed the short-handed
garrison back through the town towards the separate fortress of Berwick Castle,[26][27] where the town
garrison and the town's inhabitants took refuge. The Scots looted the town. The castle was already strongly
garrisoned and was promptly reinforced by John Coupland, who arrived with part of the English garrison
of Roxburgh. The Guardian of Scotland, Robert Stewart, who was acting as regent for the imprisoned
David II, took personal control of the siege of the castle.[27]

Meanwhile, the expedition in Picardy was proving inconclusive. Edward attempted to set up an arranged
battle, but no agreement could be reached.[28] According to some sources, during these discussions Edward
received word of the fall of Berwick town and the siege of the castle; he cut short the negotiations and
returned his army to England after receiving the news.[29] According to other accounts it was not until he
disembarked in England with the army on 12 November, after the negotiations with the French had failed,
that he learnt of the fall of Berwick.[19][27] In any event, Edward was in Newcastle in the north by
Christmas Eve (24 December), where a large army was assembling, and a fleet was being prepared to
supply it. The army left Newcastle on 6 January 1356.[30] An advance force under Walter Mauny found
Berwick castle was still holding out.[30] Most of the original Scottish assault force had left, leaving a
garrison in the town of 130 men, too few to adequately garrison the walls.[31] The English laid siege to the
town and the Scots could expect no relief force, according to a contemporary "by reason of the discord of
the magnates".[19] Mauny had been accompanied by 120 miners, who tunnelled towards the town walls
while Mauny prepared simultaneous land and sea assaults. On 13 January Edward arrived with the main
English army. The Scots offered to parley[32] and Edward agreed to let them leave, even allowing them to
take with them what plunder they could carry.[31]

English invasion
Advance

Edward moved his army up the River Tweed to Roxburgh by mid-January

1356. On 20 January Balliol surrendered his nominal position as king of
Scotland in favour of Edward, his overlord, in exchange for a generous
pension.[31] The modern historian Clifford Rogers has suggested this may
have been a way for Edward to put pressure on David II, whom Edward
held captive and who was widely acknowledged as king of Scotland, to
agree ransom terms.[33] The Scots were unimpressed[34] and on 26 January
the English army set off towards Edinburgh.[35] The size of the English
army is difficult to assess, but it has been described as a "large ... host" and
as being possibly 13,000 strong.[36] They divided into three columns and
left a trail of devastation 50–60 miles (80–100 km) wide behind them.[37]
Edward III Much of the territory they were despoiling was part of the estates of Patrick
of March, one of the leaders of the Scottish assault on Berwick in defiance
of the truce.[35]

The Scots practiced a scorched earth policy, refusing battle, evacuating the populace ahead of the English
and devastating their own territory. Foraging generated little food and, unusually for the period, the English
soldiers were reduced to drinking water.[37] Arriving at Edinburgh in early February Edward had much of
the town burnt and established a camp to the east of it at Haddington.[38] Here the English army was
resupplied by the English fleet. Edward's plan was to march on the Scottish capital at Perth via Stirling,
perhaps to be crowned King of Scotland at nearby Scone[39]  – the traditional place of coronation for
Scottish monarchs.[40] On the way, according to the contemporary chronicler John of Fordun, Edward
intended "to destroy and ruin Scotland both near and far, and indeed to devastate it utterly."[37]

It was clear the army would require supplying from the sea during this march,[37] but unfavourable north
winds prevented the fleet from moving. Edward waited at Haddington for ten days.[41] While waiting for
the wind to change Lothian was devastated so thoroughly that the Scots called the English incursion "Burnt
Candlemas".[37] This was a reference to the custom of the time of taking one's annual stock of candles to
the local church on 2 February to be blessed in a ceremony known as candlemas; they were then used over
the rest of the year.[42] In mid-February the wind changed, but blew up into a winter gale which thoroughly
scattered the fleet, sinking several ships.[43]

Retreat

Deprived of sea-borne supplies Edward was forced to abandon his plans and beat a hasty retreat.[38]
The
English withdrew to the south west, through as-yet-unspoilt lands. They continued to burn and devastate
Scottish territory, at least as far south as Melrose. This time Scottish forces, led by William Douglas, Lord
of Douglas, harried the English  – attacking foragers, stragglers and detachments. Significant losses were
inflicted, in addition to the many English losses to the winter weather and lack of food. In late February
Edward's troops reached the English border town of Carlisle, where the army was disbanded.[38]

With the English field army gone from Scottish soil the Scots turned to mopping up English-controlled
territory and enclaves in Scotland. The strong English-held castles of Caerlaverock and Dalswinton were
stormed and captured; Galloway accepted the authority of the Scottish crown.[38] On 18 April a new,
partial truce was agreed.[44]

Aftermath
In 1357 terms were agreed for the release of David II. These were very similar to those which the Scots had
refused in 1354.[44] David's ransom was the huge sum of 100,000 marks, to be paid over ten years, on 24
June (St. John the Baptist's Day) each year. During these ten years an Anglo-Scottish truce prohibited any
Scottish citizen from bearing arms against Edward III or any of his men.[13] This truce stabilised the border
area, bringing a measure of peace to it for three decades, and marked the end of the Second War of Scottish
Independence.[45]

Citations and sources

Citations
1. Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham (1895).
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Giving the
Derivation, Source, Or Origin of Common
Phrases, Allusions, and Words that Have a
Tale to Tell (https://books.google.ae/book
s?id=rpnjVDWGKGMC&pg=PA190).
Cassell.
2. Barrow 1965, pp. 99–100.
3. Ormrod 2012, p. 161.
4. Nicholson 1974, p. 120.
5. Brown 2008, p. 151.
6. Nicholson 1974, pp. 119–121.
7. Rogers 2014, p. 63.
8. Sumption 1990, p. 130.
9. Ormrod 1990, p. 159.
10. Tuck 2002, p. 148.
11. Wagner 2006b, p. xxxvii.
12. Burne 1999, pp. 141, 184, 208.
13. Penman 2004, pp. 157–180.
14. Sumption 1990, pp. 552–553.
15. Maxwell 1913, p. 341.
16. Sumption 1999, pp. 145–148.
17. Rogers 2014, p. 336.
18. Sumption 1999, pp. 169–170.
19. Nicholson 1974, p. 160.
20. Sumption 1999, p. 153.
21. Prestwich 1988, p. 469.
22. Wagner 2006a.
23. Sumption 1999, pp. 170–174.
24. Sumption 1999, pp. 170–171.
25. Rogers 2014, pp. 296, 302–303.
26. Blackenstall 2010, p. 11.
27. Sumption 1999, p. 174.
28. Rogers 2014, pp. 297, 299–304.
29. Rogers 2014, pp. 303, p. 303 n. 94.
30. Sumption 1999, p. 187.
31. Rogers 2014, p. 335.
32. Sumption 1999, pp. 187–188.
33. Rogers 2014, pp. 335–338.
34. Nicholson 1974, p. 161.
35. Sumption 1999, p. 188.
36. Rogers 2014, p. 338, p. 338 n. 55.
37. Rogers 2014, p. 339.
38. Sumption 1999, p. 189.
39. Nicholson 1974, p. 162.
40. Rodwell 2013, p. 25.
41. Nicholson 1974, pp. 161–162.
42. Hannay 1911, p. 179.
43. Rogers 2014, pp. 339–340.
44. Rogers 2014, p. 340.
45. Given-Wilson & Bériac 2001, p. 814.

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Blackenstall, Stan (2010). Coastal Castles of Northumberland. Stroud: Amberley. ISBN 978-1-
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Brown, Michael (2008). Bannockburn (https://books.google.com/books?id=bMczrrimZDcC).
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Burne, Alfred (1999) [1955]. The Crecy War. Ware, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions.
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Battle of Poitiers and its Context". The English Historical Review. 116 (468): 802–833.
doi:10.1093/ehr/CXVI.468.802 (https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fehr%2FCXVI.468.802).
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