*Enters the room with a bunch of Highlanders as bodyguards*
So here is the update before you find out where I live and burn down my house. :rofl:
Part One: The Vikings return
The Cast:
After the deposition of Guthred I there was much discussion about who should succeed him. Quite a few believed that Lord Roger Dunkeld would take the opportunity to seize the throne. For the time being it was decided that the most important nobles of Scottish blood should gather in Edinburgh and decide the issue. The meeting would be headed by the most distinguished barons in Scotland Lord Kenneth Loarn and Lord Roger Dunkeld. Whatever plans and illusions the two might have had quickly evaporated when they entered the capital on July 3rd 1134. They where met by a delegation of the commons of Edinburgh and envoys of the nobles of Ireland and Wales, both stating that they would accept only a member of the Atholl dynasty as new king. Naturally this bothered Lord Roger more than Lord Kenneth who proposed Alexander, son of the same poor Alexander of Mar whom he had forsaken only months earlier, as new king. To this Lord Roger could not agree and there was some bitter quarrel until news reached the capital on July 21st that king Guthreds son Malcolm, who had been tutored at the French court for the last ten years, had just landed near Berwick. There was panic amongst the gathered nobles. Had Malcolm come to avenge his fathers deposition? Rumors where about that he had an army of 30.000 welsh and Englishmen at his disposal and he would destroy anyone who opposed him. Lord Kenneth and his supporters fled the city heading northwards.
Lord Roger took a different approach to the situation and ordered the city into a state of festivity to celebrate "the arrival of our lord sovereign Malcolm IV" and set out with all dignitaries still present to meet the king. Malcolm was clearly moved by the affection of his people that was shown to him everywhere on his way to the capital and without hesitation received Lord Roger and all other present into his favour. Then setting up a president he had to Stone of Scone moved to Edinburgh and implemented into a throne in Edinburgh Cathedral. After being the first Scottish king to crowned in Edinburgh on August 8th 1134 the king presided over his nobles sitting on the said throne. His aim clearly was to move to coronation rituals away from Scone and the province where the influence of the old Scottish families was still strong into the capital and heart of royal power.
In general the young monarch was highly talented and quickly won acceptance from all nobles. Fluent in Gaelic, various Saxon dialects of English, Latin and French and with a firm and highly modern grasp of economics he was perhaps the best administrator the kingdom had ever had. One of his first acts of was the redistribution of the crowns land. The king granted the Duchy of Mar and some manors in Ireland to his younger brother Gilleroth and also made extensive grants of land in Ireland to the Church. By giving away these fairly poor lands Malcolm could concentrate on the exploiting his richer possessions in southern Scotland and Lancaster. The number of officials in the various provinces was increased and a special office the "High Royal Treasury " with a "Lord Treasurer" at its top created to co-ordinate the collecting of taxes, tolls and other sources of income to the crown. All in all it can be stated that Malcolm IV had no difficulty to establish his royal authority, which is quite extraordinary if one considers the way his fathers reign had ended. In no small part this was due to the support that the young monarch, he had only turned 16, received from Lord Roger. To many it seemed that it had been this mans actions alone which had brought down one king and placed another one on the throne and so Roger went down in history as "Roger the Kingmaker".
The kings situation was further enhanced by the birth of his son Ranald, future Ranald I. It was however not for his family life that Malcolm IV would come to be regarded as "the Great". Already in 1135 he had his mind on war. Just a few years earlier the Saxon Leofricson dynasty had died out in male branch and the Earldom of Northumberland had been inherited by a Norwegian dynasty. Malcolm was determined to use this opportunity for expansion and in March 1136 a great invasion took place. While the Earldom was invaded from the north by an army lead by the king himself the kings Welsh armies under Viscount Seisyll and Lord Cynfin invaded from the West. At the same time a expeditionary force under Lord Kenneth of Argyll invaded the Orkney Islands. The Norwegians where taken completely by surprise and within a week whole of Northumberland was under Scottish rule. By now however the Norwegians had gathered all forces available to them and confronted Malcolm near the small village of Northampton.
The battle of Northampton is remembered as one of the greatest victories in Scottish history. Occupying a higher ground Malcolm quickly realized that his best chances lay in a cunning defensive plan. The Norwegian army he faced was very different from the forces his great-grandfather Gospatrick II had fought. The Norwegians on the British Isles had by now also adopted feudal warfare, dominated by heavily armed and mounted knights supported by men-at-arms. Since Malcolm had far fewer knights he had to place greater faith and hope in his pikemen. The battle of Mar during the First Scottish Civil War 1113 however had demonstrated that no infantry formation of the day could withstand a fierce charge from the heavy cavalry. Malcolm therefore figured that against an enemy charging uphill his men might stand a chance. Since Malcolm had forced marched his army to the battlefield there was enough time to prepare the battlefield with stakes and other obstacles before the Norwegians arrived.
At the same time Malcolm placed a small detachment of soldiers in a nearby wood on his right flank. It consisted of 500 men-at-arms, 350 light cavalry and 60 knights. They where commanded by the by now living legend Sir Gillepatrick Johnston. He had been marshal under Gospatrick II, Ferteth I and Guthred I and in spite of his age of now 60 years was regarded a brilliant soldier and leader.
Malcolm's battle plan therefore rested on three assumptions.
1: His infantry formation in defensive positions on the hill would not be broken by the initial charge of the enemies cavalry
2.The weight of his men-at-arms, superior both in numbers and quality, would fight the enemy to a standstill before he was able to completely ascend the hill
3.The surprise attack of his secret reserve would brake the fighting will of the enemies rear thereby more than equalizing Malcolm's numerous disadvantage.
The battle began, just as anticipated by Malcolm, round about 7 A.M. with the Norwegians storming uphill in force. They where meet by massive volleys from the Scottish archers and many, especially the lightly armored riders, fell victim to the stakes Malcolm's army had so skillfully created. Nevertheless the Norwegians continued to press on and the knights, headed by their commander Sir Aslak Kamp, reached the first Scottish infantry line round about 7:50 A.M.. These forces where mainly composed of light auxiliary troops. Malcolm had decided to slow down the thunder of the initial charge by sacrificing these fairly worthless troops. After annihilating this first resistance the Norwegians prepared for another attack but before being able to reform back into formation where hit by the joint attack of the Scottish pikemen and knights. Malcolm did not take part in this charge but rather observed the whole situation from afar, since he figured that if he were to die with an infant heir the whole kingdom and dynasty might be in peril. Nevertheless this unchivalrous behavior was interpreted as cowardice by his enemies.
By 8:20 A.M. the Norwegian knights where under considerable pressure and slowly being pushed back down the hill. They now called for the support of the main part of their infantry. However the joint light cavalry and infantry attack which began round about 8:45 failed to break the Scottish lines, whose core consisted of battle hardened men-at-arms from the Highlands. Around 9:30 A.M., 2 1/2 hours after the battle had started, the Norwegians had already suffered considerable casualties (probably some 2,000 dead compared to ~ 800 Scots) but where however still pressing on. At the same time Malcolm's battle lines where growing ever thinner and more and more overstretched. His advisers urged him to give the signal for the secret reserve to enter the contest, but Malcolm resisted this temptation. Instead he ordered his troops to make a orderly retreat into the fortified position they had set up in the center of the hill. While the infantry retreated both archers and cavalry where to harass the Norwegians, thereby preventing them from effective pursuit.
Once the Scottish retreat began around 9:45 A.M. the Norwegians believed they had won the day and pressed on with all power. Quickly their formations began to get loose and considerable gaps opened between cavalry and infantry and heavy and light infantry. Not surprisingly since the Scottish retreat had been an orderly and tactical retreat the Norwegians where repulsed when they tried to storm the Scottish camp. It was at this point where the Norwegians where as spread out and disorganized as they could possibly be that the king via a complex system of flag and fire signals ordered his secret reserve to advance.
Facing close to no resistance Sir Gilllepatricks men smashed into the close to non exsistante enemy rear around 10:15 and quickly routed it. At the same moment the main Scottish host sallied forth from their fortified camp and pressed on against the enemy once more. Completely disorganized, tired by fighting over three hours, mostly uphill and shocked by major attack from an enemy whom they had thought to be beaten, most of the Norwegian auxiliary forces threw away their weapons and ran. The stronger Norwegian units fought on a little longer but where quickly overwhelmed by the two pronged attack. It was now that Malcolm IV joined the fight and rallied his tired men for a final pursuit of the beaten enemy.
This pursuit turned the Norwegian defeat into a disaster. While the actual fighting had probably claimed some 2,800 Norwegians over 3,200 where killed in the bloody aftermath of the fighting and at least 5,000 captured. The few survivors fled in whatever direction seemed to promise safety and poor Sir Aslak was unable to bring them into order again. For this failure he would later be executed by the Norwegian king.
The Scots however had won a total victory at the cost of only 2,000 dead. However the war was far from over and would be decided on yet another battlefield...
I hope it was worth the wait.
~Lord Valentine~
So here is the update before you find out where I live and burn down my house. :rofl:
Malcolm IV "the Great"
Born 1117 - Died 1140
Ruled 1134-1140
Ruled 1134-1140
Part One: The Vikings return
The Cast:
Malcolm IV, King of Scotland, Ireland and Wales
Lord Kenneth Loarn, Duke of Argyll
Lord Roger, Duke of Strathclyde and Atholl, nicknamed "The Kingmaker"
Sir Gillepatrick Johnston, war hero and Marshal of the Royal Army
Sir Aslak Kamp, commander of the Norwegian forces in North England
Lord Kenneth Loarn, Duke of Argyll
Lord Roger, Duke of Strathclyde and Atholl, nicknamed "The Kingmaker"
Sir Gillepatrick Johnston, war hero and Marshal of the Royal Army
Sir Aslak Kamp, commander of the Norwegian forces in North England
After the deposition of Guthred I there was much discussion about who should succeed him. Quite a few believed that Lord Roger Dunkeld would take the opportunity to seize the throne. For the time being it was decided that the most important nobles of Scottish blood should gather in Edinburgh and decide the issue. The meeting would be headed by the most distinguished barons in Scotland Lord Kenneth Loarn and Lord Roger Dunkeld. Whatever plans and illusions the two might have had quickly evaporated when they entered the capital on July 3rd 1134. They where met by a delegation of the commons of Edinburgh and envoys of the nobles of Ireland and Wales, both stating that they would accept only a member of the Atholl dynasty as new king. Naturally this bothered Lord Roger more than Lord Kenneth who proposed Alexander, son of the same poor Alexander of Mar whom he had forsaken only months earlier, as new king. To this Lord Roger could not agree and there was some bitter quarrel until news reached the capital on July 21st that king Guthreds son Malcolm, who had been tutored at the French court for the last ten years, had just landed near Berwick. There was panic amongst the gathered nobles. Had Malcolm come to avenge his fathers deposition? Rumors where about that he had an army of 30.000 welsh and Englishmen at his disposal and he would destroy anyone who opposed him. Lord Kenneth and his supporters fled the city heading northwards.
Lord Roger took a different approach to the situation and ordered the city into a state of festivity to celebrate "the arrival of our lord sovereign Malcolm IV" and set out with all dignitaries still present to meet the king. Malcolm was clearly moved by the affection of his people that was shown to him everywhere on his way to the capital and without hesitation received Lord Roger and all other present into his favour. Then setting up a president he had to Stone of Scone moved to Edinburgh and implemented into a throne in Edinburgh Cathedral. After being the first Scottish king to crowned in Edinburgh on August 8th 1134 the king presided over his nobles sitting on the said throne. His aim clearly was to move to coronation rituals away from Scone and the province where the influence of the old Scottish families was still strong into the capital and heart of royal power.
In general the young monarch was highly talented and quickly won acceptance from all nobles. Fluent in Gaelic, various Saxon dialects of English, Latin and French and with a firm and highly modern grasp of economics he was perhaps the best administrator the kingdom had ever had. One of his first acts of was the redistribution of the crowns land. The king granted the Duchy of Mar and some manors in Ireland to his younger brother Gilleroth and also made extensive grants of land in Ireland to the Church. By giving away these fairly poor lands Malcolm could concentrate on the exploiting his richer possessions in southern Scotland and Lancaster. The number of officials in the various provinces was increased and a special office the "High Royal Treasury " with a "Lord Treasurer" at its top created to co-ordinate the collecting of taxes, tolls and other sources of income to the crown. All in all it can be stated that Malcolm IV had no difficulty to establish his royal authority, which is quite extraordinary if one considers the way his fathers reign had ended. In no small part this was due to the support that the young monarch, he had only turned 16, received from Lord Roger. To many it seemed that it had been this mans actions alone which had brought down one king and placed another one on the throne and so Roger went down in history as "Roger the Kingmaker".
The kings situation was further enhanced by the birth of his son Ranald, future Ranald I. It was however not for his family life that Malcolm IV would come to be regarded as "the Great". Already in 1135 he had his mind on war. Just a few years earlier the Saxon Leofricson dynasty had died out in male branch and the Earldom of Northumberland had been inherited by a Norwegian dynasty. Malcolm was determined to use this opportunity for expansion and in March 1136 a great invasion took place. While the Earldom was invaded from the north by an army lead by the king himself the kings Welsh armies under Viscount Seisyll and Lord Cynfin invaded from the West. At the same time a expeditionary force under Lord Kenneth of Argyll invaded the Orkney Islands. The Norwegians where taken completely by surprise and within a week whole of Northumberland was under Scottish rule. By now however the Norwegians had gathered all forces available to them and confronted Malcolm near the small village of Northampton.
The battle of Northampton is remembered as one of the greatest victories in Scottish history. Occupying a higher ground Malcolm quickly realized that his best chances lay in a cunning defensive plan. The Norwegian army he faced was very different from the forces his great-grandfather Gospatrick II had fought. The Norwegians on the British Isles had by now also adopted feudal warfare, dominated by heavily armed and mounted knights supported by men-at-arms. Since Malcolm had far fewer knights he had to place greater faith and hope in his pikemen. The battle of Mar during the First Scottish Civil War 1113 however had demonstrated that no infantry formation of the day could withstand a fierce charge from the heavy cavalry. Malcolm therefore figured that against an enemy charging uphill his men might stand a chance. Since Malcolm had forced marched his army to the battlefield there was enough time to prepare the battlefield with stakes and other obstacles before the Norwegians arrived.
At the same time Malcolm placed a small detachment of soldiers in a nearby wood on his right flank. It consisted of 500 men-at-arms, 350 light cavalry and 60 knights. They where commanded by the by now living legend Sir Gillepatrick Johnston. He had been marshal under Gospatrick II, Ferteth I and Guthred I and in spite of his age of now 60 years was regarded a brilliant soldier and leader.
Malcolm's battle plan therefore rested on three assumptions.
1: His infantry formation in defensive positions on the hill would not be broken by the initial charge of the enemies cavalry
2.The weight of his men-at-arms, superior both in numbers and quality, would fight the enemy to a standstill before he was able to completely ascend the hill
3.The surprise attack of his secret reserve would brake the fighting will of the enemies rear thereby more than equalizing Malcolm's numerous disadvantage.
The battle began, just as anticipated by Malcolm, round about 7 A.M. with the Norwegians storming uphill in force. They where meet by massive volleys from the Scottish archers and many, especially the lightly armored riders, fell victim to the stakes Malcolm's army had so skillfully created. Nevertheless the Norwegians continued to press on and the knights, headed by their commander Sir Aslak Kamp, reached the first Scottish infantry line round about 7:50 A.M.. These forces where mainly composed of light auxiliary troops. Malcolm had decided to slow down the thunder of the initial charge by sacrificing these fairly worthless troops. After annihilating this first resistance the Norwegians prepared for another attack but before being able to reform back into formation where hit by the joint attack of the Scottish pikemen and knights. Malcolm did not take part in this charge but rather observed the whole situation from afar, since he figured that if he were to die with an infant heir the whole kingdom and dynasty might be in peril. Nevertheless this unchivalrous behavior was interpreted as cowardice by his enemies.
By 8:20 A.M. the Norwegian knights where under considerable pressure and slowly being pushed back down the hill. They now called for the support of the main part of their infantry. However the joint light cavalry and infantry attack which began round about 8:45 failed to break the Scottish lines, whose core consisted of battle hardened men-at-arms from the Highlands. Around 9:30 A.M., 2 1/2 hours after the battle had started, the Norwegians had already suffered considerable casualties (probably some 2,000 dead compared to ~ 800 Scots) but where however still pressing on. At the same time Malcolm's battle lines where growing ever thinner and more and more overstretched. His advisers urged him to give the signal for the secret reserve to enter the contest, but Malcolm resisted this temptation. Instead he ordered his troops to make a orderly retreat into the fortified position they had set up in the center of the hill. While the infantry retreated both archers and cavalry where to harass the Norwegians, thereby preventing them from effective pursuit.
Once the Scottish retreat began around 9:45 A.M. the Norwegians believed they had won the day and pressed on with all power. Quickly their formations began to get loose and considerable gaps opened between cavalry and infantry and heavy and light infantry. Not surprisingly since the Scottish retreat had been an orderly and tactical retreat the Norwegians where repulsed when they tried to storm the Scottish camp. It was at this point where the Norwegians where as spread out and disorganized as they could possibly be that the king via a complex system of flag and fire signals ordered his secret reserve to advance.
Facing close to no resistance Sir Gilllepatricks men smashed into the close to non exsistante enemy rear around 10:15 and quickly routed it. At the same moment the main Scottish host sallied forth from their fortified camp and pressed on against the enemy once more. Completely disorganized, tired by fighting over three hours, mostly uphill and shocked by major attack from an enemy whom they had thought to be beaten, most of the Norwegian auxiliary forces threw away their weapons and ran. The stronger Norwegian units fought on a little longer but where quickly overwhelmed by the two pronged attack. It was now that Malcolm IV joined the fight and rallied his tired men for a final pursuit of the beaten enemy.
A modern painting depicting Malcolm the Great pursuing the beaten Norwegians at the battle of Northampton. Note the unhistorical equipment which seems more suitable for the 16th than for the 12th century.
This pursuit turned the Norwegian defeat into a disaster. While the actual fighting had probably claimed some 2,800 Norwegians over 3,200 where killed in the bloody aftermath of the fighting and at least 5,000 captured. The few survivors fled in whatever direction seemed to promise safety and poor Sir Aslak was unable to bring them into order again. For this failure he would later be executed by the Norwegian king.
The Scots however had won a total victory at the cost of only 2,000 dead. However the war was far from over and would be decided on yet another battlefield...
I hope it was worth the wait.
~Lord Valentine~
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