The Battle of Otterburn

Battle of Otterburn
Part of Anglo-Scottish border conflicts
Date 5 August or 19 August 1388 Location 1 mile northwest of Otterburn, Northumberland Result Decisive Scottish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas †	Henry "Hotspur" Percy
Strength
around 2,900	around 3,200
Casualties and losses
around 500	1,500 + killed, wounded, and captured

The Battle of Otterburn took place according to Scottish sources on 5 August 1388, or 19 August according to English sources, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scots and English.

The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle. His account is still regarded with some concern as details, such as the distance between Newcastle upon Tyne and Otterburn, are incorrect.

The Scottish noble James, 2nd Earl of Douglas decided to lead a raid—one of a continuing series on both sides of the border—into English territory. It was timed to take advantage of divisions on the English side between Lord Neville and Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland who had just taken over defence of the border.

The Scots divided their forces with the main force and their baggage train heading towards Carlisle while a raiding party under the Earl of Douglas ravaged the countryside around Durham and Newcastle. Northumberland sent his two sons Harry Hotspur and Sir Ralph Percy to engage while he stayed at Alnwick to cut off the marauders' retreat.

Froissart says that the first fighting included a meeting of the Earl of Douglas and Henry Percy in hand-to-hand combat, in which Percy's pennon was captured. Douglas then moved off destroying the castle at Ponteland and besieging Otterburn Castle (now Otterburn Tower). Percy attacked Douglas's encampment with a surprise attack in the late afternoon, but first encountered the Earl's serving men, giving the bulk of the forces time to muster and attack them on their flank.

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