Battle of Otterburn
About 1 mile north-west of Otterburn, Northumberland, England
What happened
A Scottish army under James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas, fought an English army under Sir Henry Percy, known as 'Hotspur'. Scottish forces raided northern England, and Henry Percy was sent to stop them. His men arrived tired and disorganised, and he attacked before his whole force had arrived. The fighting went on into a moonlit night; Douglas fell, but the Scots won and Percy was captured.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a decisive Scottish victory that kept the two sides apart for some time. It inspired famous ballads that are still known today.
What came next
Sir John Montgomery, who captured Percy, used the ransom to build Polnoon Castle. The Percy Cross was put up before 1400 to mark the battle.
Did you know?
The battle inspired the English 'Ballad of Chevy Chase' and the Scottish ballad 'Otterburn'.
Timeline
- 1388Scottish forces raid northern England.
- 5 or 19 August 1388The Scots win at Otterburn.
- Before 1400The Percy Cross is erected to mark the battle.