Battle of Neville’s Cross captures Scottish king in 1346
On October 17, 1346, the Battle of Neville's Cross outside Durham resulted in the capture of King David II of Scotland.
French request for Scottish aid
King Philip IV of France asked King David to invade England while Edward III was away fighting in France. The French monarch wrote to David in June and July urging him to strike hard at England. Philip described the situation as a defenseless void that offered a perfect opportunity for Scotland.
Scottish invasion of northern England
King David led an army of around 12,000 men into England on October 7. His forces stormed the Peel of Liddell and took a ransom from Carlisle before sacking Hexham Abbey. The Scottish army fought outside Durham two weeks later against English forces.
Outcome of the engagement
The battle was a decisive moment in Anglo-Scottish history that led directly to the capture of the Scottish monarch. Few people today know about this event compared to other famous battles like Bannockburn or Agincourt. The victory allowed Edward III to continue his campaign without immediate threat from Scotland.
Reported by one outlet
Only one outlet has published this. Nothing here has been checked against a second report, so read it as that outlet's account and follow the link below for the original.
Reported by
1 independent outlet. Headline as published. Links open the original report.