English invasion of Scotland (1482)

Treaty of Fotheringhay[edit]

Edward IV was disappointed by the failure of his 1474 treaty with James III who had promised that his son, Prince James would marry Cecily of York.^[2] The betrothal was made in October 1474 with a forty-five year truce to last until 1519. Her dowry payments were to be made yearly on 3 February in Edinburgh, brought by Edward's servants from Norham Castle, and a meeting was to be held to resolve the dispute over the 'fish-garth', a salmon trap on the Esk.^[3] Since February 1475, Edward's officers had delivered instalments of Cecilia's 20,000 mark dowry to James's treasurer in St Giles, Edinburgh.^[4]


However, border conflict had restarted in 1480, perhaps due to Scotland's Auld Alliance with France.^[5] According to a chronicle, the Earl of Angus had attacked Bamburgh Castle, and the Earl of Northumberland had raided in Scotland.^[6] By October, James III had written to Louis XI of France asking for guns and artillerymen to repulse further attacks.^[7] Eleven ships were put on war-footing for Scotland in February 1481 and Sir Robert Radcliffe was commanded to arm a fleet with guns and gunners on 8 July. These ships made raids in Forth, attacking Blackness Castle and harassing shipping in the spring and autumn of 1481. There does not seem to have been a land-based invasion of Scotland, but there were three raids into England by a Scottish army in that year. Edward IV had made invasion preparations and began to travel north, but went no further than Nottingham.^[8]


In May 1482, James III's brother, Alexander, Duke of Albany, landed in England at Southampton from France in a Scottish carvel, the Michael, captained by James Douglas. Edward IV seized this new opportunity to invade Scotland, hired Master Douglas and his ship on 9 May, and summoned fighting-men for the cause of the "king of Scotland" on 10 May. Edward IV, Albany and Richard, Duke of Gloucester made a formal treaty at Fotheringhay Castle near Peterborough, where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned and executed a century later. According to the treaty, Alexander, if he became King of Scotland, would reserve to Edward IV the town of Berwick upon Tweed, Lochmaben Castle with land in southern Scotland in Annandale, Liddesdale, Eskdale, and Ewesdale. He would do homage to Edward IV and break the Auld Alliance with France. If he could extract himself from other engagements in the sight of the Church, he would marry Cecily of York. He had already married Anne de la Tour, the daughter of the Count of Auvergne and Bouillon in January. On 11 June, Albany signed "Alexander R.," for Alexander, Rex.^[9]