Battle of the River Dee explained
The Battle of the River Dee or the Battle of the River Cree, was fought on 29 June 1308 during the Scottish Wars of Independence near Buittle, on the banks of the River Dee or River Cree, Galloway, Scotland.[1]
Sir Edward de Brus having been left in command in Galloway, Edward led a campaign in Galloway. Edward had defeated John St John during the Battle of Kirroughtree. He then turned his attention to the stronghold of Buittle Castle and the Balliol lands.
On 29 June 1308, the forces of Edward met a force commanded by Donald of Islay or Dungal MacDouall of Galloway and Sir Ingram de Umfraville and Sir Aymer de St John, on the banks of the River Dee at a ford on the River.[2] The forces of MacDouall were routed with heavy losses.[3]
Location and identity of Gallovidian leader
The battle may have been fought near Buittle, on the banks of the River Dee, rather than the Cree as claimed by the Bruce.[4] Specifically, Gesta Annalia II relates that a certain 'Donald of the Isles' led a host of Gallovidians to the River Dee, where they were defeated by Edward Bruce, and the leader was himself captured.[5] Whilst it is possible that the defeated man mentioned by this source might refer to Donald of Islay, an apparent member of Clan Donald,[6] another possibility is that it instead refers to Dungal MacDouall.[7]
A later account of the battle, preserved by the fifteenth-century Scotichronicon,[8] confusingly identifies 'Donald of the Isles' as leader of the Gallovidian forces, but then includes a verse about the clash in which a 'Donald of Islay' is identified as an ally of Edward Bruce.[9] As such, there is reason to suspect that the Bruce-aligned 'Donald' mentioned by this source is identical to Donald of Islay,[10] and that the Gallovidian-aligned 'Donald' is identical to Donald MacCann, a Gallovidian who consistently supported the English against the Bruces, and who disappears from record at about this point in history.[11]
The account of Edward Bruce's campaigning against the Gallovidians, given by the Chronicle of Lanercost, states that his forces were partly composed of men from the Isles.[12] The evidence of Donald of Islay in league with pro-Bruce forces could indicate that Gesta Annalia II was erroneous in placing him and the Islesmen against Edward Bruce's forces.[13] One possibility is that the account given by Chronicle of Lanercost influenced Gesta Annalia II in its identification of Edward Bruce's foe as from the Isles.
References
Bibliography
- Book: Barrow, GWS . G. W. S. Barrow . 2005 . 1965 . Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland . . Edinburgh . 0-7486-2022-2 . B3 .
- Barrow . GWS . 1976 . Lothian in the First War of Independence, 1296–1328 . . 55 . 2 . 151–171 . 0036-9241 . 1750-0222 . 25529181 . B9 .
- Book: Blakely, RM . 2009 . Galloway, the Solway Shore and the Nature of Borders . Smith . B . Ireland and the English World in the Late Middle Ages: Essays in Honour of Robin Frame . . London . 55–67 . 978-0-230-54289-1 . B7 .
- Brown . M . Michael Brown (historian) . 2006 . Review of J Sadler, Clan Donald's Greatest Defeat: The Battle of Harlaw 1411 . . 57 . 1 . 98–100 . 0020-157X . 1745-5219 . 10.3366/inr.2006.57.1.98 . B6 .
- Book: Brown, M . 2008 . Bannockburn: The Scottish War and the British Isles, 1307–1323 . Edinburgh University Press . Edinburgh . 978-0-7486-3332-6 . B1 .
- Book: Birch, WDG . 1905 . History of Scottish Seals . 1 . Eneas Mackay . Stirling . 20423867M . B10 .
- Caldwell . DH . 2012 . Scottish Spearmen, 1298–1314: An Answer to Cavalry . . 19 . 3 . 267–289 . 1477-0385 . 0968-3445 . 10.1177/0968344512439966 . 159886666 . C5 .
- Daniels . PW . The Second Scottish War of Independence, 1332–41: A National War? . MA . 2013 . . D2 .
- Book: Davey, P . 2002 . At the Crossroads of Power and Cultural Influence: Manx Archaeology in the High Middle Ages . http://www.ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/Books/Man_2002/06_Davey_Man_2002_pp_81-102.pdf . Davey . P . Finlayson . D . Thomlinson . P . Mannin Revisited: Twelve Essays on Manx Culture and Environment . The Scottish Society for Northern Studies . Edinburgh . 81–102 . 0-9535226-2-8 . D14 .
- Book: Duffy, S . 1997 . Ireland in the Middle Ages . British History in Perspective . . Houndmills, Basingstoke . 978-1-349-25171-1 . 10.1007/978-1-349-25171-1 . D7 .
- Book: Duffy, S . 2002 . The Bruce Brothers and the Irish Sea World, 1306–29 . Duffy . S . Robert the Bruce's Irish Wars: The Invasions of Ireland 1306–1329 . . Stroud . 0-7524-1974-9 . 45–70 . D6 .
- Book: Foster, J . Joseph Foster (genealogist) . 1902 . Some Feudal Coats of Arms From Heraldic Rolls, 1298–1418 . James Parker & Co. . London . 6963963M . F1 .
- Book: Frame, R . 1998 . Ireland and Britain, 1170–1450 . . London . 1-85285-149-X . F2 .
- Book: Gillingham, J . John Gillingham . 2004 . 1999 . Killing and Mutilating Political Enemies in the British Isles From the Late Twelfth to the Early Fourteenth Century: A Comparative Study . Smith . B . Britain and Ireland 900–1300: Insular Responses to Medieval European Change . . Cambridge . 114–134 . 0-511-03855-0 . G4 .
- Book: Grant, A . 2012 . 2007 . Bravehearts and Coronets: Images of William Wallace and the Scottish Nobility . Cowan . EJ . Edward J. Cowan . The Wallace Book . . EPUB . 978-0-85790-494-2 . G1 .
- Greenstreet . J . 1874–1875 . The 'Nativity' Roll of Arms, Temp. Edward I . The Reliquary, Quarterly Archæological Journal and Review . 15 . 228–230 . G5 .
- Ingamells . RL . 1992 . The Household Knights of Edward I . 1 . PhD . . I2 .
- Lamont . WD . 1981 . Alexander of Islay, Son of Angus Mór . Scottish Historical Review . 60 . 2 . 160–169 . 0036-9241 . 1750-0222 . 25529420 . L2 .
- Book: Lord, E . 2013 . 2002 . The Knights Templar in Britain . . London . 978-1-4058-0163-8 . L5 .
- Book: Lydon, J . James Lydon (historian) . 1992 . The Scottish Soldier in Medieval Ireland: The Bruce Invasion and the Galloglass . Simpson . GG . The Scottish Soldier Abroad, 1247–1967 . The Mackie Monographs . . Edinburgh . 0-85976-341-2 . 1–15 . L3 .
- Book: MacGregor, M . 2000 . Làn-Mara 's Mìle Seòl ("Floodtide and a Thousand Sails"): Gaelic Scotland and Gaelic Ireland in the Later Middle Ages . http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/91505/ . A' Chòmhdhail Cheilteach Eadarnìseanta Congress 99: Cultural Contacts Within the Celtic Community . Celtic Congress . Inverness . 77–97 . M10 .
- McAndrew . BA . 1999 . The Sigillography of the Ragman Roll . Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland . 129 . 663–752 . 0081-1564 . 2056-743X . M9 .
- Book: McAndrew, BA . 2006 . Scotland's Historic Heraldry . . Woodbridge . 9781843832614 . M8 .
- Book: McDonald, RA . 1997 . The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard, c. 1100–c. 1336 . Scottish Historical Monographs . Tuckwell Press . East Linton . 978-1-898410-85-0 . M3 .
- Book: McNamee, C . 2012a . 2006 . Robert Bruce: Our Most Valiant Prince, King and Lord . Birlinn Limited . Edinburgh . 978-0-85790-496-6 . EPUB . M2 .
- Book: McNamee, C . 2012b . 1997 . The Wars of the Bruces: Scotland, England and Ireland, 1306–1328 . John Donald . Edinburgh . 978-0-85790-495-9 . EPUB . M7 .
- Book: Murison, AF . Alexander Murison . 1899 . King Robert the Bruce . Famous Scots . . Edinburgh . 24196612M . M6 .
- Book: Murray, N . 2002 . A House Divided Against Itself: A Brief Synopsis of the History of Clann Alexandair and the Early Career of "Good John of Islay" c. 1290–1370 . McGuire . NR . Ó Baoill . C . Rannsachadh na Gàidhlig 2000: Papers Read at the Conference Scottish Gaelic Studies 2000 Held at the University of Aberdeen 2–4 August 2000 . 221–230 . An Clò Gaidhealach . Aberdeen . 0952391171 . M11 .
- Nicholson . R . 1963 . A Sequel to Edward Bruce's Invasion of Ireland . Scottish Historical Review . 42 . 1 . 30–40 . 0036-9241 . 1750-0222 . 25526719 . N1 .
- Oram . RD . Richard Oram . 1992 . Bruce, Balliol and the Lordship of Galloway: South-West Scotland and the Wars of Independence . Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society . 67 . 0141-1292 . 29–47 . O1 .
- Book: Paul . JB . James Balfour Paul . 1908 . The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom . 5 . . Edinburgh . P9 .
- Book: 1914 . Parishes: East Cowton . https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/north/vol1/pp160-162 . Page . W . William Page (historian) . A History of the County of York North Riding . 1 . . London . . P3 .
- Penman . M . 1999 . A Fell Coniuracioun Agayn Robert the Douchty King: The Soules Conspiracy of 1318–1320 . The Innes Review . 50 . 1 . 25–57 . 10.3366/inr.1999.50.1.25 . 0020-157X . 1745-5219 . 1893/2106 . free . P2 .
- Book: Penman, M . 2014 . Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots . . New Haven, CT . 978-0-300-14872-5 . P8 .
- Reid . NH . 1984 . The Political Rôle of the Monarchy in Scotland, 1249–1329 . PhD . 1842/7144 . free . . R6 .
- Reid . RC . 1958 . Edward de Balliol . Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society . 35 . 0141-1292 . 38–63 . R3 .
- Book: Scott, RN . 2009 . 1982 . Robert the Bruce, King of Scots . Canongate Books . Edinburgh . EPUB . 978-1-84767-746-4 . S9 .
- Book: Strickland, M . 2008 . Treason, Feud and the Growth of State Violence: Edward I and the 'War of the Earl of Carrick', 1306–7 . Given-Wilson . C . Kettle . A . Scales . L . War, Government and Aristocracy in the British Isles, c.1150 . The Boydell Press . 978-1-84383-389-5 . Woodbridge . 84–113 . S1 .
- Taggart . JH . 2004 . The Historicity of Barbour's Bruce . University of Glasgow . PhD . T2 .
- Thornton . T . 1998 . Scotland and the Isle of Man, c.1400–1625: Noble Power and Royal Presumption in the Northern Irish Sea Province . Scottish Historical Review . 77 . 1 . 1–30 . 0036-9241 . 1750-0222 . 10.3366/shr.1998.77.1.1 . 25530803 . T1 .
- Book: Traquair, P . 1998 . Freedom's Sword . registration . . Niwot . 1-57098-247-3 . 8730008M . T3 .
- Young . F . 2018 . 'A Nation Nobler in Blood and in Antiquity': Scottish National Identity in Gesta Annalia I and Gesta Annalia II . 1842/33054 . free . PhD . University of Edinburgh . Y2 .
Notes and References
- Book: Nicholson, Ranald . Scotland: the later Middle Ages . Barnes & Noble . 1974 . 978-0-06-495147-0 . 78.
- Book: Barbour, John . The Bruce of Bannockburn: being a translation of the greater portion of Barbour's Bruce . Stirling: Eneas Mackay . 1914 . 179-180 . Macmillian . Michael . John Barbour (poet).
- Book: The Chronicle of Lanercost, 1272-1346 : Translated, with notes . . 1913 . Glasgow . 286-287 . Maxwell . Herbert . Sir Herbert Maxwell, 7th Baronet.
- [Dungal MacDouall#B3|Barrow (2005)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#Y2|Young (2018)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#R6|Reid, NH (1984)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#L2|Lamont (1981)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#Y2|Young (2018)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#D1|Duncan (2007)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#Y2|Young (2018)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#Y2|Young (2018)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#M7|McNamee (2012b)]
- [Dungal MacDouall#R6|Reid, NH (1984)]