The Massacre of Berwick, 1296

The history of Scotland and England is marked by several wars, but one of the most significant and brutal ones was the First War of Scottish Independence. This war was fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England from 1296 to 1328, and it was marked by several battles and sieges. The most tragic and devastating of all was the Sack of Berwick, also known as the Massacre of Berwick, which marked the beginning of this war.

Berwick-upon-Tweed was a royal burgh located in Scotland near the border with England, and it was one of the most important trading ports in medieval Britain, second only to London. It was a thriving town, with a large population and a strong garrison. However, this prosperity came to an end in March 1296, when the English army, under the leadership of Robert de Clifford, launched an attack on Berwick. The Scottish army, led by William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas, put up a strong resistance, but it was no match for the English army. The town was taken, and the massacre that followed was one of the most brutal and tragic events in Scottish history.

The contemporary accounts of the massacre vary, but it is estimated that between 4,000 and 17,000 civilians were killed in the town. Women and children were not spared, and the streets of Berwick ran red with blood. The English army, in a fit of rage and tyranny, ordered the massacre of 7,500 souls of both sexes, and it is said that the mills were turned by the flow of their blood. This horrific event was documented in the “Account of the Massacre of Berwick”, written by Bower in the Scotichronicon.

The Sack of Berwick was a turning point in the First War of Scottish Independence. It marked the beginning of England’s conquest of Scotland and showed the brutal nature of this war. It also served as a rallying call for the Scottish people, who united in their fight against English oppression. The war continued for over three decades, but the memory of the Massacre of Berwick remained in the hearts and minds of the Scottish people, serving as a reminder of their bravery and determination to fight for their freedom.