Towton project - Scottish forces present?

[Stuart H]

I’ve been putting together a 28mm Towton for about 3 years now. Its been very slow progress but do check out my blog http://28mmtowton.blogspot.com/.

For my first foray on to the excellent LEF which has provided me with lots of inspiration, I have some questions about whether there were any Scottish troops at Towton. If anyone knows any of these answers, do let me know.

The historical sources agree that Queen Margaret was allowed to raise troops in Scotland in 1460/1. These troops marched south with her and fought in the Battle of St Albans in February 1461. It is possible, even probable, that they marched north with her after this battle. But the vast majority of the material I have read on Towton makes no mention of Scottish troops at Towton.

Haigh, in From Wakefield to Towton, (p 55) talks of “Scottish/Northern mercenaries” who after St Albans turn northward to York (p 57) but he does suggest latter that many of the Lancastrian forces that mustered over the winter of 1460-1 may have possibly dispersed by the Spring (p 66). Any Scottish mercenaries, if they were such, would seem an obvious contenders for this.


Bannockburn - c1440 Scotichronicon

Anyone know any good primary source evidence, either way?

If they were at Towton, there are some follow up questions – who was commanding them, what was their force composition and dress and equipment?

Command? One secondary source claims that George Douglas, Earl of Angus, the Warden of the Border, led the Scottish forces south in early 1461. (Lewis The Wars of the Roses in 100 Facts). However all other references I can find make no mention of Angus actually taking part in any campaign beyond the border regions, partly as part of the periodic English-Scottish raiding.

In terms of what these troops looked like and how they were armed, I’m on even thinner ground. I remember Arlequin’s excellent old blog discussing regional variations of dress and weapons in C15th Britain. Sadly, his that site is now defunct. If I remember correctly, he talked about a prevalence of spear over bill, in Wales and Scotland. Similarly, Scottish forces were renowned for the spear/pike based schillion.

I’ve struggled to find many contemporary native images of Scottish forces. The Scotichronicon, does contain some useful images. One of Bannockburn (above) suggests slightly more dated armour, for the time of publication, than English forces but another depicting Scota and Goidel Glas' voyage shows armour of a more contemporary and continental European style

Scota and Goidel Glas -Sctichronicon mid C15th

Along with non-native sources these suggest little significant differences between lowland Scottish and English or French forces, bar longer spears and more basic equipment. In addition, some research I did when I was an undergraduate, showed the relative socio-economic differences between the border gentry  and their peers south of the Humber. Looking at wills they had less disposable income and less chattels. Scots troops' armour and arms may have reflected this too. They may have worn woollen bonnets, possibly blue, as by the late 15th Century, the blue bonnet was being produced, initially in imitation of more expensive felt and fur hats.

The Scottish border region was also know for its archers, much sought after as mercenaries in French armies of the fifteenth century, who become a major element of the French royal guards as the Garde Ecossaise. Given Angus’ holdings on the borders, they and spear-based  forces may be the most obvious forces for Margaret.

If they were highland gallowglasses, then the attire and equipment is less of a mystery and far more distinct.

Any thoughts on what a late C15th lowland Scottish force, south of the border would have looked like and how it was equipped would be welcome.

Stuart

[frank xerox]

Just a thought, but if the first picture is representing Bannockburn then the painter might have deliberately "dated" the equipment to get an old fashioned look.
I know that doesn't help, like...

[Arlequín]

I can offer no primary sources, as is mostly the case with the Wars of the Roses and most 15th Century conflicts. I have a few opinions however and you can have them for free; they might be worth the same amount when all's said and done though.

 

I imagine the Scots Mercenaries to be self-perpetuating, with guys returning home with loot providing the spur to encourage others to seek their fortune. They weren't strictly 'Scots', but 'Lancastrians' recruited in Scotland. They might join a retinue as individuals, or fight as a discrete company under one of their own.

They almost certainly looked very much like their English Borderer cousins, it being noted that a quick switch of field signs saved many a Scots/English Borderer in later conflicts. I don't suppose that the guys from further inland (in both directions) looked that different either, nor town dwellers, be they from Berwick, Edinburgh, or York.

That picture of Bannockburn has some quite new armour elements in it for the 1440s along with older styles. As was the case in England your kit reflected your wealth, or in the case of many volunteers (levies were a thing of the past), what your local 'captain'/lord had in stock.

Taking later conflicts as equivalent, then plate armour and helmets might have a shelf life of up to sixty-seventy years. Non-Metal armours considerably less, which is why you see old bascinets worn with brigandines and jacks, but no akhetons or gambesons.

The picture also shows a mix of spears and polearms, including at least one 'axe' and it's possible that that's what they had... otherwise why would the French need to teach them how to use pikes before Flodden?

[Stuart H]

Thanks to both of you, Frank and Arlequin.

I've always been intrigued about how medieval artists have represented the past - whether in the case of the Bannockburn image, a hundred plus years before or in the  Scota case, the mythical past.  In there former, as you say Frank, there may be  a nod to historical armour albiet mixed with some more contemporary material. But for Scota, its contemporary onlu.

Arlequin, the fact that some of the mercenaries may have been northern Lancastrians who fled across the Border makes sense, and the chroniclers and propaganda sheets of the time seem to conflate "northerns" with "Scots". Ill do a bit more digging in the sources but think you may have provided all the answers already.

Stuart

[Arlequín]

I meant more that they were Scots, but fighting under the 'Lancastrian Flag' so to speak, not unlike a few French, Spanish, German and Low Countries individuals, who were always to be found in 'English' households, or signing up for a campaign.

It wouldn't be diplomatic and would certainly be quite awkward after the event at times, to have official foreign contingents taking part. That Margaret's Army contained Scots was enough to make people commit to the Yorkists in 1460-61; a French queen had invaded with a Scottish Army, was how it was spun by the Yorkist propaganda machine.

Pierre de Breze could only commit to the Lancastrians because he was not at that point under contract to the French King (and out of favour). The respective sides might be given leave to recruit in a foreign nation, even loaned the money with which to pay them out of state funds, but never were actual foreign troops committed under their own flags. Essentially it was all a convenient fiction, but adhered to nevertheless. We might say 'plausible deniability' today.

[Stuart H]

Hi Arlequin,

My failure to read your post correctly.

Your second reply has solved the riddle for me.

Thank you.

Stuart