1010 Battle of St Bride
Douglas, Lanarkshire
Malcolm II, King of Scotland bt Danes
Further details would be welcome.
Research note: Have the following two encounters been conflated to
produce the synopsis, above? • After the dreadful massacre of
the Danes, on St. Bride's day, November 13th, 1002, Sweyn, the king of
Denmark, determined to revenge this dreadful carnage, and the next year
razed Exeter to the ground. On king Etheldred's approach, the Danes
retired; but being reinforced, sailed with their whole fleet to Norwich,
which they entirely burnt and destroyed: so that the origin of the
present city must take its date after this event—no part of the ancient
town escaping the general conflagration. In 1004 the Danes, being
repulsed, returned to their ships, leaving Norwich quite desolate, which
continued so for six years, till 1010, when they returned and settled
here.
• The battle of Mortlach was fought in 1010 by King Malcolm the
2nd against the Danes. The Vikings approached from Carron House on
Speyside four miles to the West of Duftown and camped at a place called
Little Conval, while King Malcolm's army had come from the East via
Glen-fiddich and camped on the other side of the river at Auchindoun.
The two armies met near the monastery of Mortlach beside a river called
the Dullan Water which ran in between the two armies. The battle took
place near the Giant's Chair and the monastery of Mortlach. The Giant's
Chair is a bit cut out of a rock that looks like a chair fit for a
giant.
Catching sight of the assembled Vikings the Scots attacked with more
hast than sense! Three of their leaders were killed, the three leaders
were Kenneth, Thain of the Isles: Dunbar, Thain of Laudian and Graeme,
Thain of Strathern. They became rather confused and fell back a little.
At this critical moment King Malcolm fell on his knees facing the chapel
and prayed to God and St. Moluag for victory. In return the King vowed
to build a cathedral church on the site of the chapel to testify that
with God's support, Scotland had been defended. In fact he made the
chapel three spear lengths longer. (a spear length is four metres). The
Scots attacked again and the Vikings retreated. King Malcolm is supposed
to have thrown the Danish general Enetus off his horse and strangled
him. The Scots pursued the Vikings up towards Balvenie Castle with great
slaughter by the victorious Scots! Afterwards in the grounds of the
castle they dug the grave pits where the dead bodies were thrown.
See also:
• St Bride |
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