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Berwick, a royal burgh just north of the border, was Scotland's most important trading port, second only to London in economic importance in medieval Britain at that point. Berwick is referenced to be called "Alexandria of the North". Estimates also show that Berwick was, if not the most, one of the most populated towns in Scotland. [10]
The siege of Berwick was an event in the First War of Scottish Independence which took place in April 1318. Sir James Douglas, Lord of Douglas took the town and castle of Berwick-upon-Tweed from the English, who had controlled the town since 1296.
On 6 November a Scottish force led by Thomas, Earl of Angus, and Patrick, Earl of March, captured the town of Berwick in a pre-dawn escalade. They failed to capture the castle, which they besieged. Edward returned from France and gathered a large army at Newcastle. Most of the Scots withdrew, leaving a 130-man garrison in Berwick town.
The siege of Berwick lasted four months in 1333 and resulted in the Scottish-held town of Berwick-upon-Tweed being captured by an English army commanded by King Edward III (r. 1327–1377 ). The year before, Edward Balliol had seized the Scottish Crown , surreptitiously supported by Edward III.
Berwick's garrison was commanded by William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas, while the English army was led by Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford. The English succeeded in entering the town and began to sack Berwick , with contemporary accounts of the number of townspeople slain range from between 4,000 and 17,000.
According to one English source over ten thousand Scots died at the battle of Dunbar, however this is probably a confusion with the casualties incurred at the storming of Berwick. The survivors fled westwards to the safety of the Ettrick Forest. The following day King Edward appeared in person and Dunbar castle surrendered.
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Pages in category "History of Berwick-upon-Tweed" The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total. ... Sack of Berwick (1296) T. Treaty of Berwick (1357)