The Battle of Corrichie 1562

It was fought between the forces of George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, against the forces of Mary Queen of Scots, under the Earl of Moray. Huntly had defeated the English twenty years earlier at the Battle of Haddon Rig, but at Corrichie he was defeated by Queen Mary’s forces, and apparently died of apoplexy after his capture. Mary had come in person to the north of Scotland to confront the power of the Gordons. At Corrichie, the Gordon’s tactic of charging with swords was defeated by Moray’s pike drill.

What were they fighting about? 

The Earl of Huntly had lost the territories of Moray and Mar, which he considered his heritage, so he became an enemy of the new Earl of Moray, who was the half-brother of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary and her half-brother travelled to Aberdeen in August, and met the Earl and Countess of Huntly. Mary wished to imprison their son in Stirling Castle, and journeyed towards Huntly Castle with Huntly himself, but she later turned back, defeated by Huntly’s refusal to hand over his son.

Mary and her court then travelled to Inverness Castle, but the Gordon Captain there refused to give up the royal castle. At this time, a collection of 12 separate Scottish clans, united as the Clan Chattan, deserted Huntly and joined Mary Queen of Scots, along with several other clans including the Frasers and Munros.

They took Inverness Castle easily on 9 September, and the Gordon Captain was executed. Mary and her court returned to Aberdeen. Huntly tried to find out about the Queen’s intentions from his cousin, but their correspondence was discovered and the cousin was forced to flee. By then, Huntly had reached Corrichie.

The Earl of Huntly had a royal cannon at Huntly Castle. Mary demanded its return with short notice. Her men went to Huntly Castle on 9 October and attempted to capture the Earl, but he escaped over a low wall at the back of the property. The Countess of Huntly stayed at Huntly Castle while the Earl went to his house at Badenoch, and was declared a rebel on 17 October. Eleven days later, he and his men were defeated by Mary Queen of Scots’ forces at Corrichie.