List of wars involving Scotland
This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of Scotland before the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain by the Acts of Union 1707, including clan conflicts, civil wars, and rebellions. For dates after 1708, see List of wars involving the United Kingdom.
10th and 11th centuries[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Athelstan's invasion of Scotland
(934–937) Location: Whole of Scotland |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Deheubarth |
Partial Scottish Victory
|
Annexation of Strathclyde
(c. 1034) Location: Strathclyde |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Strathclyde | Scottish Victory |
Invasion of Northumbria
(1039) Location: Northumbria |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England | Scottish Defeat at Siege of Durham |
Invasion of Moray
(1040) Location: Moray |
Kingdom of Scotland | Supporters of Macbeth | Victory of Macbeth and death of Duncan I at Battle of Bothnagowan |
Norman invasion of Scotland
(1072) Part of the Norman conquest of Britain Location: Scottish Borders and Northumbria |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England |
|
12th century[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Óengus's invasion of Scotland
(1130) Location: Angus |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Moray
Kingdom of Ross |
Scottish Victory
|
Somairle's invasion of Scotland
(1164) Location: Renfrewshire |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of the Isles | Scottish Victory
|
Revolt of 1173–74
(1173–1174) Location: England, Normandy, Scottish Borders, Brittany, and Flanders |
English Rebels under Eleanor of Aquitaine
County of Flanders |
English Royalists loyal to Henry II | Scottish Defeat
|
13th century[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Scottish–Norwegian War
(1262–1266) Location: Hebrides and the Scottish West Coast |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of the Isles |
|
Clan MacDougall-Clan Campbell feud
Part of the First War of Scottish Independence (c. 1294) Location: Loch Awe |
Clan MacDougall | Clan Campbell | Clan MacDougall victory at the Battle of Red Ford, with heavy casualties on either side
|
First War of Scottish Independence
(1296–1328) Location: Scotland, England, and Ireland |
Kingdom of Scotland
Supported by: Kingdom of Thomond Kingdom of Magh Luirg Kingdom of Oriel |
Kingdom of England | Scottish Victory, ending English military occupation in the country
Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton
|
14th century[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Clan Cameron-Clan Mackintosh feud
(c. 1330–1688) Location: Lochaber and Southeastern Highlands |
Clan Cameron | Clan Mackintosh |
Various clan battles and skirmishes over the centuries, with no overall winner Ended in Battle of Mulroy, a Clan Cameron victory (allied with Clan MacDonald of Keppoch), after which clan warfare largely ceased in Scotland |
Second War of Scottish Independence
(1332–1357) Location: Scotland |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England
Supporters of Edward Balliol |
Scottish Victory with end of English claims to the country's sovereignty
|
Hundred Years' War
(1296–1328) Location: France, the Low Countries, Great Britain, and the Iberian Peninsula |
Kingdom of Scotland
Crown of Castile Republic of Genoa Kingdom of Bohemia Crown of Aragon |
Kingdom of England
Duchy of Brittany (Montfort) Kingdom of Portugal Kingdom of Navarre Flanders Luxembourg |
Scottish Victory
English victory in the Edwardian War French victory in the Caroline War and the Lancastrian War |
Anglo-Scottish Wars
(1377–1575) Location: Scottish Borders and Northern England |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England | Series of border skirmishes resulting in stalemate |
Wolf of Badenoch feuds
(1391) Location: Angus |
Clan Stewart of Buchan
Clan Robertson |
Clan Ogilvy
Clan Gray |
Clan Stewart victory
|
15th century[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Clan Mackay-Clan Gunn feud
(1426–1517) Location: Caithness and Sutherland |
Clan Mackay
Supported by: Clan Keith |
Clan Gunn
Supported by: |
Various clan battles and skirmishes throughout the 15th century, with no overall winner
Ended in Battle of Torran Dubh, a Gunn victory, after which the two feuding clans allied against Clan Sinclair |
Royal-Black Douglas feud
(1440–1526) Location: Galloway, Scottish Borders, and West Lothian |
Royalists loyal to House of Stewart | Rebels allied to Black Douglases | Victory for House of Stewart and eventual exile of the leaders of Clan Douglas after the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge |
Clan Gordon-Clan Lindsay feud
(1445–1452) Location: Angus |
Clan Gordon
Supported by: Clan Ogilvy |
Clan Lindsay | Two clan battles: the first won by Clan Lindsay, the second, as part of the Royal-Black Douglas Civil War, Clan Gordon |
Clan Munro-Clan Mackenzie feud
(1452–1715) Location: Ross |
Clan Munro
Supported by: |
Clan Mackenzie | Various clan battles and skirmishes over the centuries, with no overall winner
Ended in Siege of Brahan during the Jacobite rising of 1715, when Clan Munro, loyal to the British Government, forced the Jacobite Mackenzies to surrender. Clan warfare largely ceased after this period |
Clan Fraser of Lovat-Clan Mackenzie feud
(1452–1715) Location: Ross |
Clan Fraser of Lovat
Supported by: Clan Munro |
Clan Mackenzie | Various clan battles and skirmishes over the centuries, with no overall winner
Ended in Siege of Brahan during the Jacobite rising of 1715, when Clan Fraser, loyal to the British Government, forced the Jacobite Mackenzies to surrender. Clan warfare largely ceased after this period |
Clan Munro-Clan Mackintosh feud
(1454–1719) Location: Inverness-shire |
Clan Munro | Clan Mackintosh | Two clan battles and a perpetuated rivalry, ending after the Battle of Glen Shiel when Clan Mackintosh sided with the British Government, and Clan Munro the losing Jacobites |
Clan Gunn-Clan Keith feud
(1464–c. 1478) Location: Caithness |
Clan Gunn | Clan Keith | Two clan battles ending in a Keith victory at the Battle of Champions
A treaty of friendship was signed by the clans in 1978, after 300 years of peace |
Clan Mackay-Clan Ross feud
(c. 1480–1550) Location: Ross and Sutherland |
Clan Mackay | Clan Ross | Various clan battles and skirmishes largely in the 1480s, with no overall winner
Ended in a 1550 raid (and massacre) by Clan Mackay on Clan Ross |
Clan MacDonald-Clan Maclean feud
(c. 1480–1598) Location: Lochaber and Inner Hebrides |
Various branches of Clan Donald | Clan Maclean | Various clan battles and skirmishes largely in the 16th century, with no overall winner
Ended in Battle of Benbigrie, a Clan Maclean victory |
Clan MacDonald-Clan Mackenzie feud
(c. 1480–1602) Location: Ross |
Clan Donald | Clan Mackenzie
Supported by: |
Various clan battles and skirmishes largely in the 1480s, with no overall winner
Ended in a tactical draw at Battle of Morar, after which both families agreed a peace |
Clan Cunningham-Clan Montgomery feud
(1488–1586) Location: Ayrshire |
Clan Cunningham | Clan Montgomery | Various clan battles and skirmishes, as well as several high-profile murders, with no overall winner |
16th century[]
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Dubh's First Rebellion
(1501–1505) Location: Scottish Hebrides |
Kingdom of Scotland | Lord of the Isles | Scottish Victory |
War of the League of Cambrai
(1511–1513) Location: Scottish Borders |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England
Papal States Venice Holy Roman Empire |
Scottish Defeat
|
Clan Mackay-Clan Sutherland feud
(1517–1590) Location: Sutherland |
Clan Mackay | Clan Sutherland | Various clan battles and skirmishes throughout the 16th century, with no overall winner
Ended in Battle of Clynetradwell, after which Clan Sutherland turned their attentions on Clan Sinclair |
The Rough Wooing
(1543–1550) Location: Scottish Borders |
Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of England |
Scottish Victory
|
Dubh's Second Rebellion
(1545) Location: Scottish Hebrides |
Kingdom of Scotland | Lord of the Isles | Scottish Victory |
Marian Civil War
(1568–1573) Location: Scotland |
Supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots | Supporters of James VI, Mary's son | Victory of James VI and imprisonment of Mary before her flight to England |
Clan Sutherland-Clan Sinclair feud
(1570–1601) Location: Sutherland |
Clan Sutherland | Clan Sinclair | Various clan battles and skirmishes resulting in Clan Sinclair surrendering in the Stand-off at Bengrime |
Nine Years' War (Ireland)
(1594–1603) Location: Ireland |
Alliance of Irish clans | Kingdom of England |
Scottish Gaels Defeat
|
17th century[]
Bishops' Wars
(1639–1640) Location: Scottish Lowlands |
Scottish Royalists | Scottish Covenanters | Covenanter victory |
Second English Civil War
(1648) Location: Northern England |
Scottish Royalists | Parliamentarians |
Scottish Defeat
|
Third English Civil War
(1649–1651) Location: Scottish Lowlands and Northern England |
Scottish Royalists
Scottish Covenanters |
Parliamentarians |
Scottish Defeat
|
Jacobite rising of 1689
Part of the Nine Years' War (1689–1692) Location: Scotland |
Scottish Jacobites | Scottish Williamites | Williamite victory resulting in Massacre of Glencoe |
See also[]
- Wars involving Scotland
- Lists of wars by country
- Scottish history-related lists
- Military history of Scotland
- United Kingdom military-related lists