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Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we turn back the clock to a fateful day—April 27th, 1296—when Scottish hopes were dashed at the Battle of Dunbar, a crushing blow that opened the floodgates for English domination during the First War of Scottish Independence. And if you’re curious about other pivotal events that happened on this day, be sure to check out my blog at bagtownclans.com/thisday. The link will be in the description!

At the end of the 13th century, Scotland was a nation in turmoil. The death of King Alexander III in 1286, and the later death of his heir, Margaret, the Maid of Norway, left Scotland without a clear successor. Thirteen competitors staked their claims to the throne, and fearing civil war, the Scottish nobles invited Edward I of England—known later as the "Hammer of the Scots"—to arbitrate. But Edward’s ambitions went beyond mere mediation. He saw Scotland as a vassal state, and when John Balliol, his handpicked king, began to resist English interference, Edward unleashed a brutal response.

In March 1296, Edward marched into Scotland with a powerful army, determined to crush any opposition. His campaign began with the sack of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a prosperous Scottish border town. The English forces stormed the town, and in a massacre that shocked contemporaries, thousands of civilians were slaughtered. It was a grim warning of what was to come.

From Berwick, Edward turned his attention to Dunbar Castle, a stronghold in East Lothian held by Scottish forces loyal to John Balliol. The Scots, led by the Earl of Buchan and other prominent nobles, positioned their army on high ground near the town, hoping to block the English advance. Their numbers were respectable, and they believed they could repel Edward’s forces.

But Edward, ever the strategist, sent a detachment under John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, to confront them. What followed was not a grand battle of knights and banners, but rather a swift and disastrous rout. Mistaking an English maneuver for a retreat, the Scots abandoned their strong defensive position and charged downhill in pursuit. It was exactly what the English had hoped for. Surrey’s forces wheeled around and counterattacked with devastating effect. The Scottish lines broke almost immediately.

The slaughter was grim, but the real blow came in the aftermath. Hundreds of Scottish nobles were captured, including prominent leaders like the Earls of Ross, Menteith, and Atholl. Many were sent south in chains to England, held as hostages to ensure Scottish obedience. Dunbar Castle itself fell a few days later after a short siege. With the fall of Dunbar, Edward had ripped the heart out of Scottish resistance.

The consequences were profound. With no army left to defend him, King John Balliol was forced to surrender in July of 1296. In a humiliating ceremony known as the "Toom Tabard"—the Empty Coat—Balliol was stripped of his royal regalia at Montrose, symbolizing the end of his reign and Scotland’s submission to English rule. For the next eight years, Scotland was effectively under English occupation.

But even in defeat, the seeds of rebellion were already taking root. Out of the ashes of Dunbar would rise new leaders—most famously William Wallace and, later, Robert the Bruce—who would reignite the flame of resistance. The Battle of Dunbar marked a dark chapter, but it was not the end of Scotland’s story. It was the beginning of a long and bloody fight for freedom, one that would shape the nation’s destiny for generations.

Today, when you visit Dunbar, you can still see echoes of its medieval past. The ruins of Dunbar Castle, perched dramatically on the cliffs overlooking the North Sea, stand as a silent witness to the fury of that spring day in 1296. Waves crash against the rocks below, and the wind howls through the broken stones, carrying whispers of lost battles and undying defiance.

Thank you for joining me today on This Day in Scottish History. I hope this glimpse into the Battle of Dunbar has shed light on a pivotal moment in Scotland’s long struggle for sovereignty. Don’t forget to check out my blog for more stories from Scotland’s rich and rugged past at bagtownclans.com/thisday. Tune in tomorrow as we explore another chapter in the remarkable saga of our nation’s history. I'm Colin MacDonald—Haste Ye Back!

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