{{Short description|13th-century Scottish esquire}} {{other people}} {{Use British English|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Andrew Moray | image = | caption = | office = | term_start = | term_end = | alongside = | predecessor = | successor = | birth_date = | birth_place = [[Scotland]], exact place of birth unknown | death_date = 1297 | death_place = | death_cause = Due to wounds received at the [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]] | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | children = [[Andrew Murray (soldier)|Sir Andrew Murray]] | parents = [[Andrew Moray (justiciar)|Sir Andrew Moray of Petty]]<br />an unnamed daughter of [[John Comyn I of Badenoch]] | relatives = [[David de Moravia|David Moray]] (uncle) | alma_mater = | occupation = Military leader | signature = <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = [[Kingdom of Scotland]] | branch = | service_years = 1297 | rank = Commander | commands = | battles = '''[[First War of Scottish Independence]]:''' * [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]] }}
'''Andrew Moray''' ({{langx|xno|Andreu de Moray}}; {{langx|la|Andreas de Moravia}}), also known as '''Andrew de Moray''', '''Andrew of Moray''', or '''Andrew Murray''', was a Scots [[squire|esquire]],<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, fourth edition, p. 98.</ref> who rose to prominence during the [[First Scottish War of Independence]]. He initially raised a small band of supporters at [[Avoch Castle]] in early summer 1297 to fight King [[Edward I of England]] and had soon successfully regained control of the north for the absent Scots king, [[John Balliol]]. Moray subsequently merged his army with that of [[William Wallace]], and on 11 September 1297 jointly led the combined army to victory at the [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]]. He was severely wounded in the course of the battle, dying at an unknown date and place that year.
==Childhood== Andrew Moray the younger of [[Petty, Highland|Petty]] was born late in the second half of the 13th century.<ref>Andrew Fisher, "Murray, Andrew (d. 1297)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50013, accessed 2 Aug 2007]</ref> The date and place of his birth are unknown. Andrew's father was Sir [[Andrew Moray (justiciar)|Andrew Moray]] of Petty, an influential north Scotland baron and [[Justiciar of Scotia]] (1289?–1296),<ref>Barrow, ''Kingdom of the Scots'', pp. 99–100, 110–11</ref> and his mother was the historically anonymous fourth daughter of [[John Comyn I of Badenoch]].<ref>Paul. ''The Scots Peerage'', Vol 1, p. 507</ref>
Nothing is known of the formative years of Moray the younger's life. In common with other members of his social class, he likely embarked in his youth on the training for [[knight]]hood. This would have entailed him being fostered in the household of a mature knight outwith his family, where he would undergo training in horsemanship and in the use of weapons, he would care for the knight's armour and weapons, and for his horses. He would also serve the foster-knight meals at the table. It is not recorded that Moray attained knighthood within his lifetime.
==The Morays of Petty's place in Scottish society==
The Morays of Petty were a wealthy and politically influential baronial family whose power base was located in the province of [[Moray]] in north-east [[Scotland]]. The family traced their origins to [[Freskin]] of [[Uphall]], in [[Lothian]], who was granted lands in the [[Laich of Moray]] during the 12th-century reign of King [[David I of Scotland]].<ref>Oram, David I, pp. 104–105</ref> Freskin built a [[motte-and-bailey]] castle on these lands at [[Duffus Castle|Duffus]] on the north shore of [[Loch Spynie]] (this sea-loch was almost completely drained in the 18th and 19th centuries to bring hundreds of acres of land into agricultural use).
[[File:Duffus Castle.jpg|thumb|[[Duffus Castle]]. The stone-built bailey is a 14th-century addition to the site of Freskin's castle.]]
The Morays of Petty possessed significant political influence. The family were loyal agents of the [[List of Scottish monarchs|Scots king]]. [[Andrew Moray (justiciar)|Sir Andrew Moray of Petty]], head of the north branch of the family, acted from 1289 as the king's chief law officer in north Scotland (the Justiciar)<ref name="Barrow1"/> and may have been co-opted to the guardianship following in the premature death of King [[Alexander III of Scotland|Alexander III]].<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 36</ref> He had close personal connections to the most politically influential family in Scottish society, the [[Clan Cumming|Comyns.]] Sir Andrew's first wife was a daughter of [[John Comyn I of Badenoch|John (I) 'the Red' Comyn of Badenoch]], and his second wife was Euphemia Comyn.<ref>Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 307, p. 84</ref> The Morays of Petty also had links to the [[Clan Douglas|Douglases]] of Douglasdale.<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 109.</ref>
In the thirteenth-century, the Moray family was established in north and south Scotland. Sir Andrew Moray held the lordship of [[Petty, Highland|Petty]],<ref name="Barrow1">Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 98</ref> which was controlled from Hallhill manor on the south bank of the [[Moray Firth]]; the lordship of Avoch in the [[Black Isle]],<ref name="Barrow1"/> controlled from [[Avoch Castle]] situated to the east of [[Inverness]] and overlooking the [[Moray Firth]]; and the lordship of [[Boharm]]<ref name="Barrow1"/> in [[Banffshire]], controlled from [[Gauldwell Castle]]. Amongst Sir Andrew's estates at Petty were lands at Alturile, Brachlie and [[Croy, Highland|Croy]], and at [[Boharm]] were lands at [[Arndilly]] and Botriphnie.<ref>Barron, Scottish Wars of Independence, pp. 33 & 204</ref> Andrew Moray the younger was heir to these lands and castles.<ref name="Documents1">Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 1178, p. 300</ref> Sir [[William Moray of Bothwell]], the elder brother of Andrew the younger's father, held extensive lands in [[Lanarkshire]] and at Lilleford in [[Lincolnshire]].<ref>Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 725, p. 168</ref>
[[File:Bothwell Castle 1995 Donjon.jpg|thumb| The donjon of [[Bothwell Castle]], construction of which was begun by Sir William Moray before war broke out with England]]
Sir William, who was known as ''le riche'' due to his extensive personal wealth, was in 1296 constructing [[Bothwell Castle]] overlooking the [[River Clyde]]. Its design was influenced by the latest continental European trends in castle construction, for example [[Chateau de Coucy]]. It was clearly intended as an unequivocal statement of his influence and wealth. Andrew Moray the younger of Petty was also heir to his uncle's lands and castles.<ref name="Documents1"/>
[[File:Elgin cathedral 1.jpg|thumb|[[Elgin Cathedral]], from the south-east. Construction of it was begun under the supervision of Bishop Andrew Moray.]]
The Morays of Petty also had a presence in the [[Catholic Church in Scotland|Scottish medieval church]]. A forebear of Moray the younger, also named [[Andreas de Moravia|Andrew]], was [[bishop of Moray]] early in the 13th century, and an uncle, [[David de Moravia|David Murray]], was in the closing years of the thirteenth century a rector of Bothwell church in central Scotland and a canon of Moray.<ref>Barrow, ''The Kingdom of the Scots'', p. 218</ref> He would subsequently be consecrated in the summer of 1299 as [[Bishop of Moray]] by [[Pope Boniface VIII]],<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 152</ref> and become a vociferous supporter of King [[Robert the Bruce|Robert I]]'s kingship.
== A kingdom in turmoil ==
The late 13th century was a time of upheaval in Scotland. On 19 March 1286, King [[Alexander III of Scotland|Alexander III]] died after apparently being thrown from his horse as he made his way to [[Kinghorn]], in [[Fife]], from [[Edinburgh Castle]] to be with his young Flemish queen, [[Yolande of Dreux, Queen of Scotland|Yolande]].<ref>Oram, Kings & Queens of Scotland, p. 89</ref> The Crown passed to his three-year-old granddaughter, [[Margaret, Maid of Norway]], the children of his previous marriage to [[Margaret of England|Margaret]], a sister of King [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], having predeceased him.<ref>Oram, ''Kings & Queens of Scotland'', pp. 89–90</ref> The child-queen was never crowned, dying in 1290 during the sea passage to Scotland.<ref>Oram, ''Kings & Queens of Scotland'', p. 93</ref>
[[File:Monument to Alexander III, west of Kinghorn, by Hippolyte Blanc.png|thumb|Monument to Alexander III, west of [[Kinghorn]], by [[Hippolyte Blanc]]]]
Scots nobles vied for the vacant crown. The [[Clan Bruce|Bruces]] of [[Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway|Annandale]] had already unsuccessfully attempted in November 1286 to seize it in an armed coup.<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 24.</ref> In this uncertain time, Scotland's leaders sought support from King [[Edward I of England]]. The price of Edward I's involvement in what became known as [[Competitors for the Crown of Scotland|'The Great Cause']] was the claimants' acknowledgement of him as overlord of Scotland. Edward duly presided over a court to assess the merits of these claims. The most serious claims were advanced by [[John of Scotland|John Balliol]], the [[lord of Galloway]], and [[Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale|Robert Bruce, lord of Annandale]] and grandfather of the future [[Robert the Bruce|king]]. Balliol was eventually awarded the Crown, and duly swore fealty to Scotland's new English overlord, Edward I. This decision was widely accepted by the Scottish political community, including many who had previously supported [[Robert the Bruce|Bruce]].
==Invasion and defeat==
{{Main|First War of Scottish Independence}}
King Edward I became a constant presence in Scottish legal and political affairs. The Scottish political community did not welcome his involvement, and by late 1295 King [[John Balliol|John]] had renounced his fealty to the English king and entered into a treaty with [[Kingdom of France|France]]. King Edward was reputedly enraged by such defiance, making hostilities between the kingdoms inevitable.
Andrew Moray the younger was part of the Scottish feudal host assembling at [[Caddonlee]] in March 1296 in preparation for war with England. He was likely part of his father's retinue. A part of Scottish host, led by the earls of [[John of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl|Atholl]], [[Uilleam II, Earl of Ross|Ross]], and [[Domhnall I, Earl of Mar|Mar]] and [[John Comyn III of Badenoch|John Comyn the younger of Badenoch]], entered [[Cumberland]]. It marched to [[Carlisle, Cumbria|Carlisle]], destroying, according to The ''St. Edmundsbury Chronicle'', 120 villages. More Scots raiders crossed from [[Jedburgh]], burning homes and farms in [[Northumberland]]. [[Peter Langtoft|Pierre de Langtoft]], an English chronicler, records:<ref>The Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft, ed. T. Wright, vol. II, p. 237.</ref>
{{cquote|Mar, Ross, Menteith ... have destroyed Tindale to cinders and coals, The town of Corbridge, and two monasteries, Hexham and Lanercost, they have annihilated by burning; They have made slaughter of the people of the country, Carried off the goods driven away the canons.}}
King Edward I assembled a large army on the Anglo-Scottish border for the invasion of Scotland. By 30 March it was besieging the prosperous Scottish port of [[Berwick-upon-Tweed|Berwick]].
[[File:King-edward-i-1.jpg|thumb|Image of King Edward from a contemporary memorandum]]
Berwick soon fell and was sacked by the English army. The English [[Lanercost Chronicle]] condemned this slaughter as a "crime" and recorded that fifteen thousand "of both sexes perished, some by the sword, others by fire, in the space of a day and a half".<ref>Chronicle of Lanercost, ed. H. Maxwell, vol. 1, p. 135.</ref>
It had been many years since Scotland had mobilized for war, and at the [[Battle of Dunbar (1296)|Battle of Dunbar]] the Scots were overwhelmed quickly by a detachment led by [[John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey|John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey]]. The [[Chronicle of Bury St. Edmunds]] records the death of eight thousand Scots soldiers at [[Dunbar]].
Scotland now capitulated. Edward I deposed King John at [[Montrose, Angus|Montrose]] castle. The symbols of the Scottish kingship were taken from him, including the royal [[coat of arms]] which was stripped from his surcoat (thereby earning him the enduring title Toom Tabard, 'Empty Coat'). King Edward undertook an extended march across Scotland, reaching [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]] on 26 July 1296. He remained in the town's [[Elgin Castle|castle]] for a few days, taking the fealty of a number of Scots nobles.<ref>Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 789, p. 182.</ref>
Scots nobles captured at [[Dunbar]] were sent to prisons across England. The most important prisoners, such as Sir Andrew Moray of Petty, were taken to the [[Tower of London]].<ref name="Documents2">Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 742, pp. 176–178.</ref> Sir Andrew spent the remainder of his life there, dying on 8 April 1298.<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, fourth edition, p. 445, n. 111.</ref> Andrew Moray the younger, a prisoner of less significance, was imprisoned in [[Chester Castle]].<ref name="Documents2"/>
==Rebellion== King Edward's English administration in the defeated Scottish kingdom was headed by the [[Earl of Surrey]].<ref>Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 871, p. 229.</ref> Sir [[Hugh de Cressingham]] was appointed Treasurer, and Walter Amersham, Chancellor. The [[Justiciar of Lothian|Justiciars for Lothian]], [[Scotia]] (i.e. the territories north of the Forth), and [[Galloway]] were English appointees.<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, p. 99.</ref><ref>Watson, ''Under the Hammer'', pp. 31–32</ref> Most of Scotland's former royal castles were held by English nobles.<ref>Watson, ''Under the Hammer'', pp. 33–34</ref>
English tax collectors began to impose heavy taxes on the Scots, corruptly exploiting the populace to enrich themselves as they collected the king's taxes.<ref>Scalacronica, ed. H. Maxwell, p. 18.</ref> Cressingham had by the end of May 1297 dispatched £5,188 6s. 8d. to the English treasury.<ref>Prestwich, Edward I, p. 476.</ref> Edward also sought to conscript Scots, including the nobility, into the armies being raised to fight in [[Flanders]].<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCXXIX, pp. 167–169.</ref> This plan caused widespread alarm across Scotland and further contributed to growing restlessness against English rule.
Scotland may have been easily conquered by King Edward in 1296, but outbreaks of violence soon followed against the English occupiers and their Scots allies. These are usually dated to May 1297. {{cquote|"In the month of May of the same year [1297]", the Hemingsburgh Chronicle notes, "the perfidious race of Scots began to rebel."}} [[Argyll]] and [[Ross, Scotland|Ross]] were the scenes of earlier violence. In [[Argyll]], [[Lachlann Mac Ruaidhrí]] and [[Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí]] were in rebellion, attacking Edward I's MacDonald supporters, killing royal officials and destroying royal property.<ref>Watson, Under the Hammer, pp. 42–43.</ref> In [[Galloway]] the rebels seized English-held castles.<ref>Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 894, p. 234.</ref> There was violence in [[Aberdeenshire (historic)|Aberdeenshire]] and in [[Fife]], where [[Macduff of Fife|MacDuff of Fife]] and his sons led the rising.<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLXXII, p. 217.</ref> In Central Scotland, [[Action at Lanark|William Hesilrig]], the English sheriff of [[Lanark]], was murdered on 3 May 1297, during an attack on the town led by [[William Wallace]] and Richard Lundie.<ref>Broun, 'New information on the Guardians and Wallace's rising'.</ref>
While the Scots suffered under English occupation, Andrew Moray the younger continued to be imprisoned in [[Chester Castle|Chester castle]], but sometime in winter 1296–97 he escaped and made his way back to his father's lands in north Scotland. He was soon a participant in the uprising against English rule. He raised his standard at [[Avoch]] in the first days of May 1297. News of Moray's actions drew supporters to him. Sir [[William FitzWarin|William fitz Warin]], the English constable of [[Urquhart Castle]] on the shores of [[Loch Ness]], wrote to King Edward in July 1297: {{cquote|"Some evil disposed people have joined Andrew Moray at the castle of [Avoch] in Ross." }} Amongst them were [[Alexander Pilche]], a burgess from [[Inverness]], and a number of burgesses from the town.
King Edward I ordered supporters in [[Argyll]] and [[Ross-shire|Ross]] to assist the [[Sheriff of Argyll]] [[Alasdair Óg of Islay|Alexander of the Isles]] to suppress the rebels.<ref>Barron, Scottish War of Independence, pp. 19–20.</ref> The English Sheriff of [[Aberdeen]], Sir Henry de Latham, was ordered on 11 June 1297 to deal with rebels in [[Aberdeenshire (historic)|Aberdeenshire]].<ref>Barron, Scottish War of Independence, p. 60.</ref> Men were dispatched from England, including [[Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy|Henry Percy]] and Walter Clifford, to suppress the rebellion.<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCXXXI, pp. 170–173.</ref>
==Attack on Castle Urquhart== In May 1297 Andrew Moray the younger was leading the rebellion in the [[province of Moray]]. King Edward's Scots lieutenant in the area was [[Reginald le Chen (died 1312)|Sir Reginald Cheyne]], the [[sheriff of Elgin]]. Cheyne was alarmed by the growth of Moray's rebellion, writing to the king to request assistance.<ref>Barron, Scottish War of Independence, pp. 35, 42.</ref> In response to the king's orders to suppress the rebellion, Sir Reginald ordered his subordinates to a meeting at [[Inverness]] Castle on 25 May 1297 to discuss how to deal with Moray. One participant was [[William FitzWarin|Sir William fitz Warin]] constable of [[Urquhart Castle]] standing on the western shore of [[Loch Ness]].<ref name="Documents3">Calendar of Documents, ed. J. Bain, vol. 2, no. 922, p. 239.</ref>
[[File:Urquhart Castle distance 2.jpg|thumb|[[Urquhart Castle]], which Andrew Moray sought to capture by night assault in late May 1297]]
After this meeting, Sir [[William FitzWarin|William fitz Warin]] returned to his castle accompanied by an escort of men-at-arms. A few miles south of [[Inverness]], he was unsuccessfully ambushed by a force led by Moray and [[Alexander Pilche]]. Next day, Sir William found himself besieged in his castle by Moray. The [[Earl of Ross|Countess of Ross]] unexpectedly arrived on the scene with her retinue. The countess, whose husband was held by King Edward in the [[Tower of London]],<ref name="Documents2"/> advised him to surrender. Moray, lacking siege strength, unsuccessfully tried to take the castle in a night attack. He left Sir William to send an account of this mêlee to his king.<ref name="Documents3"/>
== King Edward fights back == Although Andrew Moray the younger was thwarted at [[Urquhart Castle]], he continued to prosecute a vigorous campaign against his enemies in the [[province of Moray]]. The devastation of Sir Reginald Cheyne's lands was later reported to King Edward<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLVII, p. 212.</ref>{{cquote|a very large body of rogues swept through the province of Moray towards the Spey, destroying the lands of Duffus, laid waste and captured the castle.}}
[[File:Duffuscastle.jpg|thumb|The remnant of the stone keep at [[Duffus Castle]], built in the early 14th century to replace the earlier structure on that site burned by Andrew Moray in 1297]]
King Edward I while preparing to campaign in Flanders sought to deal with the threat posed by Andrew Moray by making use of Scots nobles released from his prisons. The king issued orders on 11 June 1297 to several apparently loyal Scots lords to raise their retinues and march into the province of Moray to relieve fitz Warin and restore English authority. They included [[Henry le Chen|Henry Cheyne]], [[Bishop of Aberdeen]], [[Gartnait, Earl of Mar|Sir Gartnait of Mar]], heir to the [[earldom of Mar]] and whose father was currently held in the [[Tower of London]],<ref name="Documents2"/> and [[John Comyn, Earl of Buchan]] and [[Lord High Constable of Scotland|Constable of Scotland]], together with his brother, Alexander. The Comyn brothers, related to Moray via his mother, were to remain in the province until the rebellion had been stamped out.
Thewe nobles departed from [[Aberdeen]] in early July 1297, and Moray the younger met them on the banks of the [[River Spey]] at Enzie, where the road from [[Aberdeen]] to [[Inverness]] forded the waters of the river, on the eastern edge of the [[province of Moray]].<ref>Barron, Scottish War of Independence, p. 50.</ref>
An extremely ambiguous account of events at Enzie was sent on 25 August 1297 from Inverness to King Edward by Bishop Cheyn,<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLVII, pp. 211–213.</ref> It relates that after some discussion, Moray and his rebel army withdrew into {{cquote|"very great stronghold of bog and wood" [where] "no horseman could be of service".}} This was a highly dubious explanation when one considers the Comyn family pacified for the Scots king the province of Moray in the early 13th century. It appears more likely that neither side wished to fight men that they did not consider their enemies. But if Cheyne thought he could save face with this letter, he failed to reckon with [[Hugh de Cressingham]]. Cressingham, having seen this letter, wrote to the king on 5 August:<ref name="DocumentsIllustrative">Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLXVII, pp. 225–227.</ref> {{cquote|Sire, the peace on the other side of the Scottish Sea [the Firth of Forth] is still in obscurity, as it is said, as to the doings of the earls who are there.}}
Cressingham clearly did not believe that the Scots lords tasked with dealing with Moray had done their duty, believing they were playing a double game at King Edward's expense. He was especially dismissive of the account of confrontation at the Spey, writing to King Edward:<ref name="DocumentsIllustrative" />{{cquote|Sir Andrew de Rait is going to you with a credence, which he has shown to me, and which is false in many points ... you will give little weight to it.}}
While Andrew Moray seized control of north Scotland and [[William Wallace]] was active in west-central Scotland, a rising led by Scotland's traditional feudal leaders was underway in the south of the kingdom. Amongst its leaders were [[James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland|James, the High Steward of Scotland]], [[Robert Wishart]], Bishop of Glasgow, and [[Robert Bruce]] of Carrick, the future king. Faced with an army led by [[Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy|Henry de Percy]] and [[Robert Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford|Robert de Clifford]], they entered negotiations in June and capitulated at [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]] in July.
In summer 1297, King Edward proposed to release the younger Moray's father, Sir Andrew Moray of Petty, from imprisonment in the Tower to serve in the ranks of the English army in [[Flanders]], if his son was prepared to take his father's place as a royal hostage. A [[safe conduct]], allowing him to come to England, was issued under the king's seal on 28 August 1297.<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLXVIII, pp. 227–228.</ref> It is not known if this letter ever reached him, but if it did, it was ignored and his father remained confined in the Tower, dying there on 4 April 1298.<ref>Barrow, Robert Bruce, Fourth Edition, n. 111, p. 445.</ref>
== Battle of Stirling Bridge == {{Main|Battle of Stirling Bridge}}
By late summer 1297, King Edward I had lost control of Scotland. The extent of the breakdown in his rule was described in a letter to him from Cressingham:<ref>Documents Illustrative of Scotland, ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, vol. 2, CCCCLV, p. 207.</ref>{{cquote|by far the greater part of your counties of the realm of Scotland are still unprovided with keepers, as [they have been killed or imprisoned]; and some have given up their bailiwicks, and others neither will nor dare return; and in some counties the Scots have established and placed bailiffs and ministers, so that no county is in proper order, excepting Berwick and Roxburgh, and this only lately.}}
[[File:The Battle of Stirling Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A Victorian depiction of the battle. The bridge collapse suggests that the artist has been influenced by Blind Harry's account of the battle.]]
Of the castles north of the [[River Forth]], only [[Dundee]] remained in English hands.
In the late summer of 1297, the [[John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey|earl of Surrey]] finally acted against Moray and Wallace. He was subsequently vilified for this indolence. [[Walter of Guisborough]], said of him:<ref>Quoted in Watson, Under the Hammer, p. 39.</ref>{{cquote|The earl [of Surrey] ... to whom our king committed the care and custody of the Kingdom of Scotland, because of the awful weather, said that he could not stay there and keep his health. He stayed in England, but in the northern part and sluggishly pursued the exiling [of the] enemy, which was the root of our later difficulty.}} Moray and Wallace, besieging [[Dundee Castle|Dundee castle]], entrusted the siege to the townspeople and marched to [[Stirling]] to meet him. They deployed their men to the north of the [[River Forth]], close to the old bridge at [[Stirling]] and [[Stirling Castle]].
Surrey was outmanoeuvred and outfought in the ensuing battle. The key to it was the bridge over the [[river Forth]]. [[Walter of Guisborough]] said that it was {{cquote|"a narrow bridge which a pair of horsemen could scarely and with difficulty cross at the same time."}} Surrey deployed the vanguard of his army across it. Moray and Wallace struck when only part of the English vanguard had crossed. In the [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]], this vanguard was destroyed. The bulk of Surrey's army, which had still not crossed the bridge, fled. Surrey led this flight. He galloped for [[Berwick-upon-Tweed|Berwick]], causing one English chronicler, Walter of Guisborough, to sneer that Surrey's "charger never once tasted food during the whole journey".<ref>Quoted in Kightly, Outlaw General, in Folk Heroes, p. 167.</ref>
The casualties of the Scottish army, composed largely of anonymous infantry soldiers, were unrecorded. But there was one recorded casualty: Andrew Moray the younger.
Walter of Guisborough stated that Surrey lost one hundred knights and five thousand infantrymen at Stirling.<ref>Fisher, William Wallace, p. 55</ref> This is likely an over estimate. The most notable death was [[Hugh de Cressingham|Hugh Cressingham]]. According to the chronicle of [[Peter Langtoft|Pierre de Langtoft]]<ref>''The Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft'', ed. T. Wright, vol. II, p. 301.</ref> Cressingham, unaccustomed {{cquote| "to the saddle, From his steed in its course fell under foot, His body was cut to pieces by the ribalds of Scotland".}} The [[Lanercost Chronicle]] claims that Wallace had:<ref>Chronicle of Lanercost, ed. H. Maxwell, vol. 1, p. 164.</ref> {{cquote|"a broad strip [of Cressingham’s skin] ... taken from the head to the heel, to make therewith a baldrick for his sword".}}
The defeat of Surrey at the [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]] was the zenith of Moray the younger's military career. He was no skilled soldier by accident. The training for knighthood that he had received as a baron's son equipped him with the skills to fulfil a leadership role in Scotland's feudal host.
== Death == There is seemingly contradictory evidence about the death of Andrew Moray the younger. Two letters, issued in autumn 1297, appear to indicate he survived for some months after the fighting at Stirling Bridge. The first was sent from [[Haddington, East Lothian|Haddington]] on 11 October 1297 to the mayors of [[Lübeck]] and [[Hamburg]], two of the leading towns of the [[Hanseatic League]]. It was issued by:<ref>Source Book of Scottish History, eds. W. C. Dickinson, G. Donaldson & I. A. Milne. vol. 1, pp. 136–137.</ref>{{cquote| "Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, leaders of the kingdom of Scotland and the community of the realm."}} The second was issued just under a month later, on 7 November, during a Scottish raid on the northern counties of England. It was received by the prior of [[Hexham]] by:<ref>Stones, Anglo-Scottish Relations, no. 26(a), p. 155.</ref>{{cquote| "Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, the leaders of the army and of the realm of Scotland."}} Moray's name does not appear on any later document.
The inclusion of Moray the younger's name in these letters is apparently contradicted by a formal inquisition into the affairs of his recently deceased uncle, Sir [[William Moray of Bothwell]]. It was held in [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]] in November 1300 and determined that Moray the younger was: "slain at Stirling against the king."<ref name="Documents1"/> In apparent support of this, no chronicle source places Moray at [[Hexham]] or ascribes to him any role in this raid, which Walter Guisborough's chronicle says was led by Wallace. The letters issued to the mayors of Lübeck and Hamburg, and to the prior of [[Hexham]], may, for reasons now unknown and unclear to us, have been issued in Moray's name but also in his absence.<ref>Taylor, 'Fighting for the Lion' in History Scotland, September 2005.</ref>
In response to these apparently conflicting facts, most historians choose to believe that Moray the younger was wounded at Stirling Bridge, later dying of his injuries sometime around November 1297.<ref>Peter Traquair ''Freedom's Sword''</ref><ref>Michael Lynch ''A New History of Scotland''</ref>
== Legacy == Andrew Moray the younger's early death meant that his achievements have not been properly recognised. There are neither statues nor monuments to him. Moray's deeds are invariably obscured by the greater fame of [[William Wallace]], much of which may be traced to the oft dubious content of a 11,000-line biographical poem, [[The Wallace (poem)|''The Acts and Deeds of the Illustrious and Valiant Champion Sir William Wallace'']]. This was written in the late 15th century reputedly by Scots poet [[Blind Harry]]. Nevertheless, in the late 20th century, there was increased recognition of the importance of Moray's role in the events of 1297. One historian recently described his actions as "the greatest threat to the English government".<ref>Brown, The Wars of Scotland, p. 183.</ref>
One legacy that is not in doubt is the birth of his son. At [[Pentecost]] (25 May) 1298, Andrew Moray's widow bore him a son, also named [[Andrew Murray (soldier)|Andrew]].<ref name="Documents1"/> The child eventually acceded to the lordships of [[Avoch]], [[Boharm]], [[Petty, Highland|Petty]] and [[Bothwell]], uniting the north and south branches of the family. He would play a major role in leading the resistance to the attempts of King [[Edward III of England]], grandson of his father's foe, [[Edward I]], to conquer Scotland in the 1330s. He was twice appointed [[Guardian of Scotland|Guardian of the Realm]] during the minority of King [[David II of Scotland|David II]], the heir of [[Robert the Bruce|Robert I]].
Moray the younger's lack of recognition is increasingly a subject of debate, and has even been discussed in the [[Scottish Parliament|Scotland's parliament]]. In December 2009, [[Murdo Fraser]], a Conservative List MSP for [[Mid Scotland and Fife (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Mid Scotland and Fife]], called for a national debate on an appropriate monument to Moray, raising awareness of his historical role.<ref>[http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/39Scotland-should-honour-Moray-.5939170.jp Scotsman.com], [[The Scotsman]], 26 December 2009 – accessed 3 January 2010</ref>
==See also== *[[Bothwell Castle]] *[[Clan Murray]] *[[Duffus Castle]] *[[History of Scotland]] *[[Kildrummy Castle]] *[[Robert Wishart]]
==Notes== {{Reflist|30em}}
==References== * ''Anglo-Scottish Relations 1174–1328: Some Selected Documents'', ed. E. L. G Stones, 1970 * Barron, E. M., ''The Scottish War of Independence'', 2nd ed., 1934; * [[G. W. S. Barrow|Barrow, G. W. S.]] ''Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm'', 3rd ed., 1988 * [[G. W. S. Barrow|Barrow, G. W. S.]] ''Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm'', 4th ed., 2005 * [[G. W. S. Barrow|Barrow, G. W. S.]] ''The Kingdom of the Scots'', 2nd ed., 2003 * Broun, D., ''New information on the Guardians' appointment in 1286 and Wallace's rising in 1297'', September 2011, [https://breakingofbritain.ac.uk/blogs/feature-of-the-month/september-2011-the-guardians-in-1286-and-wallaces-uprising-in-1297/ breakingofbritain.ac.uk] * Brown, M., ''The Wars of Scotland 1214–1371'', 2004 * ''Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland'', 4 vol., ed. J. Bain, 1881–1888 * ''[[The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough]]'', ed. H. Rothwell, 1957; * ''Chronicle of Holyrood'', ed. M. A. Anderson, 1938 * ''[[Lanercost Chronicle|The Chronicle of Lanercost 1272–1346]]'', ed. H. Maxwell, 1913 * ''The Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft'', ed. T Wright, 2 vol. 1866–8 * ''Documents Illustrative of Scotland 1286–1306''," ed. Rev. J. Stevenson, 2 vols. 1870 * Ferguson, J, ''William Wallace'', 1938 * Fisher, A, ''William Wallace'', 1992 * {{lang|la|[[Foedera|Foedera, Conventiones, Litterae]]}}, ed [[Thomas Rymer]], 1816 * Kightly, ''Folk Heroes of Britain'', 1982 * [[Oram, Richard]], ed., ''The Kings and Queens of Scotland'', Stroud, 2001 * Oram, Richard, ''David I: The King who made Scotland'', Stroud, 2004 * {{Citation |year=1905 |editor-last=Paul |editor-first=James Balfour |title=The Scots Peerage |publication-place=Edinburgh |publisher=David Douglas |editor-link=James Balfour Paul |volume=2}} * [[Michael Prestwich|Prestwich, M.]], ''Edward I'', 1990 * ''The Scalacronica of Sir Thomas Gray'', ed. Sir H. Maxwell, 1907 * ''A Source Book of Scottish History''. 3 vol., 2nd ed., eds. W. C. Dickson, G. Donaldson and I. A. Milne, 1958 * Taylor, J. G., ''Fighting for the Lion: The Life of Andrew Moray'', in History Scotland, September/October 2005 * Watson F. J., ''Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland 1286–1306'', 1998
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moray, Andrew}} [[Category:1297 deaths]] [[Category:Scottish generals]] [[Category:Scottish Roman Catholics]] [[Category:Scottish people of the Wars of Scottish Independence]] [[Category:Scottish rebels]] [[Category:People from Ross and Cromarty]] [[Category:Scottish escapees]] [[Category:Scottish pre-union military personnel killed in action]] [[Category:Guardians of Scotland]] [[Category:Year of birth unknown]] [[Category:De Moravia family|Andrew]]