Aberdeen Castle

Infobox Military Structure
name=Aberdeen Castle (destroyed c.1308)
location=Aberdeen, Scotland
coordinates=coord|57|08|57|N|02|05|25|W|


caption=
type=
code=
built= ?
builder=
materials= ?
height=
used= ? - c.1308
demolished= c.1308
condition= Destroyed, no remains.
ownership=
controlledby=
garrison= Variously between Scottish and English troops.
occupants=
battles=
events=

Aberdeen Castle was a late Middle Ages fortification,citeweb|url=http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acci/web/site/CouncilNews/pr/pr_tolbooth_castle_160806.asp|title= New Tolbooth exhibition puts unique spotlight on Aberdeen’s castle|accessdate=2007-05-03|publisher=Aberdeen City Council] in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was situated on Castle Hill, a site today known as the Castlegate, where a block of flats are currently located. [citeweb|url=http://www.aberdeentoday.co.uk/landmark4.htm|title=The Castlegate- Aberdeen|accessdate=2007-05-03|publisher=Aberdeen Today] .

It is thought the castle and fortifications were burned downciteweb|url=http://www.destination-scotland.com/guidetoscotland/town.asp?region=16&town=96|title=Welcome to Aberdeen|accessdate=2007-05-03|publisher=Destinations in Scotland] by King Robert the Bruce in June 1308, during the Wars of Scottish Independence immediately following the Harrying of Buchan. Bruce and his men laid siege to the castle before massacring the English Garrison to prevent its use by Edward the second's English troops. It is said the Scots showed no mercy "slew every man who fell into their hands. Edward I., indeed had already set the example of executing his prisoners, and it was not to be expected that the other side would fail to follow the same course".cite book|author=George Lillie Craik and Charles MacFarlane|date=1841|language=English|title=The Pictorial History of England: Being a History of the People, as Well as a History of the Kingdom|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SCksAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA709&dq=Castle+of+Aberdeen&as_brr=1|publisher=C. Knight & Co.] On 10 July 1308, English ships left Hartlepool to help the English garrison. [citeweb|url=http://www.scotsindependent.org/dates1-b.htm|title=Notable Dates in history|accessdate=2007-05-03] However by August 1308, Gilbert Pecche and the last troops had all been forced out of the city. Following the destruction of Aberdeen Castle, Bruce marched his men to capture the Castle of Forfar.

Legend tells that the city's motto, Bon Accord came from the password used to initiate Bruce's final push and destruction of the castle. [cite book|author=Keith, Alexander|date=1987|title=A Thousand Years of Aberdeen|location=Aberdeen|publisher=Aberdeen University Press] [citeweb|url=http://www.british-publishing.com/Pages/AberdeenOG/motto.html|title=Aberdeen Official Guide - Coat of Arms and Motto|accessdate=2007-05-03|publisher=British Publishing]

History

On the 14th April 1296, the English King, Edward I arrived in Aberdeen and stayed in the castle as part of his tour of the east coast of Scotland having defeated the Scots. [citeweb|url=http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/journal1296.htm|title=Journal of the Movements of King Edward I in Scotland, 1296|accessdate=2007-05-03]

However the next year after defeating the English at Dunnottar Castle in 1297 William Wallace marched his men to Aberdeen during their campaign to retake the east-coast for the Scots again.

They found the English were hastily preparing to leave in an armada of one hundred ships. The speed of Wallace's arrival from Dunottar caught the English unawares and at low tide the stranded ships were attacked in the harbour, the crew and soldiers slaughtered, the cargo taken and the ships burnt.

The English Sheriff of Aberdeen, Sir Henry de Lazom had been left in charge of the Castle, but during the chaos of the attack he defected declaring it in the name of the Scottish King, John de Balliol. [citeweb|url=http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/scotsforindependence/history/demoray.html|title=Andrew de Moray Unsung Hero of Scotland's Wars of Independence|accessdate=2007-05-03] [citeweb|url=http://www.waichung.demon.co.uk/william/rebel.htm|title=Rebel Commander|accessdate=2007-05-03]

References