I have drank, staggered, walked in perfect sobriety in that park......and didn't have a clue about this battle. Strangely, as a Scot working in Cockermouth(don't laugh!) I found a plaque to her on the side of a building near Market street, in the town. Another magic wee video that I thoroughly enjoyed. Mare please Bruce. I love that swagger, it'd be somethin in a kilt.
I used to live in Langside. I knew the Queen of Queen's Park was Mary, but I was never taught about the battle, despite the area between Langside and Mount Florida being called Battlefield. There's a clue if ever there was one. The view from the flagpole is stunning on a clear day, isn't it. It's not often that the area of a battle is named after the leader of the losing side, so I assumed Mary had won. Wrong. Thanks.
Mary absolutely!!!!! My uncle said we were related to Queen Mary when I was a child- but I’m sure just about everyone of Scottish descent claims that lol
@@ScotlandHistoryTours ha ha...I had to look that up. Thanks for all of your great work. I probably know more about Mary than most, as she was my childhood heroine, but I really enjoyed your story.
For Queen Mary vs. her half-brother, although maybe winning here would just have postponed exile, another round of imprisonment, or assassination. Thanks for this great video; I never had any idea of what this last stand looked like.
I'm learning about my family the boyds and lord boyd was one of the first to fight for her during this battle. This history is fascinating and so sad. 😭
Oh dear, my mum and ancestors were Hamiltons. Oh well, we didn't win the fight but at least we tried to help Mary.. Great video thanks for the history lesson..
My great great grandparents were nobodies from Ireland that sailed to Scotland to escape the potato famine. All my ancestors are Irish half from ulster (prods) and half from cork (catholic) So I’m a mule, a crossbreed……half loyalist half republican…..no wonder I’m so self loathing, internally conflicted….. Half my DNA hates the other half, and if you need more proof my parents divorced before I was 2. Catholic raised-atheist who supports the monarchy and the union and doesn’t care at all about Ireland, I feel as Irish as I do Martian. Where my ancestors go back to Robert Bruce or just 1982 I’m British! Of the Scottish variety!
Hi Bruce, Not sure as to whether I would have supported the Queen but I will leave it as “maybe”.Mary was a tall ,beautiful ,clever ,talented woman in a time when this was not really appreciated.If Mary and the Earl of Moray had got on they would have been a powerful force but it was not to be and It didn’t end well for both of them.It was always going to end in tears.
I was under the impression that Queen's Park was named after Queen Victoria. The main road that runs all the way from Eglinton Toll to Queen's Park main gates is Victoria Road - we were always told that it was named after Victoria. [Edit: Just checked, and although there are a couple of sources who do say Victoria, Glasgow City Council say Mary, Queen of Scots, so it looks like I've been misinformed for 40 years. I'm not alone by the looks of it]. Thanks Bruce - it's always good to find out something new.
You weave a fine tale. I've never delved too deeply into my ancestral clan, McNabb, other than the famous story of them butchering some sons over a stolen whisky consignment, but your stories make me feel like looking into their history a bit further. The gist that was given to me was there was hardly a losing side we didn't pick, or a lousy gambler we didn't put in charge. Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't. I think the fun will be finding out.
Great Video again. I have to say that I am on the side of Queen Mary. She seems to be a pawn in a tug of war for power. She obviously had the best claim and it is sad that the men in her life were so duplicitous. Again, I leaned from you. My hat is off :)
I used to live there and had no idea that’s where Mary Stuart lost for the last time……… I went to college in langside on battlefield road, assumed a battle happened a long time ago (probably the first old firm) Years later I got into history and thought it cool my college was on the grounds but it’s even better. My flat was closer. I can practically see it in this video. You never appreciate stuff while you have it it only once it’s lost, like that flatmate I had at this flat, a friendship i let die. You’d be surprised at what you miss. Miss you joy, if you’re reading
After so many years at the French court, I’ve often wondered how many times Mary mumbled “wtf” to herself faced with the chaos of what happened in Scotland. 😅 Still, Elizabeth disappoints, her son never writes her, and towards the end she says eff it. Sad all around.
Living in the area and growing up as kid playing at the castle Mary was said to have stayed the night before and from where she watched the battle ( Court Knowe) and Cathcart Castle. I take my hat off of your map and battle positions are right as that’s one of the best descriptions of the battle I have seen and I’ve lived here over 40 years. 😁👍. Court Knowe has a market stone where she is said to have watched. The original stone is now in the Kelvingrove museum and a replacement copy put in its place.
After escaping Loch Leven, Mary went to Niddrie Castle in Winchburgh and stayed the night. Not Niddrie. At the Battle, she lost only around 100 men. Her army was also situated further south than you state. rather than being down slope nearer modern day Hampden, her army was on the higher ground at Camphill. This is where her cannon was situated also but was ineffective. She, herself retreated to Crookston Castle where she viewed the defeat of her army. She then initially made her way to Dumbarton, but was pursued. Fearing being cut off, she then headed south... Not many know about this battle, probably mainly due to the low body count, but this was pivotal in Scottish and British history. Had she won and made it to Dumbarton, she'd have retaken her Crown, James would not have sat on the throne of Scotland. Mary, i believe would've still looked to Unite the Crowns. She may also have looked to bring France into her 'new' Kingdom. How would this then have affected such events as the Jacobite uprisings? The French Revolution? Napoleonic Wars? The emergence of the USA? World War I and II? Would these events have happened if Mary had won at Langside and reclaimed her Crown? History as we know it would've changed entirely.
"hackbutters" were Musketeers not riflemen. The difference may not be a big thing to most people but the terms are not interchangeable. The "Rifleman" wont be along for another 225 years in the UK.
Great video Bruce, as always. I suspect you have a soft spot for Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, possibly even a hard spot. My own sympathies are all on the other side. I am a McFarlane, the Highland clan who fought in the vanguard of the Earl of Moray's forces in support of the infant King James 6th. They drove the Hamiltons from the field and captured some of Mary's standards. I do think that Mary had bad luck and made some terrible decisions through her adult life. Apart from terrible choices of husbands/lovers. Returning to Protestant largely Calvinist Scotland as a Catholic Queen, was not going to turn out well. She could have stayed in France as a feted former Queen and lived in luxury. She coul;d have returned to France after losing at Langside. Instead she chose to flee to Protestant England, ruled by her cousin, knowing that from a Catholic viewpoint, Mary had a more legitimate claim to the English throne than Elizabeth. And that really did turn out well. I do believe that her so called treason in plotting against Elisabeth, was a sting operation run by Elizabeth's spies/agents led by Sir Francis Walsingham.
Her death gave Philip of Spain the excuse he needed to invade England, Didn’t turn out well for him but it’s a bit suss that her death was the papal excuse for war, Aramada etc, probably why she has such a stamp on history.
@@alanwilkin8869 Yes. For a Pope to support a "War of Revenge" against England for the execution of Mary, definitely suspect. Mary was not exactly a model Catholic. As Queen in Scotland she actually supported punitive legislation against Catholic celebration of Mass, despite hearing Mass herself in private. She did so, presumably to try to gain more support from the Protestant Lords. That wouldn't work, and simply revealed her as weak, as well as alienating her from many of her Catholic supporters. Politics and Religion, often a potent and dangerous mix.
Everywhere on the south side will have claim to a spot where Mary watched the climax of the battle. Barrhead has one such spot at the top of the Craig of Duncarnock. Affectionately known locally as the Craigie. Whilst it is suspect that the bAttle could be seen from Mary’s Chair the views across the whole of greater Glasgow are hard to beat… so you just never know if she stopped off just to see what was happening as she fled the field.
As a soo'sider I've always known the story of why Battlefield is Battlefield etc. But I never thought about the size of those armies before. I'm imagining something akin to Fleeto vs. The Toi. They can't have been large armies, do we know the numbers?
@@ScotlandHistoryTours i live just oor the queens recreation ground , we often go around the park wae the dugs , did they ever excavate or do a bit of digging to look for any weapons or armor ?
Very interesting. The main thing I knew about Mary was that after she had been executed the executioner went to hold her head up, with the usual " behold the head of a traitor ", but she was wearing a wig which became detached and her head went bouncing around the area.
Hi Bruce, have you covered the murder by Hamilton in Linlithgow in another video? Also, whilst on the subject of Linlithgow, as you enter Linlithgow Palace, St. Michaels church is on your right, there is a wall extending to the left of the church which appears to be peppered by musket shot. Any thoughts as to why? Keep these fantastic videos coming.
I’m not religious but if I was and lived then, I probably would have been a Catholic supporter of Mary’s against most of her foes. I do however think that she made quite miscalculated decisions and was a bit naive whereas Queen Elizabeth seemed to be more aware of the world around her. But, I still just don’t agree with a lot of the Protestant leaders of that time. For gods sake, Henry VIII only broke away and started the reformation to get into the bed of a woman he beheaded three years later.. and John Knox and I would have had major beef. I don’t think I have to elaborate on that part. As for her brother James of Moray, I just see him as a traitor. He clearly wanted the title of usurper.
Another great vid Bruce.. just wondering at the end of your vids..what does the gaelic mean your saying in english at the end of the vid ..gona start saying to folk ...n sum chesticles mary had no just baws lol
Haha, so many folk have asked that that I had mugs and T-shirts made. They are available in my shop. The sales page has a translation, so even if you don't buy something today, you may come back again at www.scotlandhistorytours.co.uk/shop See what I did there?
Mary was a trouble maker. I am of Murray stock, my mom was a Murray. But she and her family are from Ireland and Catholic. This time I sticking with the winner. Mary is a bit to French for my liking.
Testicles!🤣 I do love the way you tell these historical tales, because you have a way about ya, some might say "it takes balls" to tell it like you do 😂.
If the powers spare us I'm sure it's possible. I try to cover as wide a scope as possible, so there's scientists, pre-historic, Celtic, Norman... you get the picture. Tomorrow Whisky. As I say if we're still doing this a year from now there's a fair chance we'll come back
Mary just made poor decisions. Her educations was inadequate for what she was dealt. But instead of listening to good council she tried to bend the will of a nation. She over spent on fine dresses and messed up the treasury. Scotland was a poor country and struggled. England made sure they cut off trade lines. She was too young and her brother had the support of most of the Nobles. And if you haven't realized it, his Dad may be dead, but he has another powerful grandfather. But that grandfather is also sworn to take care of Mary. He is the Earl of Mar. He delivered Mary to France as a child. It's lots of Castle Drama. I don't know why nobody hasn't made a series about this period. It's very juicy.
She didn't get 'captured'. She went down to Dumfries and chose to sail to England (a mistake in hindsight.) She sailed to Workington and originally stayed there, then Carlisle and then on. Initially she was more like a guest and went out hunting etc. It was only gradually that her confinement became closer and closer till it was in fact imprisonment
@@ScotlandHistoryTours dae ye think at the point when she was starting to realise the truth of her stay down there she had given up after such a life of tradegy?
Apparently the battle was fought on the Pollokshaws Road side of the park, which was only discovered when the boating pond was constructed. ...or so I'm told by someone who knows these things 🙄
Pardon me for being naive but this story sounds every bit like someone, (or many someone's) 'sold-her-out' and told others, of her intended actions. There's no way so many people could have ganged-up on her in such a short period of time, UNLESS, there was advance warning from somewhere. I was confused at the very end, though: Who was "Killed by a Hamilton 2 years later"? I couldn't figure out who you were talking about here.
I'd like to say Id support Queen Mary if I was from North of the gates. Probably would have been jacobite too. Lowland Scotland, it would have been difficult due to the number of protestant conversion. Atleast in the Highlands it was safer let's say to be a fan or Catholic (at that specific time anyway). I'm not religious so no way for that side to come into it for me. I think it would have been safer for her in France, yeah. But it was more noble and strength to come back and fight for the people who did want her here, and she fought for them. Even though she could of has a chushee wee life in France.. she choose what she believed was the right thing for her country. I'd support that. Not a usurper( by that I mean her brother using k,j)
