The Battle of Otterburn took place in August 1388 between England and Scotland. The Scottish forces defeated the English, but the death of their leader the earl of Douglas made the battle something of a pyrrhic victory. The question of who should succeed him resulted in serious political upheaval, and the tensions that followed to some extent explain the failure of the Scots to follow up their victory at Otterburn.

The Youtube video below is the late Tony Cuffe's rendition of The Battle of Otterburn, a ballad that commemorated the battle.

 

Video courtesy of Lachlan Baird-Mackenzie

 

If anyone is interested in a version of the lyrics, they can be found here - Battle of Otterburn. For those who wish to delve deeper into the history, take a look at Campaign 164 - Otterburn 1388, written by Peter Armstrong.