Scottish Battles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bannockburn

At Bannockburn in 1314, Robert the Bruce defeated the army of Edward II of England. Otterburn is a village in the north of England where a battle in 1388 had both armies claiming victory. The Battle of Glenshiel in the Scottish Highlands was a rebellion in 1719 put down by English government forces. The Battle of Holyrood takes place most days between belligerent politicians.

Answer: Killiecrankie

In 1689, Highlanders opposing the rule of William III engaged English government forces at Killiecrankie. The Soldier's Leap is part of the Pass of Killiecrankie and it attracts thousands of tourist visitors each year.

Answer: The Highland Clearances

The Battle of the Braes on the Isle of Skye was part of the Highland Clearances, ethnic cleansing of the Highlands by the English following the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The fact that the clearances were still going strong some 130 years later shows the extent of the cruelty of the clearances and the disregard for human life and values.

Answer: Sherrifmuir

The Battle of Sherrifmuir was fought by Jacobite supporters of James Francis Edward Stuart, known as the Old Pretender. His son was Charles Edward Stuart, otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Answer: Stirling Bridge

At the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, William Wallace defeated the English army of Edward I as part of the First War of Scottish Independence. Despite having only a quarter of the troops of the English, Wallace's tactics isolated a large part of the opposition making them easy targets.

Answer: Glasgow

The Battle of Glasgow in 1544 was part of what has come to be known as "The Rough Wooing". This was Henry VIII's attempt to break the alliance between Scotland and France by forcing the agreement of marriage between his son, the future Edward VI to Mary Queen of Scots who was an infant at that time.

The Battle of Glasgow in 1560 was fought by the army of Mary of Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots and Regent of Scotland on her bahalf, against Scottish supporters of the Protestant Reformation.

Answer: Bothwell Bridge

The Coventanters were Scottish Presbyterians who suffered during the reign of Charles II due to their beliefs. This battle is central to the plot of Sir Walter Scott's novel "Old Mortality".

Answer: Culloden

The Duke of Cumberland, son of George II, led the English forces north to Culloden in 1746 where he met the army of Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. It was a resounding victory for Cumberland who was thereafter referred to as Butcher Cumberland by his own people because he showed no mercy even after the battle had ended.

Answer: Prestonpans

Prestonpans, a small town to the east of Edinburgh, witnessed a battle in 1745 as part of the Second Jacobite Rebellion. Although the Jacobites won the day their joy was shortlived as the Battle of Culloden the following year effectively ended the rebellion.

Answer: Largs

King Haakon of Norway attempted to exert supremacy over Scotland by engaging Scotland's forces at Largs on the Ayrshire coast in 1263. A local landmark called "The Pencil" was erected to commemorate victory over the Norsemen.