The New Murrey and Blue blog

“….Richard III was king of England for only two years, but he enjoyed a much longer career as Duke of Gloucester. Understandably, therefore, much has been written about his time as duke, both as a means of making sense of his reign and as a worthy topic of study in its own right. In the 1470s Richard became established as the greatest man in northern England, and this provides the context for most interpretations of his adult life before 1483. With this being the case, it seems surprising that Richard’s relations with England’s northern neighbour have been comparatively neglected. Certainly this aspect of his career is all too often glossed over in conventional biographies, although it has received more detailed treatment in some academic works….”

So writes David Santiuste* at the beginning of his article https://richardiii.net/richard-iii-and-scotland/, and it’s true. Oh, we all know Richard recaptured Berwick for England in 1482 (see https://thehistoryjar.com/2018/08/24/berwick-upon-tweed-richard-of-gloucester-and-the-fate-of-a-princess/), and it has remained so ever since. We also know that he and his army got as far as Edinburgh Castle, etc. etc. (see https://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/when-richard-iii-invaded-scotland/) But that’s about it. It’s a little like the snippet about his niece, Princess Cecily (Cicely in my novels), so very nearly becoming Queen of Scotland. It’s mentioned in passing, without any details as to the why, what and where of the betrothal being called off. You can read more about her and the betrothal here https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2024/02/09/cecily-of-york-viscountess-of-welles/.

England was almost always at loggerheads with Scotland, and vice versa. It was a way of life, and it certainly mattered a great deal to Richard when he was Duke of Gloucester and stationed almost permanently in the North. Yet it’s an aspect of his life that is allowed to almost slip past. But it mattered to him, and he took it very seriously.

To find out more about exactly what kept him so busy along the England/Scotland border, and to read an excellent appraisal of his character and success, I recommend reading the above richardiii.net link by David Santiuste.

*David Santiuste teaches history at the Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh. He is the author of two books: Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses and The Hammer of the Scots. He also writes an occasional blog, which can be found at https://davidsantiuste.com/.