Alexander Pilche

Last updated March 08, 2019

Alexander Pilche was a 13th-century Scottish burgess. He joined with Andrew de Moray during the 1297 uprising in northern Scotland against the administration and overlordship of King Edward I of England. He was the Governor of Inverness Castle on behalf of the English in 1304. before being replaced in 1305 and joining King Robert I of Scotland's campaign in Moray in 1307. As a reward he was appointed Sheriff of Inverness until his death.

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Sharing a border with England to the southeast, Scotland is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, by the North Sea to the northeast and by the Irish Sea to the south. In addition to the mainland, situated on the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland has over 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

Burgess originally meant a freeman of a borough or burgh (Scotland). It later came to mean an elected or unelected official of a municipality, or the representative of a borough in the English House of Commons.

Andrew Moray, also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, an esquire, was prominent in the Scottish Wars of Independence. He led the rising in north Scotland in the summer of 1297 against the occupation by King Edward I of England, successfully regaining control of the area for King John Balliol. He subsequently merged his forces with those led by William Wallace and jointly led the combined army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Moray was mortally wounded in the fighting, dying at an unknown date and place later that year.

Alexander a burgess of Inverness, led a force joining Andrew de Moray at Avoch Castle. Alexander became de Moray's trusted lieutenant. Alexander and de Moray ambushed Sir William fitz Warin who was returning to Urquhart Castle accompanied his retinue, after meeting with Sir Reginald le Chen ordered at Inverness Castle on 25 May 1297. The ambush was set a few miles to the south of Inverness. William fitz Warin was able to escape, with the loss of a number of men and horses to Urquhart Castle. The next day, Sir William awoke to find his castle besieged by de Moray and Alexander, who demanded its surrender. Euphemia, the Countess of Ross unexpectedly arrived on the scene with her retinue. The countess, whose husband was held by King Edward in the Tower of London,^[1] advised de Moray and Alexander to surrender. Although her advice was ignored, she did not move against Moray and Alexander, her actions were later commended to the king by Sir William. Moray, with no heavy siege equipment available to him, tried to take the castle in a night attack, resulting in the death of fitz Warin's son Robert, and having failed, was forced to abandon the siege.^[2]

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Inverness lies near two important battle sites: the 11th-century battle of Blàr nam Fèinne against Norway which took place on the Aird and the 18th century Battle of Culloden which took place on Culloden Moor. It is the northernmost city in the United Kingdom and lies within the Great Glen at its north-eastern extremity where the River Ness enters the Moray Firth. At the latest, a settlement was established by the 6th century with the first royal charter being granted by Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim in the 12th century. The Gaelic king Mac Bethad Mac Findláich (MacBeth) whose 11th-century killing of King Duncan was immortalised in Shakespeare's largely fictionalized play Macbeth, held a castle within the city where he ruled as Mormaer of Moray and Ross.

Ormond Castle, also known as Avoch Castle, was a powerful stronghold, overlooking the village of Avoch, on the Black Isle, in the former county of Ross and Cromarty, now part of Highland, Scotland.

Sir William FitzWarin was an English soldier active during the First War of Scottish Independence. He was the constable of Urquhart Castle (1296-1297) and after the English defeat at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on 11 September 1297, he was appointed constable of Stirling Castle, which he later surrendered and was imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle.

Pilche appears to have entered Edward I's peace and was Governor of Inverness Castle, holding the castle on behalf of the English in 1304. He was replaced in 1305 by John de Stirling. During the campaign of King Robert I of Scotland in Moray in 1307, Pilche was an adherent and was instrumental in the fall of Inverness Castle. Alexander was subsequently appointed as the Sheriff of Inverness and held the position until his death.^[3]

Citations

↑ Calendar of Documents, ed. J.Bain, vol.2, no.742, pp.176-8.
↑ Calendar of Documents, ed. J.Bain, vol.2, no.922, p.239.
↑ Maclehose, p. 134.

Bibliography

Stirling Bridge and Falkirk, 1297-98: William Wallace's rebellion, Armstrong P & McBride A. Osprey 2003.
The Scottish Historical Review, Volume 6, James Maclehose, Company of Scottish History, Edinburgh University Press for the Scottish Historical Review Trust, 1909.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

Related Research Articles

The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

The title Earl of Moray ("Murray") has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland. It has been held by Clan Stewart since the 16th century, when James Stewart, illegitimate son of James V, was granted the title.

Urquhart Castle sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, 21 kilometres (13 mi) south-west of Inverness and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the village of Drumnadrochit.

The First War of Scottish Independence was the initial chapter of engagements in a series of warring periods between English and Scottish forces lasting from the invasion by England in 1296 until the de jure restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328. De facto independence was established in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn. England attempted to establish its authority over Scotland while the Scots fought to keep English rule and authority out of Scotland.

Sir Robert VI de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale, jure uxoris Earl of Carrick (1271–1292), Lord of Hartness, Writtle and Hatfield Broad Oak, was a cross-border lord, and participant of the Second Barons' War, Ninth Crusade, Welsh Wars, and First War of Scottish Independence.

Robert V de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, was a feudal lord, Justice and Constable of Scotland and England, a Regent of Scotland, and a competitor for the Scottish throne in 1290/92 in the Great Cause. His grandson Robert the Bruce eventually became King of Scots.

Gartnait of Mar, Earl of Mar – Gartnait mac Domhnall, 8th Mormaer of Mar, was a Scottish noble during the first War of Scottish Independence (1296–1328). His name is sometimes rendered as Gartney or Gratney. A son of Domhnall I, Earl of Mar, and his wife, Elen ferch Llywelyn, Gartnait of Mar died in about 1305.

Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver and Neidpath was a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence, for which he was hanged, drawn, and quartered in 1306.

Robert Lauder of Quarrelwood Scottish knight

Sir Robert de Lawedre (Lauder), Knt., of Quarrelwood, Edrington, and The Bass was Justiciar of Scotia, a Scottish soldier of great prominence and Captain of Urquhart Castle. He is recorded by Fordun, in his Scotichronicon, and in Extracta ex variis Cronicis Scocie as "Robertus de Lavedir 'the good'"

Sir Marmaduke Thweng, later 1st Baron Thweng, was an English knight from Yorkshire who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

John de Strivelyn, also called John Stirling or Johannes de Strivelyn, was a medieval Scottish knight in English service.

Sir John Menteith of Ruskie and Knapdale was a Scottish nobleman during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is known for his capture of Sir William Wallace in 1305 and later joined with King Robert I of Scotland and received large land grants in Knapdale and Kintyre for his service.

Sir John de Botetourt, 1st Baron Botetourt was an English military commander and admiral in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Sir William Bisset was a knight, sheriff and constable in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Sir Reginald le Chen or Cheyne (c.1235-1312) was a 13th-14th century Scottish noble. He was a sheriff of Nairn, sheriff of Inverness and Baron of Inverugie.

Sir Andrew de Rait of Rait was a 13th-14th century Scottish noble. Andrew de Rait was the younger brother of Gervase de Rait, Constable of Invernairn. Andrew was Constable of Nairn Castle in 1296. He appears on the 1296 Ragman Roll giving homage to King Edward I of England. He succeeded to his brother's estates and titles in 1297.

Sir William de Monte Alto of Ferne, also known as William de Mohaut (d.1327) was a 13th-14th century Scottish noble.

The Sheriff of Inverness was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order and bringing criminals to justice in Inverness, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the hereditary sheriffs were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.

[1] Calendar of Documents, ed. J.Bain, vol.2, no.742, pp.176-8.

[2] Calendar of Documents, ed. J.Bain, vol.2, no.922, p.239.

[3] Maclehose, p. 134.