What was the Battle of  Flodden? 

•  The battle was fought on 9 September 9, 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey.

• It ended in victory for the English army, and was the largest battle fought between the two nations

• James IV, King of Scots had invaded to honour the Auld Alliance with France by diverting Henry VIII's English troops from a campaign against the French king Louis XII.

• James invaded England with an army of about 30,000 but, in keeping with the medieval code of chivalry, sent notice to the English, one month in advance.

• The battle took place near the village of Branxton. The Scots had been in a good position at Flodden Edge with their guns but the English managed to lure them away by blocking the Scots' route north.

• The Scots marched towards the English - and James was killed within a spear length from the Earl of Surrey and his body taken to Berwick.The biggest error the Scots made was placing their officers in the front line, medieval style, while the English generals stayed behind the lines in the Renaissance style.

• The other modern touch was that this was one of the first major battles where artillery was usedThe English dead were put at 1500, the Scots listed their dead at 5,000

• Every noble family in Scotland was supposed to have lost a member at Flodden. The dead are still remembered by the song (and pipe tune) 'The Flowers of the Forest'