The Border Reivers and the Battle of Sollomoss

The Anglo-Scottish Borderlands of the 16th century were a tumultuous and lawless region marked by constant disputes, violence, and a unique breed of people known as the Border Reivers. These fearless warriors were skilled in raiding, scouting, and skirmishing, and they played a pivotal role in the history of the border region.

The Borderlands: A Breeding Ground for Conflict

The origins of the Border Reivers can be traced back to the 13th century when the Anglo-Scottish frontier was a hotbed of conflict. Edward I of England, driven by his ambition to annex Scotland, launched brutal invasions over the Border, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. His armies burnt entire communities of people, animals, and crops, plunging the Borderland into turmoil. The Scots, naturally, retaliated, and the border became a battleground where invading armies from both sides were met with "scorched-earth" policies.

These terrible wars of attrition continued for centuries, with both English and Scottish governments encouraging their Borderers to constantly harass and raid across the frontier. After the famous Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Robert the Bruce allowed his victorious armies to systematically ravage the Northern Marches of England, further intensifying the conflict. As a result, the Borderland became a political and economic wasteland that endured for over 300 years, serving as a buffer zone between two of history's most belligerent neighbors.

The Rise of the Border Reivers

By the beginning of the 16th century, the Borderers found themselves caught in a never-ending cycle of feuding, violence, and destruction. Both governments appeared neither willing nor capable of protecting them, leading families to turn to their own kin for protection. The policies of offering land and low rents in exchange for military service led to overpopulation in the Border region. The "Gavelkind" inheritance laws further exacerbated the problem, as a man's lands were divided equally among his sons upon his death, resulting in many families having insufficient land to support themselves.

To survive, these families formed alliances with one another to gain strength and protection. Over the centuries, these "Great Reiding" families developed a clannish way of life, responding to any outrage against their members with violent reprisals. Those not fortunate enough to belong to one of these powerful Border families resorted to theft and reiving as a means of survival, becoming the mercenaries or "broken men" of the Borderland, selling their reiving skills to the highest bidder. Curiously, this state of perpetual turmoil suited both national governments, as the constant unrest provided the buffer zone both sides needed and had actively encouraged.

The Establishment of Border Laws

Given the unique nature of the frontier, both English and Scottish kingdoms agreed that it should be governed under its own laws. In November 1248, six English and six Scottish Knights convened to "correct, according to ancient and approved custom of the March, such matters as required to be redressed." This conference resulted in a written code of thirteen articles, agreed upon the following year, which allowed for fugitives to be captured and returned to their own countries and for accused persons to be summoned to appear before a special Border court to answer for their crimes. This laid the foundation for the "Legis Marchiarum" or Border laws, which governed the Marches until 1603 when James VI/I repealed them and abolished the Marches.

The Border Reivers: Expert Light Horsemen

The Border Reivers evolved from three centuries of raiding and feuding, often referred to as the Three Hundred Years War. They became a race of expert light horsemen, skilled in raiding, scouting, ambushes, and skirmishes. They were simultaneously cursed as "evil-disposed personnes, inclined to wildness and disorder" and praised as "fine soldiers, able with horse and harness, nimble, wile, and always in readiness for any service." Their unique characteristics made them valuable assets in times of war.

The English army, by 1540, could count on 2,500 such men, forming a division known as the "Border Horse." It was said that the "most remarkable of the mounted men in Henry VIII's army were the Northern Horsemen who, having been called into existence by the eternal forays of the Scottish Border, were light cavalry, probably the very best in Europe."

While there might not have been a standard uniform, the Border Horse was expected to equip themselves with a "steill cap, jak of plate, botes, spurres, sword, dagger, horsemans staffe, and case of pistolles," not to mention a horse. Recruited as light horsemen or "prickers," their role in the Border Horse was simply an extension of their daily activities on the Borders. They scouted, ambushed enemy patrols, rustled livestock, stole supplies and provisions, and plundered towns and villages.