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Battle of Raith: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 56°07′02″N 3°11′36″W / 56.117233°N 3.193417°W / 56.117233; -3.193417
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{{Short description|Hypothetical battle of 596 AD}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Battle of Raith
|conflict=Battle of Raith
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|image=
|image=
|caption=
|caption=
|battle_name=Battle of Raith
|battle_name=Battle of Raith |date=596 [[Common Era|CE]]
|date=596 [[Common Era|CE]]
|place=near [[Kirkcaldy]], [[Scotland]]
|place=near [[Kirkcaldy]], [[Scotland]]
|coordinates = {{coord|56.117233|-3.193417|source:ruwiki_region:GB_type:event|format=dms|display=title}}
|coordinates = {{coord|56.117233|-3.193417|source:ruwiki_region:GB_type:event|format=dms|display=title}}
|result=Decisive Angle victory
|result=Angle victory
|combatant1=[[Angles]]
|combatant1=[[Gaels]]<br>[[Picts]]<br>[[Britons (historical)|Britons]]
|combatant2=[[Britons (historical)|Britons]]<br>[[Gaels|Scots]]<br>[[Picts]]
|combatant2=[[Angles (tribe)|Angles]]
|commander1=
|commander1=[[Áedán mac Gabráin|King Aedan]]
|commander2=[[Áedán mac Gabráin]]
|commander2=Unknown
|strength1=Unknown
|strength1=|
|strength2=Unknown
|strength2=|
|casualties1=Unknown
|casualties1=|
|casualties2=Unknown
|casualties2=|
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Anglo-Saxon invasions}}
{{Campaignbox Anglo-Saxon invasions}}
The '''Battle of Raith''' was the self-acknowleged invention of [[Edward Nicholson (librarian)|E. W. B. Nicholson]]<ref> The Celtic Review, Vol. 6 No. 23 (Jan 1910) pp214-236 </ref>, Librarian at the [[Bodleian Library]], Oxford. He was aware of the poem [[Y Gododdin]] in the [[Book of Aneirin]] and was frustrated that no-one had identified the location "Catraeth". He parsed the name as "cat" [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] for ''battle'' or ''fight'', and "Raeth" and he recalled that there was a place in Scotland called "Raith".
The '''Battle of Raith''' was the theory of [[Edward Nicholson (librarian)|E. W. B. Nicholson]], librarian at the [[Bodleian Library]], Oxford. He was aware of the poem [[Y Gododdin]] in the [[Book of Aneirin]] and was aware that no-one had identified the location "[[Catraeth]]". He parsed the name as "cat" [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] for ''battle'' or ''fight'', and "Raeth" and he recalled that there was a place in Scotland called [[Raith, Fife|Raith]].<ref>The Celtic Review, Vol. 6 No. 23 (January 1910) pp214-236</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/celticreview06edinuoft/page/214|title=The Celtic review|publisher=Edinburgh : Macleod|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>


Thus Nicholson's claim was that this battle was fought in 596 AD to the west of present-day [[Kirkcaldy]]. An invading force of [[Angles]] landed on the [[Fife]] coast<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/15286/title/596adthebattleofraith |archive-url=https://archive.is/20121223123751/https://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/15286/title/596adthebattleofraith |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2012-12-23 |title=596 A.D. - The Battle of Raith &#124; made by young people at Makewaves |publisher=Radiowaves.co.uk |date=2009-05-21 |accessdate=2012-09-08 }}</ref> near [[Raith, Fife|Raith]] and defeated an alliance of [[Gaels|Scots]], [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] and [[Picts]] under King [[Áedán mac Gabráin]] of [[Dál Riata]].
Nicholson's claim was that this battle was fought in 596 AD to the west of present-day [[Kirkcaldy]]. An invading force of [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]] landed on the [[Fife]] coast<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/15286/title/596adthebattleofraith |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121223123751/https://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/15286/title/596adthebattleofraith |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-23 |title=596 A.D. - The Battle of Raith {{pipe}} made by young people at Makewaves |publisher=Radiowaves.co.uk |date=2009-05-21 |access-date=2012-09-08 }}</ref> near [[Raith, Fife|Raith]] and defeated an alliance of [[Gaels|Scots]], [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] and [[Picts]] under King [[Áedán mac Gabráin]] of [[Dál Riata]].


This was a brave but mistaken attempt at identifying, the location of the [[Battle of Catraeth]]. Today this is usually recognised as [[Catterick,_North_Yorkshire|Catterick]].
Today the location of the [[Battle of Catraeth]] is usually recognised instead as [[Catterick, North Yorkshire|Catterick]].


Nicholson's erroneous proposition was given added circulation when it was recycled in the local history book "Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" <ref> "Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" (1924) pp42/3 published by the Fifeshire Advertiser (Macbean was also the paper's editor).</ref> by its editor and co-author Lachlan Macbean.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/l/lachlan-macbean|title=Hymnology|website=hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk}}</ref> It gained further circulation when Macbean's precis of Nicholson's proposition was reproduced by Electric Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/raith.htm |title=excerpt from '&#39;Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre'&#39; |publisher=Electricscotland.com |date= |accessdate=2012-09-08}}</ref>
Nicholson's proposition was given added circulation when it was included in the local history book "Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" <ref>"Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" (1924) pp42/3 published by the Fifeshire Advertiser (Macbean was also the paper's editor).</ref> by its editor and co-author Lachlan Macbean.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/l/lachlan-macbean|title=Lachlan Macbean|website=The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology|publisher=Canterbury Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/raith.htm |title=excerpt from ''Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre'' |publisher=Electricscotland.com |access-date=2012-09-08}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718212724/http://www.kirkcaldycivicsociety.co.uk/rbattle.html Kirkcaldy Civic Society]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718212724/http://www.kirkcaldycivicsociety.co.uk/rbattle.html Kirkcaldy Civic Society]

*[http://raithlake.tripod.com/history_of_the_raith_area.htm site containing excerpt from ''Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre'']{{Dead link|date=February 2010}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Raith}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raith}}
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[[Category:6th century in Scotland]]
[[Category:6th century in Scotland]]



{{battle-stub}}
{{Scotland-battle-stub}}

Latest revision as of 01:12, 14 June 2024

Battle of Raith
Date596 CE
Location
near Kirkcaldy, Scotland
56°07′02″N 3°11′36″W / 56.117233°N 3.193417°W / 56.117233; -3.193417
Result Angle victory
Belligerents
Gaels
Picts
Britons		 Angles
Commanders and leaders
King Aedan Unknown

The Battle of Raith was the theory of E. W. B. Nicholson, librarian at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. He was aware of the poem Y Gododdin in the Book of Aneirin and was aware that no-one had identified the location "Catraeth". He parsed the name as "cat" Gaelic for battle or fight, and "Raeth" and he recalled that there was a place in Scotland called Raith.[1][2]

Nicholson's claim was that this battle was fought in 596 AD to the west of present-day Kirkcaldy. An invading force of Angles landed on the Fife coast[3] near Raith and defeated an alliance of Scots, Britons and Picts under King Áedán mac Gabráin of Dál Riata.

Today the location of the Battle of Catraeth is usually recognised instead as Catterick.

Nicholson's proposition was given added circulation when it was included in the local history book "Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" [4] by its editor and co-author Lachlan Macbean.[5][6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Celtic Review, Vol. 6 No. 23 (January 1910) pp214-236
  2. ^ "The Celtic review". Edinburgh : Macleod – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ "596 A.D. - The Battle of Raith | made by young people at Makewaves". Radiowaves.co.uk. 21 May 2009. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre" (1924) pp42/3 published by the Fifeshire Advertiser (Macbean was also the paper's editor).
  5. ^ "Lachlan Macbean". The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press.
  6. ^ "excerpt from Kirkcaldy Burgh and Schyre". Electricscotland.com. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
[edit]


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