The Rough Wooing: England's Brutal Courtship of Scotland

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into one of the strangest and most brutal chapters in Anglo-Scottish history: the Rough Wooing. After the death of James V in 1542, the infant Mary Queen of Scots became the prize in a dynastic chess game. Henry VIII, desperate to unite the crowns through marriage, launched a campaign of terror across the Scottish border—burning towns, destroying abbeys, and slaughtering civilians. We follow the harrowing raids of 1544 and 1545, the devastating Battle of Ancrum Moor, and the scorched-earth policy that earned the conflict its name. We also explore the diplomatic twists, including the Treaty of Greenwich and the Auld Alliance's counter-punch, and end with Mary's dramatic departure for France in 1548. This is a tale of fire, politics, and a child queen caught in the storm. If you've ever wondered why the sixteenth century was so bloody, this episode offers a gripping answer. #RoughWooing #MaryQueenOfScots #HenryVIII #AngloScottishWars #AncrumMoor #TreatyOfGreenwich #AuldAlliance #ScottishHistory #TudorHistory #BorderReivers #Hertford #EarlOfArran #EdinburghBurning #Jedburgh #Dunbar #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo