After the death of Robert the Bruce in 1329, he was succeeded by his only surviving son, who became David II of Scotland. However, his throne was contested by Edward Balliol, son of the former king John Balliol. As his candidacy posed a threat to the stability of the Scottish monarchy, he gained the support of Edward III of England, who provided Balliol with an invasion force. He crossed into Scotland in March 1333, and laid siege to Berwick. After two months, the Scottish army of David II, led by Archibald Douglas, provoked Balliol into battle in an attempt to draw him away from the siege. They fought a battle on Halidon Hill on 19th July, but Douglas's Scottish forces were decisively beaten by Balliol's English army.
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Battle of Halidon Hill". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 July 2012 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=9415, accessed 23 November 2024.]