Alexander Ramsay (1342)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Alexander Ramsay (d. 1342) was a Scottish patriot known for his warfare prowess and the capture of Roxburgh Castle in 1342.

1 Life
- 1.1 Military career
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Life

Alexander Ramsay was the eldest of two sons born to Sir William Ramsay. Alexander's brother was Sir William Ramsay of Inverieth.

[edit] Military career

Sir Alexander became Warden of the Middle Marshes in command of Lothian men, and one of the Regent's chief commanders at Borough Muir, where England's ally the Flemish Army was defeated. He was present at the capture of Leuchars Castle, at St Andrews in 1335, and in June of 1338 he relieved Dunbar Castle and assisted the Countess of Dunbar in her struggle to maintain the stronghold against the English.

His tragic story begins when he and his party of men recaptured Roxburgh Castle from the English in 1342. The titular constable of the Castle, Sir William Douglas, had several times tried unsuccessfully to retake it. For his brave and heroic feat, Sir Alexander was appointed constable of Roxburgh and Sheriff of Teviotdale. Sir William Douglas was so outraged by the appointments, that he sought revenge by capturing Sir Alexander and imprisoning him in the dungeon of Hermitage Castle where he was left to starve. Legend has it that he survived for seventeen days by eating small quantities of grain that fell through the cracks in the floor of the castle granary above the dungeon. His brother, Sir William Ramsay of Inverleith succeeded Sir Alexander at Dalhousie in 1342 and was famous for his raid around Norham Castle at the battle of Nesbitt Moor in 1355.