Battle of Two Rivers

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Part of the Pictish-Northumbrian conflicts

Date	671
Location	uncertain
Result	Northumbrian victory

Combatants

Picts

Northumbrians

Commanders

Drest VI

Ecgfrith

The Battle of Two Rivers was fought between the Picts and Northumbrians in the year 671. The exact battle site is unknown, but it is generally thought that the Two Rivers are the River Forth and the River Tay, which would place the battle near Moncrieffe It ended in a decisive Northumbrian victory. The battle takes it's name from the writings of Stephan (possibly Eddius Stephanus) who wrote that:

He slew an enormous number of the people, filling two rivers with corpses so that - wondrous to relate - the slayers, passing dry-shod over the rivers, pursued and slew a crowd of fugitives.

The Pictish King Drest VI was expelled in the aftermath of the battle. He was replaced by Bridei III, who defeated and killed Ecgfrith in the Battle Of Dunnichen in 685.