The Battle of Kringen
The Battle of Kringen was in 1612.
It was in Norway. A military force
from Scotland was destroyed. The
battle is famous in Norway. In the
town of Otta, there are images [eg
statues] connected to the battle.
But why was a Scottish force in
Norway?
At the start of the 17th
Century, Denmark and Norway
were combined as one kingdom.
Denmark controlled the narrows
between Sweden and Denmark.
The Danes were putting a tax on
boats. The Swedes were not happy.
The Swedes found another
route past Denmark. That was
through northern Norway. Neither
the Danes nor the Norwegians
were pleased. The Danish soldiers
went to Sweden.
Sweden hired soldiers from
other countries. Among them were
Scots. They landed in Norway.
They were going to walk across
the mountains to Sweden. But the
Norwegians were on the Danes’
side.
Most of the Scots were from
Caithness. They were under the
command of Lord George Sinclair.
There was another group from
southern Scotland. The Scots left
in two vessels. One was from Wick
and another from Dundee. They
reached the coast of Scandinavia
in August 1612. But the Norwegians weren’t going to let them
through without a struggle.
The Scots went on land. They
followed a long glen. But there
was a Norwegian force waiting for
them in a placed called Kringen,
near Otta.
According to oral tradition in
that area, George Sinclair knew
that it would be a bad day. Every
morning he would put gunpowder
on the fire in his tent. Usually, the
smoke would rise vertically. But on
that morning, the smoke went
towards him. It was an omen. The
Scots were going to have a bad
day, as we’ll see next week.
Blàr Khringen
Bha Blàr Khringen ann an sia ceud deug
’s a dhà-dheug (1612). Bha e ann an
Nirribhidh. Chaidh sgrios a dhèanamh
air feachd à Alba. Tha am blàr ainmeil
ann an Nirribhidh. Ann am baile Otta,
tha ìomhaighean ann co-cheangailte ris
a’ bhatail. Ach carson a bha feachd
Albannach ann an Nirribhidh?
Aig toiseach an t-seachdamh linn
deug bha an Danmhairg agus Nirribhidh
còmhla mar aon rìoghachd. Bha smachd
aig an Danmhairg air a’ chaolas eadar an
t-Suain agus an Danmhairg. Bha na
Dànaich a’ cur cìs air bàtaichean. Cha
robh na Suainich toilichte.
Lorg na Suainich slighe eile
seachad air an Danmhairg. Bha sin tro
cheann a tuath Nirribhidh. Cha robh na
Dànaich no Nirribhich toilichte. Chuir
na Dànaich saighdearan don t-Suain.
Dh’fhastaich an t-Suain saighdearan à dùthchannan eile. Am measg sin
bha Albannaich. Chaidh iad air tìr ann
an Nirribhidh. Bha iad a’ dol a
choiseachd thar nam beann gu ruig’ an
t-Suain. Ach bha na Nirribhich air taobh
nan Dànach.
Bha a’ chuid a bu mhotha de na
h-Albannaich à Gallaibh. Bha iad fo
smachd a’ Mhorair Seòras Mac na
Ceàrdaich. Bha buidheann eile ann à
ceann a deas na h-Alba. Dh’fhalbh na
h-Albannaich ann an dà shoitheach. Bha
tè à Inbhir Ùige agus tè à Dùn Dèagh.
Ràinig iad cladach Lochlainn anns an
Lùnastal sia ceud deug ’s a dhà-dheug
(1612).Ach cha robh na Nirribhich a’ dol
gan leigeil troimhe gun spàirn.
Chaidh na h-Albannaich air tìr.
Lean iad gleann fada. Ach bha feachd
Nirribheach a’ feitheamh riutha ann an
àite air a bheil Kringen, faisg air Otta.
A rèir beul-aithris anns an sgìre
sin, bha fios aig Seòras Mac na Ceàrd-aich gun robh droch latha gu bhith ann.
Gach madainn bhiodh e a’ cur pùdar-gunna air an teine anns a’ phàillean aige.
Mar bu trice, bhiodh an toit ag èirigh gu
dìreach. Ach air a’ mhadainn sin, chaidh
an toit dha ionnsaigh. ’S e manadh a bha
ann. Bha droch latha gu bhith ann do na
h-Albannaich, mar a chì sinn an ath-sheachdain.
