The Siege of Durham occurred in 1040 when the Scottish army of King Duncan I besieged the English cathedral city of Durham. He was ultimately defeated by Earl Eadwulf III of Bamburgh.
History[]
Following Carl Thurbrandsson's murder of Earl Ealdred of Bamburgh in a 1038 blood feud, King Duncan I of Scotland took advantage of the weakness of his successor Eadwulf III of Bamburgh by invading northern England. Unlike in 1018, the Northumbrians did not try to meet him in the field, retreating to their fortified places, churchyards, and into te hills. Duncan moved south and besieged Durham, but he was defeated by the Northumbrians, who had taken refuge in teh city; he was forced to flee after losing many men. Eadwulf directed Durham's defense and was exalted with pride as a result of his victory, and he them ravaged the land of the Galwegians, who had taken part in Duncan's expedition. A year later, however, Eadwulf was murdered by King Harthacnut.