page_title: Siege of Wesenberg (1574)
section_title: Siege
hierarchical_section_title: Siege of Wesenberg (1574) / Siege
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Pontus De la Gardie (1520-1585)Русский: Портрет Понтуса Делагарди
context_page_description: The Siege of Wesenberg was an abortive Swedish siege of the Russian-held town of Wesenberg in Estonia from January through March 1574, during the Livonian War. The siege is infamous for a brawl and subsequent combat between German and Scottish mercenaries within the besieging army, which claimed the lives of about 1,500 Scots. Wesenberg was seized in a renewed Swedish assault in 1581.
context_section_description: In January 1574, Wesenberg was stormed twice, but without success. In the third assault of 2 March 1574, the Swedish forces lost at least 1,000 men. Subsequent Swedish attempts to dig tunnels and set the town on fire likewise failed. De la Gardie withdrew part of the besieging army for expeditions to nearby Tolsberg (Toolse) and Dorpat (Tartu), both of which were unsuccessful.
  Thus, the besieging forces were demoralized. In addition, supplies ran out and tensions grew after the German faction blamed the failures on a lack of Scottish support. On 17 March 1574, a brawl between German and Scottish mercenaries occurred, triggered by insults and/or unpaid ale in the canteen. First, a German officer tried to intervene, but when he was unsuccessful and the brawl turned into an open fight, de la Gardie, Tott, and Ruthven arrived to the scene in person. They were however likewise attacked and fled, with Ruthven suffering severe injuries.
  When the commanders had fled the scene, Scottish mercenaries overwhelmed the German artillery, seized the guns and took aim at the German cavalry. The German cavalry charged, hit by Scottish artillery fire on their way, and cut down the Scots. The result was 30 dead Germans and 1,500 dead Scots. The German and Swedish infantry stood by without taking action, neither did the Scottish cavalry intervene. Several Scottish officers were among the dead, including David Murray, Jacob Murray, and George Michell. About 70 Scots escaped to the Russian forces in Wesenberg, the last historical record of them is that they were subsequently brought to Moscow.
  The siege was aborted and the army withdrawn to Reval by the end of March.
caption: Pontus de la Gardie
exif: {}