Andrew Harclay, 1st Earl of Carlisle
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Sir Andrew Harclay or Hartley (anglicized from Andreas de Harcla), Earl of Carlisle (d. 1323) was an important English military leader in the borderlands with Scotland during the reign of Edward II.
Born about 1276, son of Michael de Harcla, at what was to become Hartley Castle he was to become a commander of the English forces for King Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 for which he was knighted.
In 1315 Sir Andrew was Sheriff of Cumberland, and drove off Robert I of Scotland from a siege of Carlisle. More notably, in 1321 he defeated the rebel forces of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster at Boroughbridge, and the next year he was created Earl of Carlisle and Warden of the northern Marches.
Later in 1322, the new earl was at Edward's defeat by the Scots at Old Byland, and afterwards the north of England became very hard to defend against Scottish raiding. Apparently Carlisle decided to take matters into his own hands, and met with Robert I of Scotland to propose peace terms. His intentions were probably honorable, and the resulting proposal was not unreasonable, but nevertheless King Edward could deem it nothing less than treason. Carlisle was arrested, and hung, drawn and quartered on March 3, 1323.
His brother John was executed too, although his son, also John, survived as a ward of the king. His sister Sarah successfully petitioned the king to have his body recovered from the far corners of the country that it had been sent to: Carlisle Castle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York, Shrewsbury and his head from London Bridge so that she could 'commit them to holy sepulture'.
| Peerage of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: (new creation) |
Earl of Carlisle 1322–1323 |
Succeeded by: (forfeit) |
