Editing Edinburgh Castle (section)

=== David's Tower and the 15th century ===
The 1357 [[Treaty of Berwick (1357)|Treaty of Berwick]] brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle which became his principal seat of government.<ref>Lynch, p. 136.</ref> David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at the castle in 1371. It was completed by his successor, [[Robert II of Scotland|Robert II]], in the 1370s. The tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery connected by a section of [[curtain wall (fortification)|curtain wall]] to the smaller Constable's Tower, a round tower built between 1375 and 1379 where the Portcullis Gate now stands.<ref name=Salter46/><ref name=BoS85-86>McWilliam, ''et al''.. pp. 85–89.</ref>

[[File:Braun & Hogenberg 'Castrum Puellarum' (Edinburgh Castle) c.1581.jpg|thumb|right|A late-16th-century depiction of the castle, from Braun & Hogenberg's [[Georg Braun|''Civitates orbis terrarum'']], showing David's Tower at the centre]]

In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under [[Henry IV of England|Henry IV]], reached Edinburgh Castle and began a siege, but eventually withdrew due to lack of supplies.<ref name=Salter46/> At least by 1436-7, Sir [[William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton|William Crichton]] was Keeper or Governor of Edinburgh Castle,<ref>Tabraham (1997), p. 91.</ref> and soon after became [[Chancellor of Scotland]]. In an attempt to gain the [[regent|regency]] of Scotland, Crichton sought to break the power of the [[Earl of Douglas|Douglases]], the principal noble family in the kingdom. The 16-year-old [[William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas]], and his younger brother David were summoned to Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. After the so-called "Black Dinner" had taken place in David's Tower, both boys were summarily executed on trumped-up charges in the presence of the 10-year-old [[James II of Scotland|King James II]] (r.1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently besieged the castle, inflicting damage.<ref name=Salter47>Salter, p. 47.</ref> Construction continued throughout this period, with the area now known as Crown Square being laid out over [[vault (architecture)|vaults]] in the 1430s. Royal apartments were built, forming the nucleus of the later palace block, and a Great Hall was in existence by 1458. In 1464, access to the castle was improved when the current approach road up the north-east side of the rock was created to allow easier movement of the royal artillery train in and out of the area now known as the Upper Ward.<ref name=BoS85-86/>

In 1479, [[Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany]], was imprisoned in David's Tower for plotting against his brother, [[James III of Scotland|King James III]] (r.1460–1488). He escaped by getting his guards drunk, and then lowering himself from a window on a rope.<ref name=Salter47/> The duke fled to France, then England, where he allied himself with King [[Edward IV]]. In 1482, Albany [[capture of Berwick (1482)|marched into Scotland]] with [[Richard III of England|Richard, Duke of Gloucester]] (later King Richard III), and an English army. James III was trapped in the castle from 22 July to 29 September 1482 until he successfully negotiated a settlement.<ref name=Salter47/>

[[File:Impression of Edinburgh Castle before the 'Lang Siege' of 1573.jpg|thumb|left|Edinburgh Castle as it may have looked before the Lang Siege of 1571–73, with David's Tower and the Palace block, centre and left]]

During the 15th century, the castle was increasingly used as an [[arsenal]] and armaments factory.<ref>David Caldwell, [https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=6954070f-2dca-4776-af22-a93f00a5e64e ''Edinburgh Castle's Role as a Gun House''] (Historic Environment Scotland, 2018), p. 2.</ref> The first known purchase of a gun was in 1384, and the "great [[Bombard (weapon)|bombard]]" [[Mons Meg]] was delivered to Edinburgh in 1457.<ref name="Tabraham 1997, p.76">Tabraham (1997), p.76.</ref> The first recorded mention of an [[Armory (military)|armoury]] for the manufacture of guns occurs in 1474, and by 1498 the master gunner Robert Borthwick was casting bronze guns at Edinburgh.<ref>Cruden, pp.206–208, although neither the 16th-century [[Holinshed's Chronicles]] nor Caldwell (pp.76–78) date Borthwick this early.</ref> By 1511 Edinburgh was the principal foundry in Scotland, supplanting Stirling Castle, with Scottish and European smiths working under Borthwick, who by 1512 was appointed "master melter of the king's guns".<ref>Caldwell, pp. 76–77.</ref> Their output included guns for the Scottish flagship, the "''[[Great Michael]]''", and the "Seven Sisters", a set of cannons captured by the English at [[Battle of Flodden|Flodden]] in 1513.<ref>Cruden, p. 209.</ref> Sir Thomas Howard, England's Lord Admiral, admired their graceful shape and brilliant finish, declaring them the most beautiful [cannon] for their size and length that he had ever seen.<ref>Mackenzie, W. Mackay (1931), ''The Secret of Flodden'', Edinburgh: Grant & Murray, p. 50.</ref> From 1510 Dutch craftsmen were also producing [[hand culverin]]s, an early [[firearm]].<ref>Caldwell, p. 81.</ref> After Flodden, Borthwick continued his work, producing an unknown number of guns, but none have survived. He was succeeded by French smiths, who began manufacturing [[hagbut]]s (another type of firearm) in the 1550s,<ref>Caldwell, p. 78.</ref> and by 1541 the castle had a stock of 413.<ref>Cruden, p. 211.</ref>

Meanwhile, the royal family began to stay more frequently at the [[Holyrood Abbey|Abbey of Holyrood]], about {{convert|1|mi}} from the castle. Around the end of the fifteenth century, [[James IV of Scotland|King James IV]] (r.1488–1513) built the [[Palace of Holyroodhouse]], by the abbey, as his principal Edinburgh residence and the castle's role as a royal home subsequently declined.<ref name=Salter47/> James IV did, however, construct the Great Hall, which was completed in the early 16th century,<ref name=BoS85-86/> and the castle featured in his tournaments of the [[Wild Knight and the Black Lady]].<ref>Louise Olga Fradenburg, ''City, Marriage, Tournament: Arts of Rule in Late Medieval Scotland'' (University of Wisconsin, 1991), p. 230.</ref> His daughter [[Margaret Drummond (mistress)|Margaret Stewart]] was lodged in the castle with her servant [[Ellen More]].<ref>[[Miranda Kaufmann|Kaufmann, Miranda]], ''Black Tudors: The Untold Story'' (London, 2017), pp. 17–18.</ref>

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