[5] Between 1588 and 1595, the northern earls of Huntly, Errol, and Angus, who were all Catholics, made overtures to Philip II of Spain, in revolt against James VI of Scotland.

[7] The Earls on the opposing side knew that Argyll was a youth with no military experience, whose army was made up of raw and undisciplined militia and which also included a great number of Catholics.

Huntly's force now amounted to nearly 1,500 men, mostly horsemen, and from there they advanced to Carnborrow where the two Earls and their followers made the vow to conquer or die.

Huntly received intelligence that Argyll was about to descend from the mountains to the lowlands and sent Captain Thomas Carr and a party of horsemen to carry out reconnaissance.

Huntly then resolved to attack Argyll before he was joined by the Lord Forbes and the forces which were waiting for his appearance in the lowlands.

[7] Argyll passed Glenlivet and reached the banks of a small stream named Alltacoileachan, but he had no idea that Huntly and Errol would attack him with such an inferior force and was therefore astonished to see them approach him.

He was apprehensive that Huntly's cavalry would counterbalance his numerical superiority of foot soldiers and so held a council of war to decide if they should attack or retreat to the mountains which were inaccessible to Huntly's horse, and where he could wait until the lowland forces, which were mainly cavalry, would arrive to support him.

[8] Argyll had the advantage of being on a hill and Huntly's forces were further hampered by the moss on the ground and the turf pits that had been dug.

However, this wing was at the top of a steep hill and Errol was annoyed by the thick vollies of shot from above, and so had to make a detour leaving the enemy on his left.

There they discussed the situation and Huntly's uncle, who was a Jesuit priest implored his friends and kinsman to remain in their own land.

[11] However, King James gathered a considerable force and marched into the disturbed districts with none of the rebel nobles offering resistance to the royal army.

[12] James VI wrote to his wife, Anne of Denmark, on 15 October describing the battle in which his "rebels have inflicted the defeat, but have received the greater loss, through the death and wounding of many of their principal gentleman".

Lennox wrote a short account of his proceedings in Aberdeenshire, holding trials for prisoners, and putting castles and strongholds in the hands of loyal "best affected gentlemen of the country".

[15] Lennox's operations were in part funded a subsidy paid to James VI by Queen Elizabeth.

[11] As the king headed north he arranged for the houses of Sir John Ogilvie, son of Lord Ogilvie, Sir Walter Lindsay, Old Slains Castle that belonged to Errol and Strathbogie Castle that belonged to Huntly to be razed to the ground, on the pretext that Jesuits and priests had been harboured in them.

Huntly spent sixteen months travelling through Germany and Flanders after which he was recalled to Scotland where along with Errol and Angus were restored to their former honours by the Parliament held at Edinburgh in November, 1597.

[20] A ballad called "The Battell of Balrinnes" which was written by Patrick Hannay (died c. 1630) was based on the Battle of Glenlivet and in particular Andrew Gray who commanded Huntly's artillery.

[23] The original manuscript version is as follows:[24] O it's up in the Highlands, and along the sweet Tay, Did bonie James Campbell ride monie a day.