I know that the main conflict of the Hundred Year's War was England and France (w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶), but I'm writing a story where the main character is in the Scottish Army and going to fight English forces. The story takes place in 1346. Any crucial information I should know?
The Battle of Neville's Cross - the culmination of a Scottish invasion of northern England - took place in that year.
I've previously posted the great story of how Sir Thomas de Rokeby was knighted by Edward III in 1327, but he was also one of the English commanders during the Battle of Neville's Cross.
The Lanercost Chronicle has the best description of the battle and it also says of Rokeby:
Sir Thomas de Rokeby, like a noble leader, presented such a cup to the Scots that, once they had tasted it, they had no wish for another draught; and thus he was an example to all beholders of how to fight gallantly for the sacred cause of the fatherland.
It describes the battle in full, including the final result:
This battle, therefore, as aforesaid was fought between the English and the Scots, wherein but few Englishmen were killed, but nearly the whole of the army of Scotland was either captured or slain. For in that battle fell Robert Earl of Moray, Maurice Earl of Stratherne, together with the best of the army of Scotland. But David, so-called King of Scotland, was taken prisoner, together with the Earls of Fife, of Menteith, and of Wigtown, and Sir William of Douglas and, in addition, a great number of men-at-arms. Not long afterwards, the aforesaid David King of Scots was taken to London [incidentally, by Sir Thomas de Rokeby] with many of the more distinguished captives and confined in prison, the Earl of Menteith being there drawn and hanged...
Andrew of Wyntoun's Orygynale Chronicle of Scotland, written around 1420, is the best Scottish source for the battle and is also worth a read.