Border Mafia

Money has no flag. The largely rural borderland between England and Scotland was ravaged by marching armies in more than three centuries of conflict between the great nations. During this period from the Wars of Scottish Independence to the Union of the Crowns, many myths and folk heroes were born, with later romantic writers glossing over the criminal brutality of the local population, who suffered as the conflicts raged. While crops, homes and livelihoods were destroyed, it also led to the development of a system of family-based organised crime gangs among the hills and valleys. Livestock theft became a way of life with burglaries, protection rackets, kidnapping for ransom, highway robbery, intimidation, mutilation and murder an everyday occurrence. With corruption and nepotism rife among officials, people being bought off, and witness intimidation prevalent, the Borderers were also used as mob enforcers for powerful local landowners and nobles and could find themselves in demand as mercenary soldiers and horsemen. On the occasions that the law did catch up with them and the reivers found themselves incarcerated, they sprang many daring escapes, enhancing their lawless status and criminal standing among the community as feared members of the Border Mafia. AUTHOR: Jon Tait is the author of 'Raiders along the Anglo-Scottish Border - A history of those 'pacified' by King James,' also published by Pen & Sword. He was born in Northumberland and lives in the border city of Carlisle. He studied Journalism at the University of Cumbria and is a sports writer for the Northumberland Gazette, Morpeth Herald and Berwick Advertiser. He volunteers for English Heritage at Carlisle Castle. His literary influences include Jack Kerouac, Harry Pearson, Roberto Saviano, Poe Ballantine and Ken Kesey. He is a member of the Sports Journalists Association and the Football Writers Association. 20 b/w illustrations