This battle is often seen as a religious conflict, and was fought by the Catholic forces of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, who were victorious over the Protestant forces of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll. When the decree of 12 November 1593 came out, by which Catholics were ordered to give up their faith or leave the country, Huntly refused to obey. His continued resistance culminated in the Battle of Glenlivet, where, accompanied by the Earl of Errol, he engaged Argyll's army above Allt a' Choileachain.