Bannockburn June 24 1314 Strategic Context Edward I

Bannockburn June 24, 1314 Strategic Context Edward I of England defeats William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, crushing the Scottish uprising and annexing Scotland. In 1306, the Scottish rebel under the leadership of Robert Bruce, soon to be Robert I of Scotland. By 1314, Bruce commands virtually all of Scotland is poised to capture Stirling Castle, one of few remaining English strong points in Scotland. Edward II of England leads an army north to relieve the Stirling garrison, but is blocked by Bruce’s army along the Bannock Burn. The heavy cavalry of the English vanguard attempt to outflank the Scots but are repulsed; the repulse of their knights and defeat of a famed English knight in a duel against Bruce demoralize the English in the first day of combat. Bruce decides to attack the next day when he learns Edward is bivouacking his army on soggy ground, hemmed in between the Bannock Burn and Pelstream rivers, both at high tide. Stakes + An English victory would relieve Stirling Castle and preserve the English foothold in Scotland. + A Scottish victory would force the surrender of Stirling Castle and virtually eliminate English strong points in Scotland. By Jonathan Webb, 2012©

Bannockburn, 1314 Strength §English §Scottish §Edward II §Robert Bruce § 5, 500 spearmen/pikemen § 6, 000 longbowmen § 2, 250 heavy cavalry § 6, 000 pikemen § 1, 500 longbowmen § 500 light cavalry §Well By Jonathan Webb, 2012 ©

Bruce deploys reinforces three his schiltrons weakened ofleft pikemen wing with fourhis ranks reserve deep across the and entire orders front, his anchored archers by fire the into right. the Bruce congested plans to English advance withunable every this wall arrow of The archers attempt toexchange influence the battle by firing overschiltron their cavalry; many ofthe these arrows find their target in the mass of pikemen The battle opens with ancontinue of archery. Although the English archers definitively win this exchange, itentangled diverts fire away from The Scottish pikemen to push the English cavalry backward into theirtocannot own infantry, inciting further confusion. The. English rest of the English heavy cavalry join the attack against advancing Scottish schiltrons. butmass, are to pikemen, striking a target. screened The by English archers, nobility and see force the day English is lost and army begin into to the flee; cramped Edward space himself between flees north the across rivers. the Bruce Pelstream keeps his towards cavalry Stirling and Castle fourth and cavalry, and end up hitting the English cavalry in the back, disordering them. The Scottish schiltrons advance steadily, shoving the English cavalry into the Scottish schiltrons, are able to unhindered. Arguments among Englishofnobility as to who should lead attack advance stalls on them, thewhich Scottish left asadvance theand English archers there fire a devastating enfilade ofbecomes arrows into thethe leftmost gain momentum toof their density, are halted by the Scottish pike. The English infantry mass infantry behind creating further confusion. As the line advances, anchored bywall the of right, the ground more open, meaning the schiltron with aofsignificant of pikemen complement indue reserve. The knights. Scottish Bruce deployment therefore keeps for. Scottish battle his surprises pikemen in Edward. formation Thefor English fear knights a counterattack insist on leading from this the direction attack andpress deploy to persist until the Earl of Gloucester impetuously leads hisinitiative knights against the lead Scottish schiltron; he isto killed in thisdue first schiltron. Bruce dispatches his light cavalry to the archers away before hisjoining left Scottish flank more open. An English archer unit takes and crosses the Pelstream tofrom establish acollapses. firing position exploit this fact. forward, further constricting English cavalry’s space to maneuver. up front the highleft with number onlybecomes of a quickly routing few archers. but undefeated Thethe English infantry. remain Nonetheless, inthe achase mass behind many the English cavalry, drown blocked attempting to cross thethe battle Bannock by the Burn. English cavalry. engagement. Scottish (Robert Bruce) 6, 000 pikemen 1, 500 longbowmen 500 light cavalry Scottish (Bruce) English (Edward II) 5, 500 spearmen/pikemen 6, 000 longbowmen 2, 250 heavy cavalry

Bannockburn, 1314 Casualties & Aftermath English: Scottish: 4, 000 400 or or 29% 5% Edward was refused entry to Stirling Castle and fled south instead. Bruce raided into England thereafter but avoided any major battle. In 1318, Bruce captured Berwick, the last Scottish town occupied by the English. In 1322, Bruce gave battle and defeated Edward again at the Battle of Old Byland. Finally, in 1328, England Scotland signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton recognizing Scotland as an independent kingdom with Bruce as its first monarch. By Jonathan Webb, 2012 ©