On the 24th of June 1314, King Robert the Bruce
of Scotland prepared his Schiltron formations for the fateful clash at Bannockburn. With
Unyielding resolve, he grasped his sword and commanded his troops to advance, his booming
voice resonating across the battlefield.
Like an unstoppable tide of defiance, the
Schiltrons surged forward, poised to break the ranks of the English knights. The fate of
Scotland's hard-fought independence hung in the balance, the outcome of this pivotal
showdown holding the destiny of nations, with its significance to be
forever etched into history.
At the turn of the 14th century,
Scotland found itself embroiled in relentless conflict. The Scottish Wars of
Independence had been raging since 1296, marked by both triumphs and setbacks for
Scotland. Notably, the legendary rebel William Wallace had dealt a significant blow to
the English, although he ultimately succumbed to the formidable Edward I. Despite this defeat,
Wallace's heroic struggle ignited a fervent sentiment of resentment and resistance to
English dominion throughout Scotland.
Amidst this turbulent landscape of feuding
nobility, one figure emerged to shape the course of the nation's fate – Robert the Bruce.
A prominent noble with blood connections to past Scottish monarchs, Robert would play a
pivotal role in the events that followed.
Robert the Bruce's loyalties were
intricate and uncertain. Initially, during the rebellion against English rule in
1296, he found himself aligned with Edward I, alongside other influential Scottish figures. This
surprising alliance arose from his intense rivalry for the Scottish throne, which he believed was
rightfully his, and his opposition to the powerful Comyn family, who resisted Edward's rule.
However, tensions escalated in 1306 when, during a meeting with the Comyns, Robert the
Bruce fatally wounded his opponent after a heated dispute. This act of violence left Bruce
with no option but to claim the Scottish throne, resulting in his excommunication by the Pope and
persecution by the English King . Asserting his claim as the great-great-grandson of David
I, Bruce received his coronation at Scone on 25th March, with the support of a faction within
the Scottish Church and nobility. Nevertheless, Bruce faced staunch opposition from various
Scottish lords, particularly the Comyns and their allies seeking revenge, while
others outright rejected his claim.
In the meantime, one of Edward I's
lieutenants confronted Bruce's forces, leading to the dispersal and defeat of
Bruce's army at Methven in June 1306.
By the end of June, Bruce's position had
crumbled, and his supporters were scattered, leaving him as a hunted fugitive. Despite the dire
circumstances, Bruce managed to elude his pursuers and sought refuge on the remote Isle of Rathilin,
where he regrouped and reorganized his forces.
In early 1307, Robert Bruce, accompanied by
a small group of followers, boldly returned to the mainland, making landfall in Ayshire
before vanishing into the rugged wilderness of Carrick. Simultaneously, his younger brothers
led an expedition to Galloway with the intent of disrupting English communications. However, their
plans took a disastrous turn as they fell into an ambush and were subsequently captured.
Under King Edward I's command, Bruce's brothers met a grim fate, facing
execution by hanging. Despite the influx of English troops into the southern regions
of Scotland, Bruce's following steadily grew, and he achieved some triumphs against the English
in confrontations at Glen Trool and Loudon Hill.
On July 7th 1307 the formidable old King Edward
I died, leaving his politically inept son, Edward II, to grapple with a kingdom rife with
internal strife and dissent. Edward II faced numerous distractions due to his favoritism
of unpopular nobles and opposition from his barons. This diversion provided Robert
Bruce with a crucial window of opportunity to confront his Scottish adversaries.
Bruce swiftly retaliated against his enemies in the southwest before advancing northward to
challenge his chief rivals. With his eventual triumph Bruce was able to consolidate his hold
over Aberdeen and the north-eastern region.
Having vanquished most of his Scottish opponents
by 1309, Bruce shifted his focus towards expelling the English from his kingdom. Over the following
years, he solidified his position in Scotland by conquering most of the English-held castles
and rallying the remaining powerful Scottish nobles to support his victorious cause.
By 1314, Bruce's brother was besieging one of the last key fortifications still in English
hands, Stirling Castle. The besieged governor of Stirling Castle acknowledged the inevitable fall
of the stronghold and reached an agreement with Edward Bruce, pledging to surrender the castle
if no relief arrived by June 24th . However, King Robert Bruce was displeased with this
arrangement, recognizing that the deadline would prompt the English into immediate action. At
this critical juncture, the prospect of a pitched battle emerged as the only means to prevent
the castle's relief, and Robert Bruce was well aware that such an encounter could jeopardize
the hard-won gains of his campaign thus far.
Meanwhile, King Edward II urgently sought to
mend relationships with his barons and marched northwards to Berwick, hastily assembling
an army to relieve Stirling by the appointed date of June 24th. As the English army advanced
towards Stirling, meticulous arrangements were required to store and transport supplies.
Employing scorched-earth tactics, the Scots ensured that the advancing English forces found
minimal sustenance in the devastated terrain.
Facing an adversary with an army almost twice the
size of his own, King Robert Bruce strategically positioned his forces a few kilometers south
of Stirling, patiently awaiting Edward II's approach and the impending confrontation
near a stream known as Bannockburn.
Robert organized a force of about 7,000 to 8,000
infantry into four divisions known as schiltrons, strong defensive squares of men equipped
with pikes. He strategically positioned these divisions along the road that traverses
the New Park forest leading to Stirling.
On the morning of June 23rd, light Scottish
horsemen conducted a patrol to observe the arrival of the English Army. The sight of 2,500 heavily
armored knights, resplendent in their gleaming weapons and armor, was formidable, followed by
11,000 infantry marching a few miles behind.
The advancement of two English cavalry formations
marked a significant development in the unfolding events. The first formation was under the
command of the Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Hereford. The second, a smaller
contingent of approximately 600 soldiers, led by Sir Robert Clifford, pursued a route closer
to the River Forth, aiming to cut off the Scottish line of retreat towards Stirling Castle.
Subsequently, the Hereford-Gloucester force, spearheading the advance, successfully crossed
the Bannockburn and proceeded towards the dense woodlands concealing the Scots. Unbeknownst
to the English forces, King Robert Bruce had ventured ahead on a minor reconnaissance mission
without wearing his heavy protective armor.
At that moment, the impetuous young noble Henry
De Bohun caught sight of a knight mounted on a small grey horse, commanding his pikemen while
wielding an axe in his hand. The presence of a double tressured lion on his surcoat and the
glint of gold from the crown encircling his helmet left no room for doubt: the knight
was none other than the renowned Bruce.
De Bohun, attuned to the opportunity for personal
glory, rapidly altered his course, spurring his horse towards the king with an air of arrogance.
Fearlessly, Bruce steered his horse toward his challenger, who approached on full gallop. As
the distance between the two combatants closed, Bruce demonstrated his remarkable dexterity by
maneuvering his steed, eluding the thrust of De Bohun's lance. Rising in his stirrups, Bruce dealt
a powerful blow with his axe, slicing through the English knight's helmet and penetrating
deeply into his brain, killing him instantly.
Fuelled by their leader’s gallantry, the Scots
pressed forward to face the incoming English.
As Hereford's men continued their advance
along the road, expecting the Scots to retreat, they were taken aback to discover that Robert
had cunningly prepared large pits covered with branches throughout the open field in front
of his army. Instead of yielding ground, the Scottish schiltrons lowered their spears,
forming a phalanx-like formation, and launched a fierce counterattack, inflicting heavy losses
on Hereford's cavalry as they encountered the formidable wall of Scottish pikes. Simultaneously,
another schiltron emerged from the woods, moving strategically to shield the flanks of the engaged
schiltron against Gloucester’s incursions.
Meanwhile, the commander of the Scottish
left flank noticed Clifford's contingent attempting to encircle their position. He
skillfully led his men out of the woods, forming a sturdy formation of spearmen. Despite
repeated attacks from Clifford's cavalry, the Scottish formation remained impenetrable,
frustrating the Knights, who were forced to resort to throwing various weapons at the Scots.
At that critical juncture, another Scottish contingent joined the fray, relieving the
pressure on their allies. Seizing the opportunity, the engaged Scots charged against the
English ranks, compelling the English heavy cavalry to retreat and effectively
concluding the fighting for the day.
Although the English maintained a significant
numerical advantage and their losses were not substantial, their morale suffered
greatly from the fierce combat.
As evening approached, King Edward's troops
sought a place to encamp. He decided to move most of the cavalry and about half of the
infantry into a marshy area across the Bannockburn, while the remaining infantry was
stationed on the other side of the stream.
Meanwhile, Robert Bruce called a council
of war with his officers. Though past experiences had taught him to avoid
pitched battles against heavy cavalry, valuable information from a defector—a Scottish
knight in English service—shifted the odds. The defector revealed that the English were
demoralized and disorganized, providing a convincing case for a victorious attack if
Bruce chose to do so the following morning.
Upon hearing this vital information, Robert
asked his officers for their views on whether to engage. With unwavering determination,
they unanimously advocated for battle.
On the morning of June 24th, the English displayed
a shift in attitude from an earlier sense of overconfidence to one of caution. King Edward II
positioned his cavalry at the front of his army, with archers and infantry forming up behind
them. In response, King Robert the Bruce made the daring decision to lead his outnumbered
Scottish forces across the open field.
Against the formidable English army, King
Robert Bruce executed what may have appeared to be a perilous maneuver – advancing his
infantry against heavy cavalry. However, this audacious move was made possible by Robert's
innovative training of schiltrons, enabling them to move in formation, a key difference from
the tactics employed by the Scots in the past.
To divert attention away from his spearmen,
Robert dispatched his archers ahead, skillfully drawing the focus of the
English bowmen onto the Scottish archers.
During this initial skirmish, the English
archers eventually got the better of their Scottish counterparts, forcing them to retreat,
but only after diverting their attention enough to enable the Schiltrons to close the distance.
As the English lines were still forming, a dispute ensued among their commanders over who should
lead the cavalry attack. The Earl of Gloucester, previously accused of cowardice, impatiently
charged headlong across the open space between the two armies, accompanied by Clifford
and other prominent knights. Regrettably, their charge met a swift and fatal end as they
collided with Edward Bruce's impenetrable wall of raised spears, resulting in the majority of
the charging English cavalry being obliterated, with young Gloucester among the first to fall.
In the wake of this disastrous cavalry assault, the formidable Scottish schiltron steadily
advanced, withstanding dogged and stubborn English attacks while inflicting devastating
losses. The unexpectedly rapid advance of the spearmen left the English knights with no time
or room to maneuver, gradually hemming them in between the Bannockburn and the marshy area.
As the grueling battle progressed, the Scottish formations displayed remarkable discipline
and cohesion against the flower of English knights. Being hemmed in, the English knights were
unable to utilize their greatest strength – the unstoppable momentum of their mounts.
At the same time, a significant group of English archers took precarious positions on the
flank of the battle and unleashed an unrelenting and crippling hail of arrows. The ferocity
of their shooting was so relentless that, if it had continued, the situation could
have become critical for the Scots.
Yet, Robert Bruce showed a keen tactical
understanding and recognized the imminent danger presented by the English archers. He
quickly commanded his reserve light cavalry to counter the archers promptly. The charge executed
by the lighthorse proved remarkably effective, dispersing the archers and throwing them into
disarray amidst the advancing English forces from the rear. This further heightened the
confusion and alarm among the English ranks.
After firmly repelling the English bowmen, the
Scottish archers gained newfound courage and unleashed an unyielding torrent of arrows
upon the struggling enemy mass. At first, the English forces gave way gradually, but their
resistance ultimately crumbled, causing a rapid escalation of men breaking away and fleeing
towards the rear. The resounding triumph of the Scots was met with a jubilant shout from their
ranks, emboldening the schiltrons to surge forward and capitalize on the English retreat.
Facing imminent defeat, King Edward hastily escaped with his personal bodyguard,
causing panic among the remaining troops and transforming their retreat into a full-fledged
rout. The losses suffered by the English during the course of the battle, and especially
after the rout, were indeed disastrous, with some estimates indicating an almost total
eradication of their infantry forces. Knights and men-at-arms were not spared either, as casualties
reached as high as 700 individuals killed.
In stark contrast, the Scots suffered relatively
light losses, securing an unparalleled triumph for Robert the Bruce and his forces. This victory
paved the way for the north of England to become susceptible to Scottish raids, and it also
facilitated the Scottish invasion of Ireland. These consequential events eventually culminated
in the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton in 1328.
Under this treaty, the English crown officially
acknowledged the full independence of the Kingdom of Scotland, thereby recognizing Robert the Bruce
and his descendants as the rightful rulers.
