Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn approximately 20,000 men Battle Summary: In the spring of 1314, Edward Bruce, brother of King Robert the Bruce, laid siege to English-held Stirling Castle . Unable to make any significant progress, he struck a deal with the castle's commander, Sir Philip Moubray, that if the castle was not relieved by Midsummer Day (June 24) it would be surrendered to the Scots. By the terms of the deal a large English force was required to arrive within three miles of the castle by the specified date. This arrangement displeased both King Robert, who wished to avoid pitched battles, and King Edward II who viewed the potential loss of the castle as a blow to his prestige. Seeing an opportunity to regain the Scottish lands lost since his father's death in 1307, Edward prepared to march north that summer. Assembling a force numbering around 20,000 men, the army included seasoned veterans of the Scottish campaigns such as the Earl of Pembroke, Henry de Beaumont, and Robert Clifford.

Departing Berwick-upon-Tweed on June 17, it moved north through Edinburgh and arrived south of Stirling on the 23rd. Long aware of Edward's intentions, Bruce was able to assemble 6,000-7,000 skilled troops as well as 500 cavalry, under Sir Robert Keith, and approximately 2,000 "small folk." With the advantage of time, Bruce was able train his soldiers and better prepare them for the coming battle. The basic Scottish unit, the schiltron (shield-troop) consisted of around 500 spearmen fighting as a cohesive unit. As the immobility of schiltron had been fatal at the Battle of Falkirk , Bruce instructed his soldiers in fighting on the move. As the English marched north, Bruce shifted his army to the New Park, a wooded area overlooking the Falkirk-Stirling road, a low-lying plain known as the Carse, as well as a small stream, the Bannock Burn, and its nearby marshes.

As the road offered some of the only firm ground on which the English heavy cavalry could operate, it was Bruce's goal to force Edward to move right, over the Carse, in order to reach Stirling. To accomplish this, camouflaged pits, three feet deep and containing caltrops, were dug on both sides of the road. Once Edward's army was on the Carse, it would be constricted by the Bannock Burn and its wetlands and forced to fight on a narrow front, thus negating its superior numbers. Despite this commanding position, Bruce debated giving battle until the last minute but was swayed by reports that English morale was low. On June 23, Moubray arrived in Edward's camp and told the king that battle was not necessary as the terms of the bargain had been met. This advice was ignored, as part of the English army, led by the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, moved to attack Bruce's division at the south end of the New Park. As the English approached, Sir Henry de Bohun, nephew of the Earl of Hereford, spotted Bruce riding in front of his troops and charged.

The Scottish king, unarmored and armed with only a battle axe, turned and met Bohun's charge. Evading the knight 's lance, Bruce cleaved Bohun's head in two with his axe. Chastised by his commanders for taking such a risk, Bruce simply complained that he had broken his axe. The incident helped inspire the Scots and they, with aid of the pits, drove off Gloucester and Hereford's attack. To the north, a small English force led by Henry de Beaumont and Robert Clifford was also beaten off by the Scottish division of the Earl of Moray. In both cases, the English cavalry was defeated by the solid wall of Scottish spears. Unable to move up the road, Edward's army moved to the right, crossing the Bannock Burn, and camped for the night on the Carse. At dawn on the 24th, with Edward's army surrounded on three sides by the Bannock Burn, Bruce turned to the offensive. Advancing in four divisions, led by Edward Bruce, James Douglas, the Earl of Moray, and the king, the Scottish army moved towards the English. As they drew near, they paused and knelt in prayer.

Seeing this, Edward reportedly exclaimed, "Ha! they kneel for mercy!" To which an aid replied, "Yea sire, they kneel for mercy, but not from you. These men will conqueror or die." As the Scots resumed their advance, the English rushed to form up, which proved difficult in confined space between the waters. Almost immediately, the Earl of Gloucester charged forward with his men. Colliding with the spears of Edward Bruce's division, Gloucester was killed and his charge broken. The Scottish army then reached the English, engaging them along the entire front. Trapped and pressed between the Scots and the waters, the English were unable to assume their battle formations and soon their army became a disorganized mass. Pushing forward, the Scots soon began to gain ground, with the English dead and wounded being trampled. Driving home their assault with cries of "Press on! Press on! the Scots' attack forced many in the English rear to flee back across the Bannock Burn. Finally, the English were able to deploy their archers to attack the Scottish left. Seeing this new threat, Bruce ordered Sir Robert Keith to attack them with his light cavalry.

Riding forward, Keith's men struck the archers, driving them from the field. As the English lines began to waver, the call went up "On them, on them! They fail!" Surging with renewed strength, the Scots pressed home the attack. They were aided by the arrival of the "small folk" (those lacking training or weapons) who had been held in reserve. Their arrival, coupled with Edward fleeing the field, led to the English army's collapse and a rout ensued. Aftermath: The Battle of Bannockburn became the greatest victory in the history of Scotland. While full recognition of Scottish independence was still several years off, Bruce had driven the English from Scotland and secured his position as king. While exact numbers of Scottish casualties are not known, they are believed to have been light. English losses are not known with precision but may have ranged from 4,000-11,000 men. Following the battle, Edward raced south and finally found safety at Dunbar Castle. He never again returned to Scotland.

BBC - Scotland's History - The Battle of Bannockburn Scotland's History Articles The Battle of Bannockburn, 1314 The Battle of Bannockburn, 1314 The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player . Bannockburn. If there is a fact every Scot knows, it is who won the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314; although it did not bring outright victory in the war, which lay 14 years in the future and would only be won at the negotiating table. The victory was a combination of Bruce's demand of 1313: that all of the remaining Balliol supporters acknowledge his kingship or forfeit their estates, and the imminent surrender of the English garrison encircled in Stirling castle – which spurred Edward II to invade Scotland. He mobilised a massive military machine: summoning 2,000 horse and 25,000 infantry from England, Ireland and Wales. Although probably only half the infantry turned up, it was by far the largest English army ever to invade Scotland.

The Scots common army numbered around 6000, with a small contingent on horseback. It was divided into three "divisions" or schiltroms (massive spear formations), led by King Robert Bruce, his brother, Edward, and his nephew, Sir Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray. After eight years of successful guerrilla warfare and plundering the north of England for booty, the Scots had created an experienced battle-hardened army. In June 1314, Edward II crossed the border only to find the road to Stirling blocked by the Scots army. Bruce had carefully chosen his ground to the south of the castle, where the road ran through the New Park, a royal hunting park. To his east lay the natural obstacles of the Bannock and Pelstream burns, along with soft, boggy ground. It seems Bruce planned only to risk a defensive encounter, digging pots (small hidden pits designed to break up a cavalry charge) along the roadway, and keeping the Torwood behind him for easier withdrawal. The battle opened with one of the most celebrated individual contests in Scottish history. Sighting a group of Scots withdrawing into the wood, the English vanguard, made up of heavy cavalry, charged.

As they clashed with the Scots, an English knight, Sir Henry de Bohun, spotted Robert Bruce. If de Bohun had killed or captured Bruce, he would have become a chivalric hero. So, spurring his warhorse to the charge, he lowered his lance and bared down on the king. Bruce, an experienced warrior, didn't panic, but mounted "ane palfray, litil and joly" and met the charge. Dodging the lance, he brought his battle axe down on de Bohun's helmet, striking him dead. Elated, the Scots forced the English cavalry to withdraw. Two of Edward's experienced commanders, Sir Henry Beaumont and Sir Robert Clifford, attempted to outflank the Scots and cut off their escape route – very nearly surprising the Scots. At the last moment, however, Thomas Randolph's schiltrom dashed out of the wood and caught the English cavalry by surprise. A ferocious melee ensued. Without archers the cavalry found they were unable to get through the dense thicket of Scots spearmen, even resorting to throwing their swords and maces at them, until the Scots pushed them back and forced them into flight. The Scots had won the first day.

Their morale was high and Bruce's new tactic of using the schiltroms offensively rather than statically, as Wallace had used them at Falkirk, appeared to be working. Yet Bruce must have been contemplating a strategic withdrawal before the set piece battle that would inevitably follow in the morning. For the English the setbacks of the first day were disappointing. Fearing Bruce might mount a night attack, they encamped in the Carse of Balquhiderock. The following day they still hoped to draw Bruce into a full-scale, set-piece battle where their decisive Welsh longbowmen could be brought to bear rather than let Bruce return to guerrilla warfare. At this critical moment, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scots noble in the English army, defected to Bruce bringing him vital intelligence of Edward's army: its confined position and the low morale within the English camp. Bruce decided to risk all in the morning and face Edward in open battle. At dawn the Scots ate their breakfast and advanced out of the wood to face the enemy.

Medieval battles were seen as the judgement of God; it was important to have the saints on your side, and so, in the midst of the Scots schiltroms, Abbot Bernard of Arbroath carried their ancient lucky talisman, the Breccbennach (or Monymusk Relquary), which held the relics of St Columba. Bruce himself made a speech invoking the power of St Andrew, John the Baptist and Thomas Beckett. Then, according to the chronicler Walter Bower: "At these words, the hammered horns resounded, and the standards of war were spread out in the golden dawn." Abbot Maurice of Inchaffrey walked out in front of the army, led mass and blessed the Scots as they knelt in prayer. On seeing this, Edward II is reputed to have said: "Yon folk are kneeling to ask mercy." Sir Ingram de Umfraville, a Balliol supporter fighting for Edward, is said to have replied: "They ask for mercy, but not from you. They ask God for mercy for their sins. I'll tell you something for a fact, that yon men will win all or die. None will flee for fear of death." "So be it", retorted Edward.

An archery duel followed, but the Scots schiltrom rapidly took the offensive in order to avoid its inevitable outcome. Edward Bruce's schiltrom advanced on the English vanguard, felling the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, while Randolph's schiltrom closed up on their left. The English knights now found themselves hemmed in between the Scots schiltroms and the mass of their own army and could bring few of their archers to bear. Some broke out on the Scots flank and rained arrows into the Scots ranks, but they were quickly dispersed by Sir Robert Keith's Scots cavalry; the rest were badly deployed, their arrows falling into the backs of their own army. In the centre of the field there was ferocious hand to hand combat between knights and spearmen as the battle hung in the balance. At this crucial point Bruce committed his own schiltrom, which included the Gaelic warriors of the Highlands and Islands. Under their fresh onslaught, the English began to give ground. The cry "On them! On them! They fail!", arose as the English were driven back into the burn. The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page.

You may wish to download the Adobe Flash player . The battle's momentum was obvious. A reluctant Edward II was escorted away. As his royal standard departed, panic set in. The Scots schiltroms hacked their way into the disintegrating English army. Those fleeing caused chaos in the massed infantry behind them. In the rout that followed hundreds of men and horses were drowned in the burn desperately trying to escape. The battle was over. English casualties were heavy: thousands of infantry, a 100 knights and one earl lay dead on the field. Some escaped the confusion: the Earl of Pembroke and his Welsh infantry made it safely to Carlisle, but many more, including many knights and the Earl of Hereford, were captured as they fled through the south of Scotland. Edward II with 500 knights was pursued by Sir James "the Black" Douglas until they reached Dunbar and the safety of a ship home. The capture of Edward would have meant instant English recognition of the Scots demands. As it was, they could absorb such a defeat and continue the war. For the Scots it was a resounding victory. Bruce was left in total military control of Scotland, enabling him to transfer his campaign to the north of England.

Politically he had won Scotland's defacto independence and consolidated his kingship – as former supporters of Balliol quickly changed sides. In exchange for Bruce's noble captives Edward was forced to release Bruce's wife, daughter and the formidable Bishop Wishart, who had been held in English captivity since 1306. For the Scots soldiers there was the wealth of booty left in the English baggage train and the exhilaration of victory. More articles Battle of Bannockburn (1314) | First War of Scottish Independence | Medieval Battles Medieval > First War of Scottish Independence BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN (1314) While attempting to lift a siege of Stirling Castle, one of just two Scottish castles left in English hands, the forces of Edward II fought and lost a pitched battle against Robert the Bruce. The Battle of Bannockburn (1314) saw the annihilation of the English army ensuring Scotland's independence for the next twenty years and fatally undermined Edward II. Skip to > Historical Background The death of Alexander III in 1286 followed four years later by his only heir, Margaret, left no clear successor to the Scottish throne.

In an attempt to avoid civil war between the multiple claimants, Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate ultimately announcing in favour of John Balliol whom he anticipated would be a reliable vassal. However, Edward's excessive demands for men and money to support a war with France placed the new Scottish King in an impossible position. He was left little choice but to rebel and sought to agree a mutual defence pact with France. Outraged Edward raised an army and invaded starting the First War of Scottish Independence. The English attacked Berwick-upon-Tweed and then defeated a Scottish army at the first Battle of Dunbar (1296) . Overwhelmed by vastly superior forces, John sued for peace and was deposed with Edward choosing to keep the Scottish throne vacant. This prompted a rebellion led by Sir William Wallace and Sir William Moray who achieved success at the Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297) before being defeated at the first Battle of Falkirk (1298) . The Scottish throne remained vacant and in 1306 Robert the Bruce made a bid for the Crown. His rebellion started by murdering a rival claimant, Sir John Comyn, in Greyfriars church in Dumfries.

He rushed to Scone to be crowned and was appointed 'Guardian of Scotland', a position previously held by Wallace. Initially though Bruce fared little better on the field against the English and was defeated at the Battle of Methvan (1306) prompting him to switch to guerrilla warfare tactics. The same year however Scottish fortunes took a turn for the better; the warrior King of England, Edward I died whilst heading north to deal with the latest Scottish rebellion. The new English King, Edward II, lacked his father's military and political skill. His reliance on favourites and military ineptitude earned him contempt from his leading magnates and this was exploited by Bruce. Edward's failure to bring an army north meant that one by one English held castles, the essential instruments of control in medieval society, were captured by the Scots. By 1313 Stirling Castle was one of just two fortifications left in English hands across the whole of Scotland. Prelude After a protracted siege Stirling Castle’s governor, Sir Philip Mowbray, agreed to surrender if not relieved by Midsummer’s Day 1314.

Edward II answered this challenge; he mustered his forces at Wark , on the River Tweed, and by 22 June 1314 he had reached Falkirk. Numbers The English force is estimated to have been around 13,000 strong including 2,000 heavy cavalry and an unknown number of archers. This was a significant force with state-of-the-art equipment but was approximately 7,000 men short of the original summons as some key magnates - most notably Thomas, Earl of Lancaster - had failed to provide their support due to dissatisfaction with Edward's Kingship. Furthermore the force was operating with an extended logistical chain stretching back to Berwick-upon-Tweed. There were also tensions within the army; Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester both believed it was their right to lead the Vanguard. Rather than make a decision, Edward II appointed them joint commanders. By contrast the Scottish army was significantly smaller; estimated to have been circa-6,000 men strong. Divided into three divisions the bulk of the troops were poorly trained militia armed with long spears. Bruce's division included Walter Stewart and James Douglas.

The Scottish army also had a detachment of around 500 cavalry who were lightly armed but highly manoeuvrable in stark contrast to the English equivalent. The Battle Bruce had deployed his troops 2 miles to the south of Stirling Castle straddling the main road from Falkirk to Stirling at the point it passed through woodland in the New Park. Defensive earthworks were constructed to form a bottleneck along a portion of the road. The English had the choice to launch a frontal attack through this narrow approach or to by-pass the wood and take a boggy route to the east. In either case Bruce hoped the English advantage in heavy cavalry would be neutralised. - Day 1 / Stage 1 The English army advanced along the Stirling road but was inevitably spread out over several miles. In the lead was the Vanguard, which probably accounted for around a third of the entire army (in the region of 4,500 men) and was a self contained fighting force configured for reactive operations as required. The force was under the joint command of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester.

Bohun had intelligence that Bruce had established his forces in New Park wood as earlier that day Sir Philip Mowbray had slipped out of Stirling Castle to warn the advancing English forces of their presence. Nevertheless Bohun suspected that the Scots would flee when faced with his formidable force. To prevent any escape Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester flanked around to the rear of the Scottish position beyond St Ninians church. - Day 1 / Stage 2 Bohun led his infantry force along the road into the New Wood timed to coincide with Clare's attack on the rear. Both elements of the English Vanguard met with disaster. The engagement in the south started with the Earl's nephew - Henry de Bohun - sighting Robert the Bruce. Keen to make a name for himself he charged the Scottish King but Robert dodged his attack and cut him down him with his battle-axe. The Scots then attacked Bohun’s infantry who were surrounded and routed. Concurrently the cavalry element under Clare was engaged by Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray who left the cover of New Park wood. - Day 1 / Stage 3 After bitter fighting, Clare's portion of the Vanguard was defeated and the survivors fled to Stirling Castle.

Edward II, still to the south advancing along the Stirling Road with the bulk of his forces, now choose to avoid the New Wood and swung his army to the east towards the Bannock Burn. They camped overnight in a deep, wet marsh remaining in arms as a Scottish ambush was expected. - Day 2 / Stage 1 No overnight attack was made on the main body of the English and the next morning Edward deployed his forces for battle. Bolstered by a high profile defection overnight - Alexander Seton had crossed over to the Scottish camp overnight and told the Scots of the poor morale in the English army - Bruce answered the challenge and moved his entire force out of the New Wood deploying them in three tightly packed formations (schiltrons) of spearmen. - Day 2 / Stage 2 Almost immediately it became apparent to the English that the battlefield was too small as they were squeezed between the Pelstream Burn in the north and Bannock Burn in the south. This impacted upon initial deployment; whilst the preferred option would have been archers on the flanks of the infantry, the lack of space meant they had to be deployed in the front rank - a particularly exposed position.

Nevertheless it gave them a clear field of fire and the battle started around 9am with the longbowmen striking at the three Scottish schiltrons. - Day 2 / Stage 3 Bruce now countered the English longbowmen by sending his small cavalry detachment, led by Sir Robert Keith, to attack them. Whether this force ever made it to the English archers is unknown but it prompted the English cavalry to counter-charge the Scottish lines which in itself would have blocked the arrow storm. - Day 2 / Stage 4 The English heavy cavalry, the medieval equivalent of a tank, was at its best when there was sufficient time for it to build up speed and was fighting a force that had either broken or was loosely configured. Neither of those conditions were met at Bannockburn. With the attack by the English archers being quickly neutralised, the Scottish schiltrons were still tightly packed and able to present a wall of spears against the cavalry attack. It is possible a full speed charge may have broken through but the distance between English and Scottish lines was insufficient to gain momentum. The combined effect was a stalled attack with the English cavalry impotent against the Scottish schiltrons.

Attempts by the archers to fire over the heads of the cavalry were ineffective. - Day 2 / Stage 5 Bruce, sensing victory, ordered his infantry to advance pushing the cavalry and then the English infantry back and into the ditch of the Bannock burn. Whilst not particularly deep, this was surrounded by steep banks and many of the soldiers were trapped by the weight of their armour. The nobles were captured for later ransom whilst the English soldiery was slaughtered. Edward II fled from the scene first towards Stirling Castle, where the Governor wisely refused him access lest he be captured, and then onto Dunbar where he escaped in a fishing boat back to England. Stirling Castle , with no prospect of relief, surrendered. Aftermath English casualties at Bannockburn are unknown but were significant - it is likely the greater part of Edward's army did not survive. However, of particular note was the large number of nobles taken prisoner and subsequently ransomed; at least 154 but perhaps significantly more. The vast financial cost to the families of these important men, would have placed significant strain on their resources and their subsequent dissatisfaction helped to weaken Edward II's regime.

With the English expelled from Scotland, Bruce started raids deep into Northern England aiming to bring Edward II to terms. The invading Scottish forces brought years of misery to the populace as the weakened government of Edward II proved unable to counter him whilst concurrently refusing to negotiate. In no small part due to the defeat at Bannockburn, Edward II became the first King since 1066 to be deposed; twelve years after the battle, Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, Earl of March overthrew him and compelled Edward III to make terms ending the First War of Scottish Independence. However, despite its huge short term significance, Bannockburn merely led to a respite for Scotland – once Edward III had deposed Mortimer, he resumed the war with vigour achieving an important victory at the Battle of Halidon Hill (1333) . Bibliography Armstrong, P and Turner, G (2002). Bannockburn 1314: Robert Bruce's great victory. Osprey, Oxford. Barbour, J and MacMillan, M (1914). The Bruce of Bannockburn. Glasgow. Barrow, G. W. S. (1976).

Robert Bruce and the community of the Realm of Scotland. Glasgow. Battlefields Trust. Battlefields Trust: Battle of Bannockburn (1314) Battlefield Report. Black, C. S (1936). Scottish Battles. Brown and Ferguson, Glasgow. Brander, M and MacGregor, J (1975). Scottish and Border battles and ballads. Seeley, London. Brown, C (2008). Bannockburn 1314. The History Press, Briscombe. Burns, W (1874). The Scottish War of Independence Its Antecedents and Effects. James Maclehose, Glasgow. Cauldwell, D.H (1998). Scotland's Wars and Warriors: Winning against the Odds. Historic Scotland, Edingburgh. Clark, D (1996). Battlefield walks : Scotland. Sutton Publishing, Stroud. Crum, F.M (1927). Bannockburn. Learmouth, Stirling. Cyprien, M and Fairbairn, N (1983). A Traveller's Guide to the Battlefields of Britain.

Evans Brothers Ltd, London. Dodds, G.L (1996). Battles in Britain 1066-1746. Arms & Armour, London. Donaldson, G (1997). Scottish Historical Documents. Neil Wilson Publishing, Castle Douglas. Douglas, D.C and Rothwell, H (ed) (1975). English Historical Documents Vol 3 (1189-1327). Routledge, London. Dunbar, A. H (1899). Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. David Douglas, Edinburgh. Forbes, G. Scottish Battles: 86 A.D. to 1746. Lang Syne, Glasgow. Green, H (1973). Guide to the Battlefields of Britain and Ireland. Constable, London. Hamilton, J (2004). Scottish Battles. Geddes & Grosset, New Lanark. Kinross, J (1979). The Battlefields of Britain. London. Lancaster, J.H.D (2014).

Bannockburn: Battlefield visit notes and observations. CastlesFortsBattles.co.uk. MacDougall, C (1982). Bannockburn. Collins, London. Mackenzie, W. M. (1913). The Battle of Bannockburn. A study in mediaeval warfare. Grant and Murray, Edinburgh. Matthews, R (2003). England versus Scotland, The Great British Battles. Leo Cooper, Barnsley. Miller, T (1914). The site of the New Park in relation to the Battle of Bannockburn. Scottish Historical Review. Morrison, D (1996). The Wars of Independence: A sense of history. Harlow, Scotland. Nusbacher Aryeh, J. S (2000). The Battle of Bannockburn, 1314. Tempus, Stroud. Ordnance Survey (2015). Stirling. 1:1250. Southampton. Ordnance Survey, Historic England and RCAHMW (2016). Roman Britain. 1:625,000 Scale. Southampton.

Sadler, J (2010). Scottish Battles. Birlinn, Edinburgh. Shearer, J. E. (1909). Fact and fiction in the story of Bannockburn. Stirling. Smurthwaite, D (1993). The Complete Guide to the Battlefields of Britain. Michael Joseph, London. Watson, F and Anderson, M (2001). The Battle of Bannockburn: A Report for Stirling Council. Stirling Council, Stirling. What's There? A monument, statute of Robert the Bruce and a substantial visitor centre (National Trust for Scotland) are on the site with the latter recently upgraded following the 700th anniversary. However the battlefield itself is very different from 1314. A significant portion has been buried under modern housing most notably Glasgow Road, which follows the route of the original Roman road, and along which the Earl of Hereford advanced and died. The western portion of the battlefield is undeveloped but significantly dryer than in the fourteenth century with the moorland having been drained and the area deforested.

The Bannock Burn itself can be seen in a few locations but Chartershall Road offers a decent view. Rotunda. The rotunda was designed by Robert Matthew and is intended to focus visitors attention on Stirling Castle. Bruce Statue. The statue was commissioned by the National Trust in 1964. Cairn. The cairn was erected in 1957 when financial austerity made the Bruce statue look unlikely. The wording on the plaque is drawn from the Declaration of Arbroath. River Forth. A view south towards Stirling Castle. The Bannockburn battlefield is located in the distance on the centre-left of the photo. Stirling Castle. Situated upon a volcanic crag, Stirling Castle dominated the road north. Other than the North Gate none of the remains visible today are contemporary with Robert the Bruce. Nevertheless the site offers superb views of the wider area. Battlefield. A view of the terrain to the south of the visitor centre. The fighting on the first day was to the left of the photo where the buildings mark the line of Glasgow Road (which follows the original Roman route). The Bannock Burn runs across the photo in the midfield. The Bannock Burn.

Modern drainage means the Bannock Burn is shallower than in 1314 but the steep banks make it clear how difficult it would have been for heavily armoured troops to escape the battlefield. Bothwell Castle. Following the defeat the Earl of Hereford and Earl of Angus fled to Bothwell Castle where they were welcomed in by the formerly pro-English Walter FitzGilbert. Once they told the story of their defeat however he changed sides and imprisoned them. Hereford was eventually exchanged for key prisoners held by the English - most notably Bruce's wife, Elizabeth de Burgh. Getting There The visitor centre is well sign-posted and has ample parking. The monument and Robert the Bruce statue are just a short walk from the car park along paved paths. The wider battlefield can be explored on foot. Visitor Centre / Car Park Battle of Bannockburn: What was it all about? - BBC News BBC News Battle of Bannockburn: What was it all about? By Andrew Black Political reporter, BBC Scotland 24 June 2014 Read more about sharing. Close share panel The Battle of Bannockburn, fought on 24 June 1314, was one of the most famous events in the wars of independence.

BBC iWonder Find out why Stirling Castle is the bloody heart of Scotland. It saw the Scottish king, Robert the Bruce, win a key victory over the English forces of King Edward II, despite being outnumbered two-to-one and facing what was regarded as the finest army in the medieval world. On the 700th anniversary of the battle, here's some things you might not know about the historic event. Where was it? Image copyright PA It was one of the most famous battles ever fought, yet nobody's sure exactly where it happened. The backdrop was Stirling Castle, the last English stronghold in Scotland, which was targeted by Robert the Bruce while on the comeback trail during the wars of independence. The constable of Stirling agreed to hand over the castle to the Scots unless an English force arrived to relieve him by the 24 June, 1314. They duly pitched up the day before. Robert the Bruce was thought to have made his stand on what's now known as "monument hill", where his statue sits. It was the perfect location, on high ground with a good field of vision, but getting up the hill to fight would have been a massive challenge for the English forces.

It seems more likely the main battle was fought on a nearby area of flat, low ground known as the Carse, where the English had camped overnight. Medieval minefields The main threat to Robert the Bruce's forces was the fearsome English cavalry - 2,000 heavily armoured men on horseback which could easily crush infantry. Thinking outside the box, Bruce ordered hundreds of holes, measuring just a few feet, to be dug at a crucial point where the English army was advancing. The small pits, capable of snapping horse's legs, meant the cavalry had to stick to a narrow Roman road and, unable to fan out, were left defensively vulnerable. Killer hedgehogs Robert the Bruce's other great anti-cavalry weapon was the "schiltron" - a body of troops wielding long pikes. Looking like massive, deadly hedgehogs when fully formed, the tightly packed group would deploy their pikes on three levels, creating a wall of death which was virtually impregnable to a heavy horse charge. This sort of tactic was vital, since many Scots couldn't even afford swords let alone war horses, and often had to make do with axes and other working tools.

First blood Image copyright PA The day before the main battle saw an event which set the tone for what was to come. Sir Henry De Bohun, a young English knight looking to make a name for himself, arrived with a vanguard and spotted Robert the Bruce addressing some of his men. The story went that Sir Henry, seeing an opportunity to take down the king of Scots, got tooled up and charged. Bruce, armed with only an axe, reciprocated - taking out Sir Henry with such force that his head split in two, from the skull to the chest bone and breaking his weapon in the process. Another much less heroic account, said to be from an English eyewitness, stated that Robert the Bruce clocked Sir Henry and cut him down as he was trying to get away. Whatever the truth, English cavalry then charged the Scots, only to taste the sharp end of the schiltron. It was a morale dampener. For Love As King Edward arrived on the battlefield, did he also see the defeat of Robert the Bruce as an opportunity to settle a personal score? Back when his father, Edward I, was on the throne, he hired an English nobleman called Piers Gaveston to work in his son's household.

Chroniclers at the time suggested Gaveston and the then Prince Edward became lovers, and the noble was sent into exile. On his elevation to the throne Edward II recalled Gaveston, bestowing on him an earldom and other gifts. But the other English nobles - enraged at the privileged access he had to the king - banded together to see Gaveston banished once again. According to the contemporary book Vita Edwardi Secundi (The Life of Edward II) the king, sometime before Bannockburn, promised full recognition for Robert the Bruce as king of Scots, in return for giving Gaveston refuge in Scotland. Bruce refused, and Gaveston was eventually executed in England as an enemy of the state. Put simply, King Edward may have seen victory at Bannockburn as an opportunity to avenge Gaveston's death on Robert the Bruce, and force the English nobles to bow to his will. Praying for victory The main battle commenced not long after first light, on 24 June, 1314. The Scots forces emerged from Balquhidderock Wood, before getting down on their knees to pray.

The tactic was more than spiritual - it allowed the captains an extra crucial few minutes to form up the battle lines. Nevertheless, across the Carse, King Edward, with his 16,000-strong army, thought the Scots were surrendering. He got a shock when prayers finished and the Scots got ready to attack. Pride before a fall Image copyright PA Image copyright PA As battle drew near, a row broke out between King Edward and the Earl of Gloucester, one of England's most powerful men, who complained the English forces needed rest after spending a sleepless night in marshland getting eaten alive by dreaded Scottish midges. When the King accused the 23-year-old earl of cowardice in front of the men, Gloucester - pride fully dented - jumped on his horse and charged towards the Scots. He was promptly met by - yes, you guessed it - the business end of the schiltron, and carved up in full view of both sides. Another morale dampener. Watery grave The Bannockburn - the long, snaking waterway after which the battle was named - proved to be Kind Edward's nemesis. As battle commenced, the Scots troops moved across the battlefield, to close the gap.

Penned in between the burn - in reality a large river in some places - and the Scots pikes, the English forces had no choice but to cross back over the waterway, which was almost impossible because of the heavy armour they wore. As the Scots pushed forward, the English became penned between the water and the enemy pikes, and panic gripped the ranks. Even the archers, the other feared super-weapon of the English army, ultimately proved useless because the crush left them with no space to shoot arrows. The getaway Image copyright PA Sensing defeat, King Edward's minders dragged him off the field and fled towards Stirling Castle. But he wasn't well received by the remainder of the English garrison, who told him it was best if he didn't come in. Shunned by his own men, the king ended up in the East Lothian coastal town of Dunbar, where he got a lift back to England on a ship. What changed? Image copyright Getty Images It's arguable whether the Battle of Bannockburn settled all that much. Despite the outcome, Robert the Bruce had to wait another 14 years for the king's son, Edward III, to recognise him as the rightful king of an independent Scotland.

Bruce died just one year later, in 1329, while the wars of independence rumbled on. However, if nothing else, Bannockburn did establish Robert the Bruce as someone who was not to be messed with. The Quest for Bannockburn , presented by Neil Oliver and Tony Pollard, is being shown on BBC Two at 20:00 on Sunday, 29 June. Battle of Bannockburn Learning Resources | Robert The Bruce Share on pinterest_share Who was he? Scotland’s great warrior king, Robert Bruce, was crowned in 1306, soon after killing his rival for the throne, John Comyn. At first his grip on the country was shaky. For the next eight years Bruce fought a brutal civil war against his own opponents in Scotland and a guerrilla war of raids and ambushes against occupying English forces. He was careful to avoid full-on confrontations with a far mightier army. However, in 1314 his brother, Edward Bruce , agreed a deal with Philip Mowbray , keeper of Stirling Castle . A direct confrontation with Edward II’s army now seemed inevitable.

At Bannockburn Bruce was a skilled tactician who knew that there was no way his men could defeat Edward’s army on the open field. Even after his personal victory over de Bohun on 23 June and the triumph of the spearmen over Clifford’s cavalry, he still wasn’t convinced that they should risk another day’s fighting. However, after Alexander Seton left the English army and reported confusion and low morale, Bruce decided to go for it and rallied his men around him. The next day he led his army to their astonishing victory. After Bannockburn Bruce spent the rest of his life trying to strengthen his position as ruler and defend Scotland’s independence. It wasn’t until 1328 that the English finally recognised Bruce as king of Scots. He died in 1329 – and almost immediately the English invaded again. Brutal but humane, fearsome in battle, yet a thoughtful tactician, Bruce has gone down in history as one of Scotland’s most inspiring leaders. Related Robert the Bruce Robert the Bruce ▼ Primary Sources ▼ Robert the Bruce Robert the Bruce was born in Turnberry, Scotland , in 1274.

He inherited the title Earl of Carrick and in 1296 swore fealty to Edward I . However, in 1297 he joined the Scottish revolt under William Wallace and was appointed one of the four guardians of Scotland. In 1306 Bruce was crowned king of Scotland. After being defeated by the English army at Methven in 1306 he was forced to flee to Raithlin Island off the north coast of Ireland . Bruce returned to Scotland and defeated an English army at Loudoun in May 1307. Two years later Bruce was strong enough to hold his first parliament at St. Andrews. A series of military victories between 1310 and 1314 won Bruce control of northern Scotland. He also captured the castles of Edinburgh and Roxburgh. In the summer Bruce besieged Stirling Castle. Stirling was the last castle still left in English control, and Edward II decided that every effort should be made to stop it being captured by Bruce. Edward therefore decided to take the largest army that had ever left England, to save the castle. Scotland's army was not only outnumbered but lacked the experience of Edward's troops.

Edward also had a large number of armoured knights and longbowmen , the two most effective forces in medieval warfare. Bruce, on the other hand, had very few of either and instead had to rely heavily on spearmen. Bruce made no attempt to stop Edward's large army from entering Scotland. He decided that his best hope was to force the English to fight on territory that best suited his limited resources. Bruce chose a site only two and half miles south of Stirling, by a stream called Bannockburn . The Scots took the high ground and, if the English were to attack, they had to advance on a narrow front between marshland and a thick wood. The English advance guard arrived at Bannockburn on the 23rd June. Sir Henry Bohun, the leader of the English party, recognised Robert Bruce. After fixing his lance, Bohun charged the Scottish king. Bruce darted out of the way of the lance and killed Bohun with a blow from his axe. The main English army arrived on 24th June. Gilbert, 10th Earl de Clare , who had brought 500 of his own knights with him, advised Edward to allow the men to rest for a day.

Edward disagreed and accused Gilbert of being afraid of the Scots. Gilbert was stung by these comments and immediately ordered his men to attack. Gilbert gallantly led the charge but his horse was cut down and while he was on the ground he was killed by Scottish spearmen. However, while the English knights were assembling, Scottish spearmen, who had been hiding in the woodland, launched an attack. The English knights, still not organised into battle order, were forced to retreat. The English archers were called forward but before they could take effective action they were charged by the Scottish knights. After large numbers were killed the archers were also forced to retreat. Edward now decided to use his knights to charge the Scottish position at the top of the hill. As the English knights were forced to attack on a narrow front, the Scottish spearmen were able to block their advance. English archers tried to help, but as both armies were crushed together their arrows were just as likely to hit their own men as the Scots. Suddenly, English soldiers started to turn and run. Others followed and soon the English army was in retreat. The Scots charged after them.

Many of the English knights were able to escape but those without horses, such as the spearmen and archers, suffered very heavy casualties. The battle of Bannockburn was the worst defeat in English history. While what was left of the English army tried to get back home, the Scots were able to take Stirling Castle. Bruce was now able to launch attacks on northern England and Berwick was captured in 1318. The Declaration of Arbroath was issued in 1320 and three years later Pope John XXII recognised Robert the Bruce as king of Scotland. Robert the Bruce took advantage of the accession of the young Edward III to force the English monarchy to accept the Treaty of Northampton which secured Scottish independence. Robert the Bruce died in 1329. Battle of Bannockburn Battle of Bannockburn ▼ Primary Sources ▼ Battle of Bannockburn In the summer of 1314 Robert Bruce was besieging Stirling Castle. Stirling was the last castle still left in English control, and Edward II decided that every effort should be made to stop it being captured by Bruce. Edward therefore decided to take the largest army that had ever left England, to save the castle.

Scotland's army was not only outnumbered but lacked the experience of Edward's troops. Edward also had a large number of armoured knights and longbowmen , the two most effective forces in medieval warfare. Bruce, on the other hand, had very few of either and instead had to rely heavily on spearmen. Bruce made no attempt to stop Edward's large army from entering Scotland. He decided that his best hope was to force the English to fight on territory that best suited his limited resources. Bruce chose a site only two and half miles south of Stirling, by a stream called Bannockburn. The Scots took the high ground and, if the English were to attack, they had to advance on a narrow front between marshland and a thick wood. The English advance guard arrived at Bannockburn on the 23rd June. Sir Henry Bohun, the leader of the English party, recognised Robert Bruce . After fixing his lance, Bohun charged the Scottish king. Bruce darted out of the way of the lance and killed Bohun with a blow from his axe. The main English army arrived on 24th June.

Gilbert, 10th Earl de Clare , who had brought 500 of his own knights with him, advised Edward to allow the men to rest for a day. Edward disagreed and accused Gilbert of being afraid of the Scots. Gilbert was stung by these comments and immediately ordered his men to attack. Gilbert gallantly led the charge but his horse was cut down and while he was on the ground he was killed by Scottish spearmen. However, while the English knights were assembling, Scottish spearmen, who had been hiding in the woodland, launched an attack. The English knights, still not organised into battle order, were forced to retreat. The English archers were called forward but before they could take effective action they were charged by the Scottish knights. After large numbers were killed the archers were also forced to retreat. Edward now decided to use his knights to charge the Scottish position at the top of the hill. As the English knights were forced to attack on a narrow front, the Scottish spearmen were able to block their advance. English archers tried to help, but as both armies were crushed together their arrows were just as likely to hit their own men as the Scots. Suddenly, English soldiers started to turn and run.

Others followed and soon the English army was in retreat. The Scots charged after them. Many of the English knights were able to escape but those without horses, such as the spearmen and archers, suffered very heavy casualties. The battle of Bannockbum was the worst defeat in English history. While what was left of the English army tried to get back home, the Scots were able to take Stirling Castle.

Question: At which battle of 1314 did Robert The Bruce defeat the English forces?
Answer: BANNOCKBURN