Osprey Campaign 102 : Bannockburn 1314 : Robert Bruce's Great Victory

Probably the most famous battle in Scottish history, Bannockburn was the climax of the career of King Robert the Bruce. In 1307 King Edward I of England, 'The Hammer of the Scots' and William Wallace's nemesis, died at Bridge-on-Sands . His son, Edward II, was not from the same mould; incorrigibly idle and apathetic, he refused to take on the burdens of kingship, surrounding himself with favourites. The Scots under Robert the Bruce now had a chance to recover from the grievous punishment Edward I had inflicted upon them. They gathered their strength and slowly reclaimed Scotland from the English. By 1313 Bruce had captured every English-held castle bar Stirling. Faced with the complete collapse of the English position in Scotland even Edward II had no choice but to respond. He assembled a great army, perhaps 100,000 men and marched north to the relief of Stirling. On Midsummer Day, 24 June, 1314 the English and Scots armies met in battle. The English cavalry failed to make any impression on the Scots schiltrons, the archers, used so effectively by his father, were still in their night positions and could not affect the battle. The Scots spearmen steadily drove the English army into marshy ground where they could not manoeuvre. Sensing defeat the English army broke and fled. After Hastings, Bannockburn was the most disastrous English defeat in medieval history. The defeat of the English at Bannockburn secured Robert the Bruce as undisputed ruler of Scotland until his death in 1329. Text by Peter Armstrong with illustrations by Graham Turner.

Contents

• Origins of the Campaign
• Chronology
• Opposing Commanders
  The English
  Edward II
  The Earl of Pembroke
  The Earl of Gloucester
  Robert Clifford
  Henry de Beaumont
  Hugh Despencer

  The Scots
  Robert the Bruce
  Edward Bruce
  James Douglas
  Randolph
  Angus Og

• Opposing Armies
• Opposing Plans
• The Campaign
• The Battle
• The Aftermath
• The Battlefield Today
• Bibliography
• Index