The Battle of Bannockburn (1314)

At the end of the thirteenth century the Scots launched a revolt under the leadership of Robert Bruce, the future King Robert I of Scotland, to free themselves of English overlordship. The years to follow saw many sieges and battles with defeats on both sides.

Edward II, who came to the English throne in 1307, was not as enthusiastic about the wars in Scotland as his father used to be. There were no campaigns between 1307 and 1310 and Robert Bruce, who had been crowned King of Scotland in 1306, managed to firmly establish his position and to organize a counter attack in order to recapture English-held castles.

In 1313 Stirling Castle was besieged by the Scots and they challenged the English with an ultimatum: Stirling would be handed over to the Scots unless an army was sent to put down the siege by Midsummer 1314.

The Battle of Bannockburn, which took place on the 23rd and 24th June, started with a single combat between Robert Bruce and Henry de Bohun, who held Bruce's Scottish lands. Edward II was not a very good leader and had problems to keep up the discipline in his own army. This and the fact that the Scots were familiar with the boggy ground they had chosen for the battle, brought about the victory for Bruce's army. Edward himself managed to escape but many noble knights died in the bogs.