Battle of Bannockburn facts for kids
The Battle of Bannockburn was a very important fight. It happened on June 23 and 24, 1314. This battle was a big Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence. A smaller Scottish army beat a much larger and better-armed English army.
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Why the Battle Happened
When King Alexander III of Scotland died in 1286, his only heir was his granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway. King Edward I of England wanted his son, Edward II of England, to marry Margaret. This way, his son would share the Scottish crown. But Margaret died in 1290 on her way to Scotland.
This started a time in Scotland called the First Interregnum. Scotland had no king from 1290 to 1292. Edward I was asked to choose a new king from different people who claimed the throne. He chose John of Scotland. But Edward I then said he had power over the Scottish king. John Balliol could not do anything without Edward's permission.
In July 1295, the Scottish Parliament met. They took most of John Balliol's power away. They gave it to a group of twelve men they chose. This group made a deal with King Philip IV of France. It was called the Auld Alliance.
King Edward I gathered his army. He got ready to invade Scotland. He took his army to Berwick and captured the town and castle. John Balliol sent letters to King Edward. He said he did not accept Edward's right to rule Scotland. After Edward captured all the castles in Scotland, John Balliol gave up. John Balliol was sent to prison in London. Later, Edward let him live in France.
In 1296, Edward made every man in Scotland who owned land promise to be loyal to him. Scotland did not have its own king again until 1306. That's when Robert the Bruce said he was the King of Scotland. He did this even though Edward I was still alive.
Before this, Robert the Bruce had a fight with John Comyn. They met in a church in Dumfries in 1306. In a fight, John Comyn was killed. Robert the Bruce was crowned king three weeks later. Because he was accused of killing Comyn, the Pope removed him from the church. Edward sent his men to catch Bruce, but they could not.
Many small fights and wars happened along the border. In 1310, Edward invaded Scotland again, but it did not change much. Between 1310 and 1314, Bruce and his followers took many castles back from the English soldiers.
The Fight for Stirling Castle
In the spring of 1313, Edward Bruce, who was the Scottish King's brother, started to attack Stirling Castle. Sir Philip Mowbray held this castle for the English king. By the middle of summer, the Scots still could not take the castle.
So, Edward Bruce made a deal with Mowbray, the castle commander. The deal said that if the English army did not come to help the castle by June 24 of the next year, it would be given to Bruce. Edward Bruce told his brother, King Robert, the good news. But King Robert saw this as a mistake. It gave King Edward II of England a whole year to get an army ready. He could march into Scotland.
Until this point, the King of Scotland had avoided big battles with the English army. All King Robert could do was get ready for the fight that was sure to come. In October 1313, King Robert made everyone in Scotland promise to be loyal to him. If they did not, they would lose their lands. The English king was now in danger of losing everything in Scotland. On November 28, 1313, Edward II said he would gather an army. It would be in Scotland before June 24, 1314.
Edward II Arrives in Scotland
Edward's first goal was to bring food, weapons, and fresh soldiers to Stirling Castle. He needed to do this before they had to give up. He started gathering the biggest army an English king had ever led.
He had 2,500 heavy cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Each one had one or more helpers on horseback. Edward also brought 3,000 of his best Welsh longbowmen. These were archers with powerful bows. Finally, he had 15,000 foot soldiers. Each had a sword, shield, and spear.
His army was over 20,000 men. They started marching from Berwick on June 17, 1314. The army was split into ten groups. They reached Edinburgh on June 21. There, Edward's ships brought them more supplies. By June 22, the army made a very tiring march to Falkirk. This was only 10 miles from Stirling Castle.
Edward's army moved on an old Roman road. This road went through an old forest called the Tor Wood. It crossed the Bannock burn (a stream) and went into the New Park. This was a hunting area that was fenced off in the time of Alexander III.
How the Scots Got Ready
Bruce's army was mostly foot soldiers. They carried very long spears, about 18 feet long. This was like William Wallace's army before him. Bruce's army was split into three main groups of foot soldiers. A fourth, larger group was led by the king himself. This group was the backup.
The second group was led by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray. The third group was led by Edward Bruce, the king's brother. The fourth group was led by Sir James Douglas and his cousin Walter the Steward.
The light cavalry (horse soldiers) had 500 men. They were led by Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland. Each group of foot soldiers formed a "Schiltron" formation. In this formation, each man held his spear straight up. The soldiers on the outside would lower their spears. This made a deadly wall of sharp metal points. A schiltron could stop an attack by knights on horses. But Bruce also trained his men to attack with this formation.
Bruce's army had been gathering in the Tor Wood. This area had good natural cover. Bruce then moved his army just north to the New Park. This was a more heavily wooded area. His army's movements could be hidden there. It could also provide cover if they needed to retreat.
The Scottish king chose his battleground very carefully. The Bannock burn (stream) was a natural barrier. The English army had to cross it to get to Stirling. Parts of the stream were too deep for soldiers or horses to cross. The area was also covered with wet, muddy ground. This made it hard to ride over. Sir Thomas Gray called it "an evil, deep, wet marsh."
On the east side was a steep drop of 50 feet or more. The trees of the New Park were on the west side. Also, pits were dug as traps. These were meant to break a cavalry charge. No matter which way the English cavalry tried to go, they would get stuck. This would make them easy targets for the Scottish foot soldiers. The only way to approach was over the old road from Falkirk to Stirling. This was the only solid ground where heavy cavalry could move.
Bruce's three main groups had about 1,000 men each. His own backup group was twice as strong, with about 2,000 men. The Marischal's light cavalry had about 500 horses. There was also a small group of archers. Together, the Scottish army had between 5,000 and 6,000 men. This was about one-fourth the size of Edward's army.
First Day of Battle
The English army reached Tor Wood on June 23. They stopped there. Sir Philip Mowbray, the English commander of Stirling Castle, met them. He told the king there was no need for a battle. Edward had done his duty to help the castle by coming within three leagues (about 9 miles). Mowbray had also seen Bruce's preparations. He warned against attacking the Scots with heavy cavalry. Like Edward II and his commanders, Mowbray thought the Scots would run away when they saw how big Edward's army was.
The first part of Edward's army, led by Gloucester, had already crossed the Bannockburn. They were moving towards the Scottish lines. An English knight, Henry de Bohun, was riding ahead. He saw the Scottish king checking his lines. De Bohun lowered his lance (a long spear) and charged. Robert the Bruce was on a small horse. He had a battle-axe. He could have just moved behind his men and let them stop the charging horse and rider. Instead, he turned his horse and rode towards de Bohun.
At the last moment, Bruce turned his horse to one side. He missed de Bohun's lance. Then he stood up in his stirrups. He brought his axe down with such power that it cut through de Bohun's helmet. De Bohun died instantly. There was a shocked silence from both armies. Then a great cheer rose among the Scottish soldiers.
Then the highlanders from Bruce's own group charged the English cavalry. The English were still lining up. The horses of the Earl of Gloucester and others stumbled. They fell into the hidden pits. The earl was saved, but the English cavalry ran from the charging Scots. King Robert stopped their charge. His men returned to their lines. This showed how well-trained the Scottish soldiers had become.
When King Robert returned, his brother and commanders told him off. They said he risked his life too much. Robert the Bruce did not answer them. He just stared at his broken battle-axe.
Looking around, the king saw English cavalry moving around their left side. He pointed out the cavalry. He said to Thomas Randolph, "a rose has fallen from your chaplet." This meant Randolph had let something important get past him. Randolph immediately rode to his men. He moved his schiltron onto the open ground. They were in the path of the English knights.
When their leader, Sir Henry Beaumont, saw the Scots coming, he said, "let us wait a little; let them come on; give them room." Sir Thomas Gray replied, "I doubt that whatever you give them now, they will have all too soon." Sir Henry said to Thomas Gray, "if you are afraid then be off!" Sir Thomas replied, "it is not from fear that I shall fly this day." He and several other knights charged the Scottish schiltron. Many were killed, stuck on the spears. Sir Thomas himself was captured.
The rest of the English knights surrounded the schiltron. They attacked the Scots from all sides. But the schiltron held firm. The English, frustrated, started throwing their weapons at the Scots. Sir James Douglas, leading the left schiltron, saw his friend Randolph in trouble. He begged Bruce to go help him. But by the time he returned to his men, Randolph was winning. Randolph's schiltron moved forward. It split the English cavalry in two. Half of the remaining English ran back to their lines. The other half ran to Stirling Castle. After losing only one soldier, the Scots took off their helmets to rest from the heat.
Sir Alexander de Seton had secretly left the English King's army. He came to Robert the Bruce that night. He no longer wanted to serve the King of England. He offered to join Bruce. He promised that the English were losing hope. He said if Bruce attacked them tomorrow, he would win the battle.
The English moved from the muddy ground south and east of the stream to harder ground. They had to get water for all their warhorses, workhorses, and oxen. By the time they finished moving, it was almost morning. But the rivers around them had risen with the tide. They could not cross them as they did before. The English were now squeezed into a small space. They could not move freely.
Second Day of Battle
Robert the Bruce saw where the English had spent the night. Their narrow front gave the Scottish army an advantage if the English did not move before morning. Morning came, and the English had not moved. Soon after daybreak on June 24, three Scottish groups came out of the woods. They started moving towards the English. The English got on their horses in great confusion.
When the Scottish schiltrons started attacking the English lines, the knights and soldiers could not move well. They were so crowded that men were being pushed into the Bannock burn behind them.
Overnight, the Earl of Gloucester and Edward II had argued. Gloucester thought the English soldiers should rest another day before fighting. The king accused him of not being loyal. Gloucester was still angry when the trumpets sounded the signal to get ready. So, without putting on his surcoat (a coat worn over armor), he got on his horse. He charged into the schiltron led by Edward Bruce. The Scots did not recognize him without his surcoat. So they did not spare him. The Earl and several others with him were killed trying to break through the wall of spears.
The other two Scottish groups moved up to join Edward Bruce. Randolph moved up on Bruce's left side. James Douglas came up next to Randolph. Together, all three schiltrons filled the narrow space. They pushed forward into the confused English. Wounded horses without their knights were running back into the English lines. Edward's army was now so crowded they could hardly move. The Scots were pushing into them from the front. The back ranks were being pushed into the water and marshes.
Up to this point, the English and Welsh longbowmen (archers) had not been used well. They were moved to the right side of the English lines. From here, they could shoot arrows into the Scottish army with great effect. But Robert the Bruce had planned for this. His 500 light horsemen, led by Keith, quickly scattered the English and Welsh archers. Many of the English and Welsh archers ran back to the English lines. This caused more confusion. The foot soldiers also started to run away.
The Scottish king now sent in his backup group behind Douglas. When the English saw another large group of Scots joining the battle, they started to run. Everywhere King Edward looked, his forces were losing the battle.
Edward II Escapes
The Earl of Pembroke and Sir Giles d'Argentan were guarding the English King. Since the battle was lost, they needed to get the king to safety. They led him off the battlefield and towards Stirling Castle. At the same time, several Scots recognized the king. They tried to capture him. The king fought them off with his axe. He broke free and rode to Stirling Castle, which was a short distance away.
At the castle, Sir Philip Mowbray did not let King Edward enter. He told the king he now had to give up the castle. He said the king would be taken prisoner. But Mowbray gave Edward II a knight to guide the king and his group to safety. Edward, with 500 of his cavalry, turned towards Linlithgow.
Sir James Douglas got permission from Robert the Bruce to chase the English king. With a group of Keith's horsemen, Douglas stayed close behind Edward as he ran south. As he chased the English king, Douglas and his men met Sir Lawrence de Abernethy. Abernethy had 80 men and was on his way to join Edward at Bannockburn. When he found out the king had lost the battle, he and his men joined Douglas in trying to capture Edward.
The English tried to trick them into a fight at Winchburg. But Douglas stayed on their side. Even with Abernethy's men, the Scots were not strong enough to fight Edward's knights. The chase continued all the way to Dunbar Castle. Loyalty on the border was very unsure at this time. The local earl had sided with Edward. So the king was allowed to escape in a boat back to England. He had only a few of his closest followers. The rest of his 500 horsemen were left to find their way back to England as best they could.
Another large group of Edward's knights escaped to Bothwell Castle. There, the castle commander, Walter Gilbertson, welcomed them. But Gilbertson soon changed sides. He took all the English as prisoners. The rest of Edward's large army scattered in every direction. Many tried to escape the Scottish schiltrons. Many drowned in the Bannockburn and the River Forth. A large number were taken prisoner and later set free for money. The English baggage train was left behind. It had silver, gold, and fancy items the noblemen brought. This was worth a fortune. Along with the money paid for prisoners, this brought sudden wealth to Scotland.
What the Battle Meant
The wars with England were not over yet. It would be another 14 years until Scotland was truly free of English rule. But for the Scots, the Battle of Bannockburn was a huge victory. Before the battle, many people thought Robert the Bruce was a pretender to the throne. He had only limited support in Scotland. After Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce became a national hero. He had the support of most of Scotland.
However, his political rivals in Scotland suffered. Perhaps no one more than the Comyn family and their supporters. Both John Comyn of Badenoch and Edward Comyn of Kilbride were killed at Bannockburn. With them died any hope of an English victory bringing this family back to power.
The English dead at Bannockburn were buried with honors based on their rank. Over 500 were sent back to England in exchange for money. Scottish prisoners in England were also returned in exchange. Robert the Bruce's wife, daughter, and sister were returned.
The border wars continued. But from 1314 to 1328, the fighting moved to the north of England. The goal of all the raids was to make Edward II recognize Robert the Bruce as king of Scotland. Also, England needed to give up its claims to Scotland and accept Scotland's independence. The English learned their lesson from Bannockburn. The Scots apparently did not. In later battles like Battle of Dupplin Moor and Halidon Hill, the same tactics that won at Bannockburn led to their defeat. William Mackenzie wrote: "Never did the arms of England suffer so complete a disaster; never did the arms of Scotland repeat so remarkable a performance."
Images for kids
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Holkham Bible, c. 1330: This picture shows a battle from the Bible. It gives an idea of how soldiers were dressed at Bannockburn.
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The round monument at the modern Bannockburn site.
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Bruce talks to his soldiers, from Cassell's History of England.
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A drawing of Robert the Bruce fighting Sir Henry de Bohun.
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A view of the round walls and the flag pole at the monument.
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The path leading to the monument.
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A statue of Robert the Bruce by Pilkington Jackson.
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A close-up picture of the statue.
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See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Bannockburn para niños
