English invasion of Scotland (1298) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids English invasion of Scotland of 1298
Part of Wars of Scottish Independence
Date July 1298 Location Scotland Result Militarily inconclusive English withdrawal
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
William Wallace	Edward I of England
Casualties and losses
	12,000 infantry 2,500 cavalry

The English invasion of Scotland of 1298 was a military attack led by Edward I of England. It happened because the Scots had rebelled in 1297. They had also beaten an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Plus, Scottish raiders had attacked northern England.

Even though the English won a battle at Falkirk, King Edward I faced problems. His army ran out of food. He could only reach Stirling before he had to go back to England.

Why the English Invaded Scotland in 1298

The situation in Scotland seemed calm when King Edward I went back to England in 1296. But soon, Scottish people started to fight back in many areas.

The Battle of Stirling Bridge

On September 11, 1297, Scottish forces fought an English army. The Scottish leaders were Andrew de Moray and William Wallace. The English army was led by John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey. They met at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

The Scottish army waited north-east of the bridge. They let the first part of the English army cross. Then, they attacked them. The English cavalry (soldiers on horseback) struggled on the muddy ground near the bridge. Many English soldiers were killed. The bridge broke when more English soldiers tried to cross. The English on the other side of the river then ran away.

The Scots did not lose many soldiers. However, Andrew Moray was badly hurt. He later died from his injuries. This was a big loss for the Scottish cause.

Wallace's Actions After Stirling Bridge

After the battle, Wallace took back many castles in Scotland. This meant England controlled only a few areas around the castles they still held. Wallace then focused on running the country. He wanted to restart trade and friendships with other European countries. Scotland had enjoyed this under King Alexander III.

Wallace soon led an attack into northern England. His army crossed into Northumberland. The Scottish army chased the English army fleeing south. Many people ran to safety behind the walls of Newcastle. The Scots destroyed a lot of the countryside. Then they went west into Cumberland. They looted everything until they reached Cockermouth. After that, Wallace led his men back into Northumberland. They burned 700 villages. Wallace returned from England with many valuable things.

In March 1298, Wallace was made a knight. It is said that one of Scotland's main nobles did this. He was also named Guardian of Scotland. This meant he ruled the kingdom for the exiled King John Balliol. Wallace then started getting ready for a big fight. He knew he would soon face King Edward I.

In January 1298, Philip IV of France made a truce (a peace agreement) with King Edward I. This agreement did not include Scotland. This meant France left its Scottish friends to fight alone.

The English Invasion Begins

King Edward I came back to England on March 14, 1298. He had been fighting in Flanders. He told his army to gather at Roxburgh. He moved the government's main office to York. He also called for the Scottish nobles to meet him. The Scottish nobles did not come. Because of this, they were accused of being traitors.

King Edward I left York on June 25. He went to Newcastle. On July 3, he invaded Scotland. He wanted to defeat Wallace and anyone who wanted Scotland to be free. The army traveled from Roxburgh through Lauder and then Kirkliston. King Edward I chose not to enter the English-controlled town of Edinburgh.

Edward I then moved his camp to Linlithgow. Supplies came from Carlisle and from ships along Scotland's eastern coast. The Scots had emptied and damaged Berwickshire and the Lothians. This was to reduce the food available for the English army.

Attacks on Castles and Edward's Injury

While the English army waited for supplies, a group of soldiers attacked some castles. This group was led by Anthony Bek, the Bishop of Durham. They attacked Dirleton, Hailes, and Tantallon castles. The castles gave up to the English and were burned.

At the main English camp, King Edward I was hurt. His war horse accidentally stepped on him. This caused him to break three ribs.

The Battle of Falkirk

On July 22, King Edward's army attacked a smaller Scottish force. This force was led by Wallace near Falkirk. The English army had a special advantage: their English longbowmen. These archers could shoot many arrows over long distances. They greatly harmed Wallace's spearmen, who were grouped in formations called schiltrons. They also attacked the light cavalry.

The Scottish cavalry ran away from the battle. Many Scots were killed in the chaos that followed at the Battle of Falkirk. It is hard to know the exact number of Scots who died.

English Retreat and Supply Issues

The English army continued to Stirling. They captured Stirling Castle. After staying a few weeks, they started to go back to England. This was because they did not have enough supplies. The English army marched south from Stirling. They went through Falkirk, Torphichen, Abercorn, Braid, and Ayr.

The English had expected ships with supplies from Ireland to arrive at Ayr. But the ships did not come. The English found that Ayrshire had been left empty and destroyed by the Scots. King Edward I attacked and captured Lochmaben Castle. Then he traveled to Carlisle. There, he found that the supplies had been stolen.

Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk and Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford were two English nobles. They and their soldiers left the English army. This happened after they had an argument with King Edward I at Carlisle. The army then traveled through Jedburgh, Roxburgh, and into England. They went to Alnwick and then Newcastle.

What Happened Next

King Edward I did not fully defeat Scotland before he went back to England. However, Wallace's reputation as a military leader was damaged. He went into the nearby thick woods. In December, he gave up his role as Guardian of Scotland.

Stirling Castle was surrounded by the Scots in 1299. The English soldiers inside were forced to give up. King Edward I started getting ready for another invasion in 1299. But he had to wait until 1300 to attack Scotland again. This was because he was going to marry Margaret of France. She was the half-sister of Philip IV of France.