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Schiltron facts for kids

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A schiltron (pronounced SHIL-tron) was a special way for soldiers to stand close together in a battle. Think of it like a big, tight group of troops, almost like a human shield wall or a phalanx. This battle formation is most famous for being used by Scottish soldiers, especially those with long spears called pikes, during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 1200s and early 1300s.

What Does "Schiltron" Mean?

The word "schiltron" is very old, dating back to at least 1000 AD. It comes from old English words that mean "shield-troop." This suggests that the schiltron might have come from even older formations, like the Anglo-Saxon shield wall. Some historians also think it might be linked to a large, circular formation used by Viking warriors.

The word "schiltron" was sometimes used more generally in the Middle Ages to just mean a group of soldiers, including cavalry (horseback soldiers) or archers. However, the first time we see it used specifically for a formation of spearmen (soldiers with spears) was at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. It's possible this type of formation was used in Scotland long before that, as the Picts (an ancient Scottish people) also used spears in block formations as a main part of their armies.

How Schiltrons Were Used

Round Schiltrons

We know of two times the Scottish army used schiltrons shaped like a circle:

A circular schiltron was mostly used for defense. At Falkirk, the soldiers made it even stronger by sticking stakes into the ground in front of them and connecting them with ropes. Imagine the front rows of soldiers kneeling with their spear butts pushed into the ground. The rows behind them held their spears over their comrades' heads. This created a very thick "forest" of twelve-foot-long spears that was almost impossible for enemy cavalry (soldiers on horseback) to break through.

Square Schiltrons

Many battles saw the use of schiltrons shaped like a rectangle or square. These include:

Unlike the circular schiltron, the rectangular formation could be used for both defense and attack! Robert the Bruce is famous for developing the attacking use of the schiltron at Bannockburn. He trained his troops to use their pikes offensively, which required a lot of discipline. This new tactic helped the Scots fight the English army on flat ground, which was perfect for the English cavalry.

Bruce's new idea came after a big defeat for the Scots at Falkirk. There, the first recorded use of the schiltron by a Scottish army failed against a mix of Welsh longbowmen, English archers, and English cavalry.

English writers who described the Battle of Bannockburn gave some good details about these formations:

  • "They had axes at their sides and lances in their hands. They advanced like a thick-set hedge and such a phalanx could not easily be broken."
  • "They were all on foot; picked men they were, enthusiastic, armed with keen axes, and other weapons, and with their shields closely locked in front of them, they formed an impenetrable phalanx..."

English Examples

The term "schiltron" was also used by the poet Barbour to describe English foot soldiers at Bannockburn. The author of the Lanercost Chronicle also used it for English spearmen at the Battle of Boroughbridge (1322). In both these cases, they were talking about rectangular formations, though the one at Boroughbridge was curved.

Similar Formations in Europe

While the schiltron is famous in Scotland, similar ways of fighting were used across Northern Europe during the Middle Ages.

  • Welsh Troops: The Welsh also used schiltron-like formations at battles like Battle of Orewin Bridge (1282) and Battle of Maes Moydog (1295). However, this tactic usually didn't work out well for them.
  • Flanders: Perhaps the closest comparison is with the armies from medieval Flanders (modern-day Belgium). They also used deep blocks of fighting men with rows of spears braced in the earth to stop cavalry. At the Courtrai in 1302, the Flemings completely defeated a French army of knights and foot-soldiers. The Flemings also used a circular, "crown-shaped" formation, much like those at Falkirk and Bannockburn.
  • Portugal: A similar square formation of pike-armed foot soldiers was used by Portuguese troops, helped by the English, against Castilian armies in the late 1300s at Aljubarrota (1385).
  • Italy: Another example is from the Battle of Legnano (1176) in Italy, where the Milanese army used a strong formation to defend their Carroccio (a special battle wagon) against Federico Barbarossa.

See also

Comparable formations

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