Bannockburn June 24, 1314Strategic Context

Edward I of England defeats William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, crushing the Scottish uprising and annexing Scotland. In 1306, the Scottish rebel under the leadership of Robert Bruce, soon to be Robert I of Scotland. By 1314, Bruce commands virtually all of Scotland and is poised to capture Stirling Castle, one of few remaining English strong points in Scotland. Edward II of England leads an army north to relieve the Stirling garrison, but is blocked by Bruce’s army along the Bannock Burn. The heavy cavalry of the English vanguard attempt to outflank the Scots but are repulsed; the repulse of their knights and defeat of a famed English knight in a duel against Bruce demoralize the English in the first day of combat. Bruce decides to attack the next day when he learns Edward is bivouacking his army on soggy ground, hemmed in between the Bannock Burn and Pelstream rivers, both at high tide.

Stakes+ An English victory would relieve Stirling Castle and preserve the English foothold in Scotland.

+ A Scottish victory would force the surrender of Stirling Castle and virtually eliminate English strong points in Scotland.

By Jonathan Webb, 2012©

Bannockburn, 1314Strength

English

Well

Scottish

Well

Robert BruceEdward II

By Jonathan Webb, 2012 ©

5,500 spearmen/pikemen6,000 longbowmen

6,000 pikemen1,500 longbowmen500 light cavalry2,250 heavy cavalry

English(Edward)

Scottish(Bruce)

NN

Bruce deploys three schiltrons of pikemen four ranks deep across the entire front, anchored by the right. Bruce plans to advance with this wall of pikemen, screened by archers, and force the English army into the cramped space between the rivers. Bruce keeps his cavalry and fourth schiltron of pikemen in reserve. The Scottish deployment for battle surprises Edward. The English knights insist on leading the attack and deploy up front with only a few archers. The English infantry remain in a mass behind the cavalry, blocked from joining the battle by the English cavalry.

The battle opens with an exchange of archery. Although the English archers definitively win this exchange, it diverts fire away from the Scottish schiltrons, which are able to advance unhindered. Arguments among English nobility as to who should lead the attack persist until the Earl of Gloucester impetuously leads his knights against the lead Scottish schiltron; he is killed in this first engagement.

The rest of the English heavy cavalry join the attack against the advancing Scottish schiltrons. but are unable to gain momentum due to their density, and are halted by the Scottish wall of pike. The English infantry press forward, further constricting the English cavalry’s space to maneuver.

The English archers attempt to influence the battle by firing over their cavalry; many of these arrows cannot find their target in the entangled mass of pikemen and cavalry, and end up hitting the English cavalry in the back, disordering them. The Scottish schiltrons advance steadily, shoving the English cavalry into the mass of infantry behind them, creating further confusion. As the Scottish line advances, anchored by the right, the ground becomes more open, meaning the Scottish left flank becomes more open. An English archer unit takes the initiative and crosses the Pelstream to establish a firing position to exploit this fact.

The Scottish pikemen continue to push the English cavalry backward into their own infantry, inciting further confusion. The advance stalls on the Scottish left as the English archers there fire a devastating enfilade of arrows into the leftmost schiltron. Bruce quickly dispatches his light cavalry to chase the archers away before his left collapses.

Bruce reinforces his weakened left wing with his reserve schiltron and orders his archers to fire into the congested English mass, every arrow striking a target. The English nobility see the day is lost and begin to flee; Edward himself flees north across the Pelstream towards Stirling Castle with a significant complement of knights. Bruce therefore keeps his pikemen in formation for fear of a counterattack from this direction and due to the high number of routing but undefeated English infantry. Nonetheless, many English drown attempting to cross the Bannock Burn.

English(Edward II)

5,500 spearmen/pikemen6,000 longbowmen2,250 heavy cavalry

Scottish(Robert Bruce)

6,000 pikemen1,500 longbowmen500 light cavalry

Bannockburn, 1314Casualties & Aftermath

English: Scottish:

4,000

or

29%

400

or

5%

By Jonathan Webb, 2012 ©

Edward was refused entry to Stirling Castle and fled south instead. Bruce raided into England thereafter but avoided any major battle. In 1318, Bruce captured Berwick, the last Scottish town occupied by the English. In 1322, Bruce gave battle and defeated Edward again at the Battle of Old Byland. Finally, in 1328, England and Scotland signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton recognizing Scotland as an independent kingdom with Bruce as its first monarch.

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By Jonathan Webb, 2012 ©