Battle of Bannockburn Flashcards
What year did King Alexander III of Scotland pass away? (1)
1286
What did King Alexander III’s death signal? (2)
- It signalled the end of a long period of peace & prosperity in Scotland.
- It led to a succession crisis as he had no grown up heir to the throne.
What did the Scottish Lords of Congregation decide to do in 1290? (2)
- They asked Edward I to choose the successor to King Alexander from a list of 13 candidates
What were Edward I reign dates? (2)
1272-1307
Who did Edward I choose as the successor? (1)
John Balliol
What were John Balliol’s reign dates? (2)
1292-1296
Why did Edward choose John Balliol? (1)
He thought Balliol could be his ‘puppet’ and he could control him.
Why did Edward I invade Scotland in 1296? (2)
Balliol made the “Auld” alliance with Phillip of France (1), who was an enemy of Edward. (1)
On what date did Balliol surrender to Edward? (2)
10th July 1296
What were the Scottish Wars of Independence? (3)
A series of conflicts between England and Scotland (1), driven by Scotland’s desire for independence (1) after Edward conquered in 1296. (1)
Why could the Scottish Wars of Independence be seen as a cause of the Battle of Bannockburn? (2)
The Battle of Bannockburn was another battle for independence for Scotland.
What were Edward II’s reign dates? (2)
1307-1327
Why was Edward II considered a weak king? (4)
- a self indulgent monarch
- he gave his favourite nobles, like Gaveston, gifts and priveleges beyond their stature.
- this annoyed other nobles
- he was a weak military leader, unlike his father
What were Robert Bruce of Scotland’s reign dates? (2)
1306-1329
How did Robert Bruce take advantage of Edward II’s weak leadership? (3)
He began to retake castles & land (1), not just in the highlands (1), but in the lowlands which were traditionally allied with the English crown (1).
Who signed the ‘deal’ between England and Scotland at Stirling Castle? (2)
Edward Bruce (Robert’s younger brother) & Sir Philip De Mowbray (English commander of Stirling Castle)
On what date was the ‘deal’ between England and Scotland at Stirling Castle done? (2)
24th June 1313
What were the terms of the ‘deal’ between England and Scotland at Stirling Castle? (4)
That by 24th June 1314 (1) if no English force had come to relieve the garrison (1) then Sir Philip de Mowbray (1) would hand over control of Stirling Castle to Robert the Bruce. (1)
What were Edward II’s thoughts about the ‘deal’ between England and Scotland at Stirling Castle? (3)
He did not want to partake in a northern war (1) as it would be expensive (1) and he did not have the full support of the nobility. (1)
What did Edward II decide to do about the deal made in 1313? (3)
He could not ignore the threat of losing Stirling Castle (1) and control of Scotland and the loss of support (1), homage & taxes that came from the Scottish lowland nobles. (1)
What date was the Battle of Bannockburn fought? (2)
23-24 June 1314
What date was the Battle of Bannockburn? (3)
23rd and 24th June 1314
What is Bannockburn named after? (2)
It is named after the “Bannock burn”
A “burn” is a small stream.
What were Edward I’s reign dates? (1)
1272 -1307
What were Edward II’s reign dates? (1)
1307-1327
What was the ‘deal’ struck between the English and Scottish in June 1313? (4)
Edward Bruce (Robert’s brother) (1) said to Sir Philip Mowbray (English commander at Stirling Castle) (1) that if a relief force did not arrive before 24th June 1314 (1) then the castle would be handed over to the Scots. (1)
On what date did the English arrive near Stirling? (2)
23rd June 1314
What was the date of the ‘main’ battle? (2)
24th June 1314
What is unusual about the length of the Battle of Bannockburn? (2)
Most medieval battles lasted a few hours whereas this battle was ‘staged’ over two days.
What were the approximate numbers of the Scottish army? (2)
5,000- 10,000
What were the approximate numbers of the English army? (2)
14,000-25,000
Who were the commanders on the Scottish side? (4)
Robert Bruce
Edward Bruce
Sir James Keith (cavalry)
James Douglas
Who were the commanders on the English side? (3)
- Edward II
- Earl of Hereford
- Earl of Gloucester
What had Robert Bruce been preparing for a year before the battle (2)
- The battleground
- His troops.
What happened on the afternoon of the 23rd that boosted the Scottish morale? (4)
- The English knight, Sir Henry de Bohun, tried to unhorse Robert Bruce with a charge
- But Robert Bruce veered away from him and brought de Bohun crashing down with a blow from his axe.
- If Bruce had been killed that would have been the end of Scottish hopes
- But the incident had the opposite effect in giving the first day to the Scots and leaving the English vanguard vulnerable.
What was the ‘carse’? (2)
The marshy area near the Bannockburn (1) which the English were forced to camp on during the night of the 23rd to 24th. (1)
What were the first movements of the battle? (3)
- Edward lost control of his men as his commanders argued over strategy.
- A disorganised cavalry charge then followed
- This did nothing to the Scottish schiltrons which held their ground.
How did the Scots neutralise the heavy cavalry threat? (1)
By using schiltrons (hedgehogs of pike men)
How were the Welsh longbowmen used? (3)
- The longbow men were not used effectively. (1)
- Edward moved them to the right flank too late in the battle (1) by which time they were exposed and ridden down by the Scottish cavalry. (1)
What problem did the English face in front of the schiltrons? (4)
- The dead and wounded men and horses (1) caused an obstacle for other English divisions (1)
- It was difficult to do fresh cavalry charges (1)
- The dead and wounded created a barrier for the Scottish (1)
What was the name of the nobleman who defected to the Scottish side on the night of 23rd June? (1)
Sir Alexander Seton
How did Robert Bruce press home his advantage? (2)
He ordered the schiltrons to move forward (1) and start pushing the English infantry back towards the Bannockburn. (1)
What happened in the late stages of the battle? (5)
- The English spotted a large number of people moving to join the Scottish line
- These were mostly camp followers, the young, the sick and the women
- Believing these to be reinforcements, many of Edward’s army fled
- They were cut down by chasing Scots
- Edward narrowly escaped.
What were the approximate Scottish casualties? (1)
400-4,000
What were the approximate English casualties (2)
700 cavalry
11,000 infantry
What were the three main reasons for the English defeat? (3)
- Poor leadership
- Poor strategy
- Lack of organisation
How did one eye witness describe the sight of the crush of retreating English at the Bannock burn? (2)
- ‘’Bodies lay so thick a man could cross the burn dry-shod’’.
- In other words there were so many dead that you would not get your feet wet crossing the stream.
What happened to Edward II after the battle? (2)
- He managed to get to Stirling castle but was refused entry
- He carried onto Dunbar Castle where a ship carried him back to England.
- He was now at the mercy of his barons
What were the main results of the battle for the Scottish? (2)
- Robert the Bruce cemented his place on the Scottish throne
- Scotland gained its independence.
Which treaty led to England recognising full Scottish independence? (2)
- The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton signed in 1328
What year did Robert the Bruce die? (1)
1329
What were the four main consequences of the Battle of Bannockburn? (4)
- Robert Bruce was excommunicated
- The Treaty of Arbroath
- Edward II loses power
- The Treaty of Edinburgh
Which Pope excommunicated Robert Bruce? (1)
Pope John XXII
What year was Robert Bruce excommunicated? (1)
1320
What year was the Treaty of Abroath signed? (1)
1320
What was the Treaty of Arbroath? (4)
- Signed by 8 Scottish Earls
- Sent to the Pope
- A statement on the origins of the Scottish people
- Declaration of independence from England
What impact did the loss of Bannockburn have on Edward II? (1)
It weakened his power
Who took over the running of the government from Edward II? (1)
Thomas Lancaster
What was the name of Edward II’s queen? (1)
Isabella
Who did Edward’s queen join with to depose him?
Roger Mortimer
What year was Edward II murdered? (1)
1327
Where was Edward II murdered? (1)
Berkeley Castle
What were Edward III’s reign dates? (1)
1327-1377
When was the Treaty of Edinburgh signed? (1)
17th March 1328
What was the Treaty of Edinburgh? (3)
- It brought the wars between Scotland and England to an end
- It formally stated Scottish independence from England.
- It was ratified by Edward III
Why was Edward III keen to sign the treaty? (3)
- He did not want to continue fighting up north.
- He wanted to save money
- He was more determined to fight a war in France
When was Scotland eventually incorporated into the English crown? (3)
In 1603 (1), when King James VI of Scotland (1) became James I of England (1)
