Battle Of Falkirk (1298)

Question 1

What were Scots sick of in 1297?

Answer 1

English control of Scotland, started Scottish uprising

Question 2

What did William Wallace use at Stirling Bridge?

Answer 2

Pikes and schiltrons to defeat English

Question 3

What did Royal Writs do?

Answer 3

Summoned troops to Scotland using feudal service and assize of arms, raising a 21k army for Earl Of Surrey. Still ways to get large numbers in declining system

Question 4

Why were only 10k men from 21k army left by March?

Answer 4

Men went home due to the winter campaigning season not being popular

Question 5

What did the 10k remaining troops do?

Answer 5

Recaptured castles at Berwick

Question 6

Why did Edward only have 1500 troops by time of battle?

Answer 6

He delayed campaign till he returned from campaign in France

Question 7

What did Edward and Wallace do as Edward marched North?

Answer 7

Wallace destroyed crops useful to Edward in Scotland and Edward retaliated by burning houses to punish locals

Question 8

What problems did Edward encounter on his march North?

Answer 8

Baggage train ran out of supplies and bad weather stopped supply ships that Edward hugged the east coast for

Question 9

How did the battle begin?

Answer 9

Both armies accidentally spotted each other

Question 10

How did Wallace prepare for attack?

Answer 10

Set up on side of a hill with marsh in front and woods protecting rear. Archers on flanks and infantry formed 4 schiltrons

Question 11

How was the English army composed?

Answer 11

2k cavalry (half feudal half assize)
12k infantry
5k longbowers and 500 crossbowmen

Question 12

How was Scottish army composed?

Answer 12

500 cavalry and 9.5k infantry

Question 13

Why was it significant that Wallace wasn’t in nobility?

Answer 13

Scottish nobles didn’t take orders from him and were quick to desert

Question 14

How did an uncoordinated cavalry attack begin?

Answer 14

Edward ordered not to engage till king’s cavalry arrived but some feudal knights too undisciplined to listen

Question 15

What did Scottish cavalry do?

Answer 15

Abandoned Wallace (little loyalty)

Question 16

What was good about wallace’s schiltrons?

Answer 16

Well-disciplined and held back cavalry

Question 17

How did Edward win?

Answer 17

Deployed 5k longbows and killed hundreds of infantry, creating gaps in schiltron for cavalry to charge. Wallace’s troops scattered

Question 18

What did Edward do after winning?

Answer 18

Captured castles to get firmer grip on Scotland

Question 19

What did Wallace do well?

Answer 19

Use of schiltrons almost worked
Good aspects of positioning

Question 20

What did Wallace do badly?

Answer 20

Failed to protect his flanks
His cavalry and archers were not useful and his fault for using wrong troops

Question 21

What did Edward do that was risky?

Answer 21

Advanced planning for supplies almost starved campaign
Undisciplined cavalry could’ve ruined the attack

Question 22

What did Edward do well?

Answer 22

Took the bold decision to attack fast when Wallace had no defended flanks, showing outmanoeuvring enemy was a key skill
Made most of hus superior troops