Case studies - The Battle of Falkirk, 1298 Flashcards
What did the English cavalry find difficult to get past?
Wallace’s schiltrons
Why were the English cavalry vulnerable to longbow archers?
Lack of armour
What did the English use to defeat the Scottish schiltrons?
5000 longbow archers
How did the English longbows allow the cavalry to attack?
The longbows created gaps in the Scottish schiltons which allowed the cavalry to charge on the Scottish lines
For how long after this battle were longbows an essential part of the English armies?
150 years
What good decisions did Edward I make?
He; supplied his troops by sea, attacked Wallace’s flanks, used archers
What did Edward I not have control over?
His cavalry
What good decisions did Wallace make?
His; use of schltrons, positioning of troops on top of a hill with woods behind them
What went wrong for Wallace?
He; failed to protect his flanks, fought with inferior numbers, was deserted by his nobles, he didn’t make good use of his cavalry and archers
