Issue 3: William Wallace, 1296-1305 Flashcards
Who was William Wallace?
we are missing some key information about wallace, and much of what we do know is based on propaganda
• a poem by Blind Harry, written 100 years
after wallace’s death, gives us some information evidence suggests that wallace learned his military skills as a noble outlaw`
How did his rebellion begin
according to blind harry wallace’s rebellion began when wallace killed heselrig the Sheriff of Lanark in 1297
- this was supposedly in response to wallaces wife being killed at the hands of the Sherriff
• however, there is no evidence that wallace
was in fact married, nor that his alleged wife was actually killed
more Likely, the sheriff was targeting wallace due to his status as brigand or over fishing rights
Wallace rebels
wallace moved north to Scoone gathering men along the way
• wallace confronted sir william ormesby. a man as hated as cressingham. He managed to escape wallaces forces
wallace then moved to perth and recieved messages from cuishart and bruce
english chroniclers felt these men were behind wallaces rebellion
• wallace would Lead guerrilla campaign agaisnt the english and those loyal to
edward.
Other rebellions
a
wallace was not the only leader of the
Scottish resistance
in the north, a scottish Lord called de Moray Led opposition to edward
he was a trained Knight and an experienced Soilder, and won back his familys lands in inverness
- bruce also rose up in the south west.
However, this crumbled when met with opposition
Soon, moray and wallace met at Dundee and moved their combined forces to
Stirling
Background: the battle of Stirling bridge
by 1297, edwards army advanced to Stirling and Set up camp under the castle
wallace and moray’s forces were waiting hidden in the trees of Abbey craig
the Scottish troops were overlooking the only bridge on the river forth.
Edward’s army (battle of Stirling bridge)
despite many accounts the english army was
modest in size
Cressingham wrote to the king saying he had 500 horse and 10,000 foot Soilders (certinaley Less than 50,000 estimated by some chronicolers) Overall, the army was smaller and less well organised than the one at Dunbar and it
was also less well led.
The Scottish army (Stirling bridge)
at
army was fress dunbar with the core being tenant farmers
Scots were mostly armed with pikes 12-15€
(hedgehog) Long and fought in formations called schiltrons the scots had some archers, though they were few
the scots had only small, light cavalry
The battlefield (Stirling bridge)
Scots held the high ground •The main target was the bridge
• a ford, 15 miles away, was ignored by Cressingham
• Shape of the river cas important in blacking 4. english were blocked
.
faught english in little bits
bridge brake as all tried to get over
englihmen
remaining were pushed into river
Course of events (battle of Stirling)
a skirmish on the eve of the battle encouraged two Scottish earls siding with edward to
desert
the earl of Surrey went to bed ill and tired the next morning he woke to find his forces marching accross the bridge to attacic the
Scots
furious he ordered them to return to camp • he then recommenced marching them across the bridge though pulled back to gather reinforcements
a
Cressingham, impatient ordered a full attack across the bridge
The battle of Stirling bridge
• around 11:00, 1/3 of the english army had Crossed the river
• wallace and moray organised into Schiltons with their best troops at the front
• they attacked the english forces
the english rangourd was outnumbered, Outmanuerered, and driven into the forth
the
english were massacred and cressingham was killed and flayed
The results of the battle of Stirling bridge
heavily armoured troops quickly drowned, and no reinforcements were able to get over the bridge
the english morale was shattered and many fled to Stirling castle which soon fell
moray was mortally wounded and died Soon after
his death would be a great loss for Scotland
Why did the Scot’s win (English mistakes)
Post dunbar the english were overconfident Surrey and Cressingham both ignored cautious plans Cressingham had reduced the & Size of the army so as to reduce costs
The Choice of the battlefield was poor, and
it did not suit the Strengths of the english army
+ Carairy could not outflanks and archers could not dep
deploy
Vanguard could be isolated
The
english underestimated the courage and tacticts of the Scots
“The “faise Starts” revealed the english attacks.
Why did the Scot’s win Stirling (Scottish tactics)
wallace and moray acted like professional generals
Scots chose the ground well, and it suited their army.. “they acted deciscvely, and their timing was suberb the schiltrons were well Suited to blocking
infantry and resisting powerful cavalry
charges
The battlefield (Stirling)
much of the land around the river forth was Soft and boggy, Limiting the ability of the english troops to deploy
The river and bridge stopped the english from using their numbers to defeat the Scots The best anti-Schiltron weapon, the archers could not deploy effectively
*The english ignored other crossings that were wider, though they were further away.
Impact (Stirling)
although a famous victory, this battle was not in fact deasive
it allowed wallace to claim leadership of the Scottish army as well as being appointed guardian
• the battle proved that the scots could ovin the loss of moray would be critical
Wallace as guardian
9
wallace had agreed with moray - now dead- to keep raiding the english army
wallace was tolerated as guardian of Scotland as he had no desire to be king himself.
Wallace soon regained all Scottish land, bar berwick and roughbrough
he Led raids into Carlisle and new caste
he was knighted by the earls of Scotland.
Background - Falkirk
• in July 1298
1298 edward moved his huge army
north Looking for wallace
• edward couldn’t find wallace and his troops grew hungry and rebellious
edward turned back to Edinburgh to resupply but two earls betrayed wallaces true position • wallace had been shadowing edward, hoping to wear his army down and had no intention of fighting a pitched battle.
•however he was now to close to edward to
escape- and couldn’t withdraw safely
Edward’s army - Falkirk
。
unlike previous battles, the Scottish army
was comparatively large and well equipped they had around 600 knights
• The earl of comyn (and others) had
contributed men though were not prosent There were at
as three schittrons each
of 2,000 men and archers
•This was large but still smaller then the english army
Wallace’s army - Falkirk
。
unlike previous battles, the Scottish army
was comparatively large and well equipped they had around 600 knights
• The earl of comyn (and others) had
contributed men though were not prosent There were at
as three schittrons each
of 2,000 men and archers
•This was large but still smaller then the english army
Events of the battle - Falkirk
the wallace positioned his men behing the boggy burn with his cavalry behind, he hoped that the burn would reduce the power of the english knights
the english attacked on the flanks, put of the by the boggy land.
•the english vangaurd Struck first, neutrilising the scottish Knights and leaving the archers unprotected. They were massacred.
• the knights then held off and the english archers deployed and massacred the
immobile Schiltrons bap
The english Knights (inished of the remaining Scots and wallace routed.
Scottish failures - Falkirk
the Scottish Cavalry was traditionally blamed, though it is important to note that they did not run
• with hind sight wallace should not have offered battle- but at the time it was
a
not clear ent
The fact that the schiltrons were immobile
doomed them.
•The boggy Lond, funelled english Knights to the flanks their favourite target. Some point to the absence of militery training, and no murray.
Impact of the defeat - battle of Falkirk
wallace resigned as guardian after the battle The Lost most of his supporters
he was replaced by Robert the bruce and john comyn
· by 1304
wallace was the only scot
organising resistance to the english- other significant nobles had accepted Lenient terms from edward
ALL
• in september 1304 he was betrayed by john mentieth and then taken to london and publically killed.
The significance of Wallace - battle of Falkirk
Some argue that wallace became a bit of an embarassment to Scottish nobles •his refusal to surrender seems to have angered both sides
• Some argue that bruces rebellion of 1306 was linked to the killing of wallace
though there is no evidence of this. any morale boost from Stirling was undone at falkirk. Many scots, tired of war, accepted wallaces death
• yet, for a time, wallace was the focus of resistance to edward
The end of Wallace
he was betrayed to the english by Sirjohn menteith
harder
wallace was taken to London by boat. This was so any rescue attempt would be much” he was led through the streets of westminister and declared a traitor and an Outlaw wallace was found guilty of these crimes at trial wallace was executed at Smithsfield, I outside the city walls
he was hung until nearly dead then cut down he was drawn (had his insides cut out while alive)
he refused to beg for mercy
he was beheaded
