Issue 4: Robert Bruce, 1306-1328 Flashcards
The rise of Bruce
after wallaces death, edward took control of Scotland (again) Bruce owned lands in Scotland and England; his grandfather was a candidate in the Great cause
the bruce family emerged as one of the most powerful families in Scotland
the other pawerful family was the comyns
• the conflict between the two great families was a Significant part of the wars of Independance.
The murder of John Comyn
on the 10th of February 1306, Bruce met comyn to discuss their differences m
they met in the sacred lands of Greyfriars in Dumfries • the men disagreed who should be king of Scotland, and when Bruce Left Comyn lay dying
either Bruce - or one of his men - Killed Comyn,
a guard of Scotland SM and bene
facing excommunication, Bruce went to Bishop Wishart
who absowed him.
பா
Bruce marched to Scoone, and was crowned king
of Scots (March 1306)
Bruce takes the throne
Bruce never wavered in his quest for the throne
• previously, Bruce had quickly surrendered to Edward but Comyn had been harder to win over
• the Comyns had been given very favourable terms by Edward and Bruce felt cheated.
Bruce felt that his loyalty to edward Should have been more rewarded
• he took matters into his own hands…
Early defeats
although the english were ill prepared to resist a rebellion, Bruce was also ill prepared to launch one nevertheless, Bruce quickly captured castles of Fife,
and forced the Comyns to pay homage to him. • Valance was sent by Edward to bring bruce to justice Valance ambushed Bruce at methvan woods and Scattered his small army.
• Bruce fled with 100 men, who were subsequently ambushed by John MacDougal of Argyll
• only a few of his allies survived, and his cause Seemed already ruined
114
E
Edward’s rain of terror
• There were multiple executions including Roberts brother • his wife was arrested and his day daughter was
Sent to a nunnery.
Countess of Buchan, who had crowned Robert, was Suspended in a steel cage untill 1313.
•Robert was forced into hiding 1306-1307, propably on an island, and was nicknamed King Hob (King Nobody)
Bruce returns to Scotland 1307-1314
In 1307 Bruce returned to mainland Scotland and Captured
Captured Turnberry castle
Bruce took his small force to meet Valance at
Loudoun Hill in may 1307
Robert used tactical Skill and good ground selection.
to defeat the larger english army
Several days earner, the earl of defeated and retreated to Ayr.
Gloucester, was als
The death of Edward 1, 1307-1314
moral and momentum grew on roberts side edward I has ridden north to deal with robert, but he died on the way
edward II, ignoring his fathers wish, retumed to england to bury his father and have his Coronation • this gave robert precious time
Dealing with the comyns (dealing with Scottish opponents 07-14)
Robert made use of this time to deal with the Comyns once and for morray, harassing english garrisons and
•he marched to
Comyn Castles
• The captured and destroyed Naim castle though failed to capture elgin
Robert took Balvenie and Duffas castles
• This allowed him to divide and defeat engush and Comyn forces.
The battle for Inverurie (dealing with Scottish opponents)
the decisive battle between robert and comyn forces took place around may 1308
it was a major victory for robert, who was ill and Strapped to his horse
robert laid waste to the land and killed anyone Loyal to Comyn.
all resistance in the north east had been crushed.
Robert secured his position (dealing with Scottish opponents)
robert sent Sir william douglas South douglas defeated the pro-comyn, mocdowell family and secured douglas castle
• robert then launched campaigns into the western isles. Securing Londs and islands
robert had essentially “conquered” Scotland by 13.08. the french King, Scottish church and all Scottish nobles recognised him as king
1309-1314 (Bruce consolidates)
Robert, increasingly secure, faced significant english resistance under Edward 11
Edward marched an army into Scotland, but Robert refused to engage, and Edward II was forced to retreat to Berwick for winter.
Robert raided northern england, gaining vital resources. and forcing Edward to head South to protect his border This showed that Edward could not protect his border from Scottish raids.
English held castles fall (Bruce consolidates)
the last remaining english held castles in Scotland then fell
• Dundee (1312), Perth (1313), Dumfries (1313),
Scottish
Edinburgh (1314), and Roxburgh (1314) all fell. Short of Seige equipment, the Scottish forces often used Stealth.
Stealth and guérilla warfare (Bruce consolidates)
• at edinburgh, Thomas randolph Climbed the walls
of the castle to open the gate
in roxburgh, douglas dressed men as grazing Cattle to approach the castle walls in a night night raid
finally, the last castle in english hands, Stirling
Castle, said it would surrender if a relief force was not there by midsummer 1314.
edward will be forced to march north, and a major engagement will happen again in the Shadow of Stirling castle
Ambitions of the Bruce’s
Bruce VII’s grandfather, Bruce the Competitor and 5th Lord of Annandale, had a claim to the Scottish throne during the Great Cause, 1291-92. bestaut es
Bruce, 7th Lord of Annandale, wanted to use his family connections to help him with his own claim to being king of Scots.
Bruce switched allegiances between England and Scotland on a number of occasions. In 1296-97 Bruce was loyal to Edward.
In summer of 1297 Bruce switched sides to support Wallace and the Scottish resistance.
After the resignation of Wallace as Guardian, Bruce and John Comyn ruled as joint Guardians of Scotland. After only one year as Guardian Bruce resigned.
When Balliol was released from imprisonment Bruce felt his claim to being king of Scots was threatened and he switched sides once more to support the English crown.
By early 1306, frustrated at the lack of leadership opportunities under Edward, Bruce again switched sides to plot against the English king.
Bruce’s conflict and victory over Scottish opponents
In February 1306 Bruce killed John Comyn in Greyfriars Kirk, Dumfries. For this he was excommunicated from the Church.
Following Comyn’s death, in March 1306 Bruce became king of Scots despite not having support from all of the nobles in Scotland.
Bruce suffered defeats at Methven Woods and Dalrigh. His family, including his wife, Elizabeth, were captured by Edward’s army. Bruce spent the winter of 1306-07 in hiding, earning the nickname King Hob.
On his return to Scotland, Bruce won important battles at Glen Trool and Loudon Hill in 1307. Edward I’s death gave Bruce’s campaign a boost as his son Edward II was inexperienced compared to his father.
Bruce led his supporters in a civil war against the Comyn family, eventually defeating his rivals and destroying their lands in the north-east of Scotland.
Bruce won important victories in the south-west of Scotland, including at the Pass of Brander. These helped to secure support from more Scottish nobles.
Bruce and Edward II agreed a truce in 1309. This helped to secure Bruce as king of Scots and he held his first parliament at St Andrews. Here Scottish bishops officially recognised his authority with the Declaration of the Clergy.
The battle of bannockburn (background)
Scottish forces had beseiged Stirling Castle
the garrison was short of Supplies a close to surrender the garrison commander sent a message to edward II Saying that if he did not march North to relieve them he would surrender
this forced edward to come north and to try to break the seige.
Edward II’s forces (bannockburn)
edward had around 2,000 knights and 15,000 infantry
edward had Irish Levies and around 3,000 welsh
Longbowmen
DA
edward broke tradition and did not take overall command.
Instead, he appointed friends to positions of Leadership this caused confusion about who was in overall command of edwards army.
Scottish forces (bannockburn)
there were 3 large schiltrons of around 1,500 men
• Soilders were levy farmers with basic equipment and weapons • there were only a few hundered horsemen
many Scottish Knights fought on foot
the Scots had been preparing for months and morale. was high
use
Bruce, and his two younger brothers, provided excellent Leadership
Day 1: 23 June 1314 (bannockburn)
• bruce used the high ground and kept his Schiltrons
mobile
the english approached in disarray, unsure of brace if they were to engage with bruce.
300 english Knights Scouting ahead ran into bruce inspecting his army
Henry de Bohun charged but was killed in a duel • the Schiltrons killed most of the remaining knights with few managing to escape
• disagreements erupted in the english camp and many Knights charged without orders and were easily defeated by the Scottish schitrons bruce planned to withdraw, but was convinced by a defecting scottish Knight that the english. Camp was in disarray.
Day 2: 24 June 1314 (bannockburn)
• the english repositioned in the night, though they outmaneuvered by mobile Scottish schiltrons
were
the english were not ready and set up very poorly
with their archers to the rear
• despite this, they attacked the Scottish positions • they were decimated by the Scottish pikes and pushed into the bannockburn.
Scottish “small folk” attacked and english morale Shattered
thousands of englishmen were slaughtered in a chaotic retreat
