Battle of Bannockburn
Part of the First War of Scottish Independence
Bruce reviewing his troops before the battle.
Date June 23 – June 24, 1314 Location Bannockburn, south of Stirling, Scotland Result Decisive Scottish victory
Combatants
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders
Robert Bruce	Edward II
Strength
about 6,500	20,000
Casualties
unknown but light	about 9,000

The Battle of Bannockburn (Blàr Allt a' Bhonnaich in Gaelic) (June 24, 1314) was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence. It was the decisive battle in the First War of Scottish Independence. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Download high resolution version (800x616, 58 KB)Battle of Bannockburn - Bruce addresses troops Image from Cassells History of England - Century Edition - published circa 1902 Scan by Tagishsimon, 23rd June 2004 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events June 24 - Battle of Bannockburn. ... The centre of Bannockburn Telfords circular roadbridge over the Bannock Burn Bannockburn is a village immediately south of the city of Stirling in Scotland. ... Broad Street at the heart of Stirlings Old Town area (called Top of the Town by locals) Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect) The main courtyard inside Stirling Castle. ... This article is about the country. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Motto Latin: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) (Scots: Wha daur meddle wi me) Capital Edinburgh¹ Language(s) Gaelic, Scots Government Monarchy King/Queen  - 843-860 Kenneth I  - 1587–1625 James VI  - 1702-1714 Anne Legislature Parliament of Scotland History  - United 843  - Union of the... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Motto Dieu et mon droit(French) God and my right Territory of the Kingdom of England Capital Winchester; London from 11th century Language(s) Old English (de facto, until 1066) Anglo-Norman language (de jure, 1066 - 15th century) English (de facto, gradually replaced French from late 13th century) Government Monarchy... Robert I, King of Scots (Mediaeval Gaelic:Roibert a Briuis; modern Scottish Gaelic: Raibeart Bruis; Norman French: Robert de Brus or Robert de Bruys; 11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), usually known in modern English as Robert the Bruce, was King of Scotland from 1306 until his death in 1329. ... Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Combatants Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of England Commanders John Bailliol John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey Strength Approx. ... Combatants Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of England Commanders Andrew de Moray† William Wallace John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey Hugh de Cressingham† Strength 300 cavalry 10,000 infantry 1000 - 3000 cavalry 15,000 - 50,000 infantry Casualties Comparatively slight 6,000 killed, or around 30-40% dead. ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders William Wallace Edward I of England Strength 500 cavalry, 9,500 infantry 2,000 cavalry, 12,000 infantry. ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders Simon Fraser and John Comyn Sir John Seagrave Strength 8,000 30,000 Casualties Unknown but light Unknown but heavy The Battle of Roslin was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence, taking place on 24 February 1303 at Roslin, Scotland. ... There have been at least chippermunkey sieges of Stirling Castle. ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders Robert I of Scotland Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke Strength 4,500 soldiers 3,000 soldiers Casualties 3,500+  ? The Battle of Methven took place at Methven in Scotland in 1306, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... Combatants Scottish Royal Army Clan MacDougall of Lorn Commanders Robert Bruce John MacDougall Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Dalry or the Battle of Dail Righ-the Kings Field- was fought in the summer of 1306 near Tyndrum, Scotland, between the army of Robert Bruce and... The Battle of Glen Trool was a battle in the Scottish Wars of Independence in March 1307. ... The Battle of Loudon Hill was fought in 1307 between the Scots and the English. ... Combatants Scottish Royal Army Scottish opponents of Bruce Commanders Robert Bruce John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan The Battle of Slioch was a minor skirmish in the First War of Scottish Independence. ... Combatants Scottish Royal Army Scottish opponents of Bruce Commanders Robert Bruce John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Inverurie, also known as the Battle of Barra, was fought in May 1308 in the north-east of Scotland. ... // Battle of the Pass of Brander The Battle of the Pass of Brander forms a small part of the wider struggle known as the Wars of Scottish Independence, and a large part of the civil war between the Bruce and Balliol factions, a parallel and overlaping conflict. ... The Battle of Faughart was fought in 1318 between the forces of England, and a Scots-Irish army. ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders Sir James Douglas and Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray William Melton Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown, but light unknown, but heavy The Battle of Myton, more properly known as the Chapter of Myton, was a minor engagement in the ongoing Scottish Wars of Independence, fought... The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotlands status as an independent, sovereign state and its use of military action when unjustly attacked. ... The Battle of Boroughbridge was a small but important battle in the conflicts between Edward II of England and his rebellious barons. ... Combatants Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of England Commanders Robert Bruce John de Bretagne, 1st Earl of Richmond Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Old Byland was a significant encounter between Scots and English troops in Yorkshire in October 1322, forming part of the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... The Treaty of Corbeil (1326) renewed the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France. ... The Battle of Stanhope Park was fought in northern England in August 1327 and forms part of the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... Prior to the Treaty of Edinbugh-Northampton, Edward II claimed he adhered to a truce, but he allowed English privateers to attack Flemish vessels trading with Scotland. ... The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between Scotland and England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Second War of Scottish Independence began properly in 1333 when Edward III overturned the 1328 Treaty of Northampton, under which England recognised the legitimacy of the dynasty established by Robert Bruce. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events June 24 - Battle of Bannockburn. ... This article is about the country. ... The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between Scotland and England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Prelude

Around Lent of 1314 Edward Bruce, brother of the Scottish king, began the siege of Stirling Castle, commanded by a Scot, Sir Philip Mowbray. Unable to make any headway he agreed to a pact with Mowbray. If no relief came by midsummer 1314, the castle would submit to Bruce. By this arrangement he may have believed that he had bought a cheap victory; for it was now two years since an English army had come to Scotland, and Edward II had so recently been on the verge of war with his barons after the murder of Piers Gaveston in the summer of 1312. Yet this was a challenge that could not be ignored in the same way that the bleeding of northern England had. // Edward Bruce (Edubard a Briuis as he was known in medieval Gaelic), (c. ... Stirling Castle southwest aspect from the Kings Knot Parterre below the castle crags. ... Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the world, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June and are usually related to Saint John... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ... Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall (c. ... Events June 15 : Battle near Rozgoni Battle near Thebes Siege of Rostock begins Births November 13 - King Edward III of England Deaths June 19 - Piers Gaveston, favourite of Edward II of England September 7 - King Ferdinand IV of Castile Categories: 1312 ...

Stirling was of vital strategic importance and its loss would be a serious embarrassment. The time allowed in the Bruce-Mowbray pact was ample for Edward to gather a powerful army. According to the historian and poet Barbour, King Robert Bruce rebuked the folly of his brother but similar agreements were a normal part of medieval war, and Dundee had probably fallen to the Scots through a similar arrangement in 1312. Mowbray had a breathing space and looked forward to the summer of 1314. In England Edward and his barons reached an uneasy peace and made ready. Broad Street at the heart of Stirlings Old Town area (called Top of the Town by locals) Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect) The main courtyard inside Stirling Castle. ... For the 19th-century U.S. senator from Virginia see John Strode Barbour Jr. ... Robert I, King of Scots (Mediaeval Gaelic:Roibert a Briuis; modern Scottish Gaelic: Raibeart Bruis; Norman French: Robert de Brus or Robert de Bruys; 11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), usually known in modern English as Robert the Bruce, was King of Scotland from 1306 until his death in 1329. ...

Edward comes north

Edward came to Scotland in the high summer of 1314 with the notional aim of relieving Stirling Castle: the real purpose, of course, was to find and destroy the Scottish army in the field, and thus end the war. England, for once, was largely united in this ambition, although some of Edward's greatest magnates and former enemies, headed by his cousin, Thomas of Lancaster, did not attend in person, sending the minimum number of troops they were required to by feudal law. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (1280 – March 22, 1322) was one of the leaders of the baronial opposition to Edward II of England. ...

Even so, the force that left Berwick-upon-Tweed on 17 June 1314 was impressive: it comprised between two and three thousand horse (likely closer to two thousand) and sixteen thousand foot, at least two or three times the size of the army Bruce had been able to gather. Map sources for Berwick-upon-Tweed at grid reference NT9952 Berwick-upon-Tweed from across the river Berwick-upon-Tweed, (pronounced Berrick) situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost town in England, situated on the east coast on the mouth of the river Tweed. ...

Edward was accompanied by many of the seasoned campaigners of the Scottish wars, headed by the Earl of Pembroke, and veterans like Henry Beaumont and Robert Clifford. Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1270-1324) was an English nobleman. ...

The most irreconcilable of Bruce's Scottish enemies also came: Ingram de Umfraville, a former Guardian, and his kinsman the Earl of Angus, as well as others of the MacDougalls, MacCanns and Comyns. Most poignant of all came Sir John Comyn of Badenoch, the only son of the Black Comyn, who had grown up in England and was now returning to Scotland to avenge his father. Sir Ingram de Umfraville was a Scottish noble who played a particularly chequered role in the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... The title of Earl of Angus is an ancient one in the Peerage of Scotland, currently held by the Duke of Hamilton. ... Macdougalls of Lore Mac means son of while the term clan comes from the Gaelic word for children. ... Clan Cumming, also known as Clan Comyn, is a Scottish clan from the central Highlands that played a major role in the history of 13th century Scotland and in the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red Comyn, (died 10 February 1306) was a Scottish patriot and royal Competitor. ... John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (d. ...

This was a grand feudal army, one of the last of its kind to leave England in the Middle Ages. King Robert awaited its arrival south of Stirling near the Bannock Burn. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Preparations

The English army marched rapidly towards Stirling to be there before Mowbray's agreement expired on June 24. Edinburgh was reached on the 19th and by the 22nd it was at Falkirk, only 15 miles short of its objective. Edward's host followed the line of the old Roman road, which ran through an ancient forest known as the Tor Wood, over the Bannock Burn and into the New Park, a hunting preserve enclosed at the time of Alexander III. Broad Street at the heart of Stirlings Old Town area (called Top of the Town by locals) Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect) The main courtyard inside Stirling Castle. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... Falkirk (An Eaglais Bhreac, the Variagated [or Speckled] Church [presumably referring to a church building built of many-coloured stones]) in Scottish Gaelic, La Chapelle de Fayerie in French) is a town in central Scotland lying to the north west and north east of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow... Coronation of King Alexander on Moot Hill, Scone. ...

Bruce's army had been assembling in the Tor Wood, an area providing good natural cover, from the middle of May. On Saturday June 22, with his troops now organised into their respective commands, Bruce moved his army slightly to the north to the New Park, a more heavily wooded area, where his movements could be concealed and which, if the occasion demanded, would provide cover for a withdrawal.

Bruce's army, like William Wallace's before him, was chiefly composed of infantry armed with long spears. It was probably divided into three main formations. For other persons named William Wallace, see William Wallace (disambiguation). ...

Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, commanded the vanguard, which was stationed about a mile to the south of Stirling, near the church of St. Ninians, while the king commanded the rearguard at the entrance to the New Park. His brother, Edward, led the third division. According to Barbour only, there was a fourth nominally under the youthful Walter the Steward, but actually under the command of Sir James Douglas.^[1] Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray (d. ... Walter Stewart or Steward (1293 -1326) was the 6th High steward of Scotland. ... James Douglas, 4th Duke of Hamilton (1658-1712), eldest son of William Douglas, Duke of Hamilton and of Duchess Anne, succeeded his mother, who resigned the dukedom to him in 1698, and at the accession of Queen Anne he was regarded as leader of the Scottish national party. ...

Bruce also had a cavalry force of some 500 men-at-arms under Sir Robert Keith, which was to play a small but crucial role in the coming battle. In an 18th century romance version of the Bruce Legend, the Knights Templar distinguished themselves at the Battle of Bannockburn on the Scottish side;^[2] however this is unquestionably a later addition (c. 1700) to the account. Bruce was at that time excommunicated and the Templar Order had recently been dissolved in most of Europe, so a common speculation developed that many Templars had fled to Scotland to be away from Papal control. Sir Robert Keith (d. ... The Eight Pointed Cross of The Scottish Knights Templar from the Scottish Knights Templar website [http://www. ...

The army might have numbered as many as 9,000 men in all, but probably more of the order of 6,000-7,000. It was gathered from the whole of Scotland: knights and nobles, freemen and tenants, town dwellers and traders: men who could afford the arms and armour required.

Barbour tells that King Robert turned away those who were not adequately equipped. For most such equipment would consist of a spear, a helmet, a thick padded jacket down to the knees and armoured gloves. It is highly-probable that a large proportion of the spearmen would have acquired more extensive armour given that the country had been at war for nearly twenty years.

The balance of the army consisted of archers and men-at-arms. Each of these troop types was indistinguishable from their counterparts in France or England. Many of the Scottish men-at-arms (recruited from the nobility and the more prosperous burgesses) served on foot at Bannockburn.

Since his landing at Ayrshire in 1307, King Robert had demonstrated time and time again that he was willing to take risks; but these were always measured and calculated. He had no intention of chancing all on the outcome of a day, as William Wallace had at the Battle of Falkirk. Almost to the last minute he was prepared to withdraw. He was persuaded to remain by news of the poor state of morale in the English army. But undoubtedly the most important factor in convincing him to make a stand was the ground which lay before him. Ayrshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Àir in Scottish Gaelic) is a region of south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. ... For other persons named William Wallace, see William Wallace (disambiguation). ... Combatants Scotland England Commanders William Wallace Edward I of England Strength 500 cavalry, 9,500 infantry 2,000 cavalry, 12,000 infantry. ...

The Bannock Burn, over which the English army had to cross on the way to Stirling, and its sister streams flowed over the Carse of Stirling. A carse is an area which is wet in winter, but hard in summer, and most of it was used for growing wheat, oats, and barley. In Scottish geography a Carse is an area of low-lying, typically alluvial and fertile land. ...

With the trees of the New Park covering Bruce's army to the west, the only approach apart from the Pows to the east was directly over the old road from Falkirk. If this route, virtually the only solid ground on which heavy cavalry could deploy freely, were to be denied to the English, they would have no choice but to wheel right to the north-east, on to the Carse. Falkirk (An Eaglais Bhreac, the Variagated [or Speckled] Church [presumably referring to a church building built of many-coloured stones]) in Scottish Gaelic, La Chapelle de Fayerie in French) is a town in central Scotland lying to the north west and north east of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow...

To force Edward to take this route Bruce adopted tactics similar to those he had used at the Battle of Loudon Hill: both sides of the road were peppered with small pits or 'pots', each three feet deep and covered with brush, which would force the enemy to bunch towards the centre of a dangerously constricted front. Once on the Carse the English army would be caught in a kind of natural vise, as the main action on 24 June was to show, with waterways to the north, east, and south. Such natural advantages were not easily obtained, and were unlikely to occur again. The Battle of Loudon Hill was fought in May 1307 between a Scots force led by Robert Bruce and the English commanded by Amyer de Valence. ...

There is some confusion over the exact site of the Battle of Bannockburn, although most modern historians agree that the traditional site, where a visitor centre and statue have been erected, is not the correct one^[3]. Although a large number of possible alternatives have been proposed, most can be dismissed and two serious contenders can be considered^[4]: The centre of Bannockburn Telfords circular roadbridge over the Bannock Burn Bannockburn is a village immediately south of the city of Stirling in Scotland. ...

• the area of peaty ground known as the Dryfield outside the village of Balquhiderock, about three-quarters of a mile to the east of the traditional site^[5], and
• the Carse of Balquhiderock, about a mile and a half north-east of the traditional site, accepted by the National Trust as the most likely candidate^[6].

The standard of the NTS The National Trust for Scotland, or NTS, describes itself as The conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotlands natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. ...

First day of battle

The battle of Bannockburn

It was on the old road that the preliminary actions of the Battle of Bannockburn took place on Sunday 23 June. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

For the English, things started to go wrong before the first blow had been struck. Sir Philip Mowbray, the commander of Stirling Castle, who had observed Bruce's preparations on the road, appeared in Edward's camp early in the morning, and warned of the dangers of approaching the Scots directly through the New Park.

Mowbray also pointed out that there was no need to force a battle, as Edward was now close enough to the castle to constitute a technical relief in terms of the agreement with Edward Bruce. But even if the king was disposed to act on Mowbray's advice, it was already too late; for he was showing signs of losing control of his formidable but unwieldy host.

The vanguard under the earls of Gloucester and Hereford, appointed to joint command by Edward after a quarrel about who would take the lead - a compromise that satisfied no one - were already closing in on the Scots from the south, advancing in the same reckless manner that had almost brought disaster at Falkirk. Following the line of the Roman road, they crossed the ford over the Bannock Burn towards King Robert's division at the opening of the New Park. Gloucester (pronounced ) is a city and district in the English county of Gloucestershire, close to the Welsh border. ... , Hereford (pronounced or ) Welsh: (pronounced Henforth) is a city and civil parish in the West Midlands of England, close to the border with Wales and on the River Wye. ...

There now occurred one of the most memorable episodes in Scottish history. Sir Henry de Bohun, nephew of the Earl of Hereford, was riding ahead of his companions when he caught sight of the Scottish king himself. De Bohun lowered his lance and began a charge that carried him out of history and into legend. Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford (1276 – March 16, 1322) was a member of an important Norman family of the Welsh Marches. ...

King Robert was mounted on a small palfrey and armed only with a battle-axe.^[7] He had no armor on. As de Bohun's great war-horse thundered towards him he stood his ground, watched with mounting anxiety by his own army. With the Englishman only feet away Bruce turned aside, stood in his stirrups and hit the knight so hard with his axe that he split his helmet and head in two. This small incident became in a larger sense a symbol of the war itself: the one side heavily armed but lacking agility; the other highly mobile and open to opportunity. A Palfrey is a type of horse, not a breed of horse. ... Jousting is the most well-known use of horses during the medieval era, but was seen in tournaments more than actual battle. ...

Rebuked by his commanders for the enormous risk he had taken, the King only expressed regret that he had broken the shaft of his axe. Cheered by this heroic encounter Bruce's division rushed forward to engage the main enemy force.

For the English, so says the author of the Vita Edwardi Secundi ("Life of Edward II"), this was the beginning of their troubles. After some fierce fighting, in which the Earl of Gloucester was knocked off his horse, the knights of the vanguard were forced to retreat back to the Tor Wood. The Scots, eager to pursue, were held back by the command of the king. Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Hertford and 4th Earl of Gloucester (1291 – 24 June 1314) was a powerful Norman noble and the grandson of Edward I. His mother was Joan of Acre, who was the daughter of Edward I and his first wife, Eleanor of Castile. ...

In the meantime, another English cavalry force under Robert Clifford and Henry Beaumont skirted the Scottish position to the east and rode towards Stirling, advancing as far as St. Ninians. Bruce spotted the manoeuvre and ordered Randolph's schiltron to intercept. Henry Beaumont, titular fourth Earl of Buchan, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Independence. ... A schiltron or schiltrom is a group of men carrying pikes and polearms. ...

Randolph's action was to be a sampler of the main contest the following day: unsupported by archers, the horsemen were unable to make any impression on the Scots spearmen, precisely what happened in the opening stages of Falkirk. But the difference now was that the schiltrons had learnt mobility and how to keep formation at the same time.

The English squadron was broken, some seeking refuge in the nearby castle, others fleeing back to the army. The captives included Sir Thomas Gray, whose son and namesake was later to base his account of the Battle of Bannockburn in his book, the Scalacronica, on his father's memories.

Second day of battle

The English army was still approaching Stirling from the south. Bruce's preparations had made the direct approach to Stirling too hazardous. Edward made the worst decision of all: he ordered the army to cross the Bannock Burn to the east of the New Park

Not long after daybreak on June 24, the Scots spearmen began to move towards the English. Edward was most surprised of all to see Robert's army emerge from the cover of the woods. As Bruce's army drew nearer they paused and knelt in prayer. Edward is supposed to have said in surprise "They pray for mercy!" "For mercy, yes," one of his attendants replied, "But from God, not you. These men will conquer or die."

One of the English earls, Gloucester, asked the king to hold back - but the king accused him of cowardice. Angered, the earl mounted his horse and led the vanguard on a charge against the leading Scots spearmen, commanded by Edward Bruce. Gloucester, who according to some accounts had not bothered to don his surcoat, was killed in the forest of Scottish spears, along with some of the other knights. The very size and strength of the great army was beginning to work against the King, as his army could not move quickly and lost a lot of time in getting into position

Bruce now committed his whole Scots army to an inexorable bloody push into the disorganized English mass, fighting side by side across a single front. A small force of archers added to the misery in Edward's army, which was now so tightly packed that if a man fell he risked being immediately crushed underfoot or suffocated. The knights began to escape back across the Bannock Burn.

With the English formations beginning to break, a great shout went up from the Scots, "Lay on! Lay on! Lay on! They fail!" This cry was heard by Bruce's camp followers, who promptly gathered weapons and banners and charged forward. To the English army, close to exhaustion, this appeared like a fresh reserve and they lost all hope. The Welsh Archers were the only part of the English army not to break at Bannockburn.

The end had come and Edward, whose personal courage in battle had done nothing to make up for his fatal mistakes, was forcibly taken from the field by his personal bodyguard. Edward's enforced flight ended the remaining order in the army; panic spread and defeat turned into a rout. He arrived eventually at Dunbar Castle, from here he took ship to England. From the carnage of Bannockburn the rest of the army escaped as best they could. A rout is a disorderly withdrawal made by a military force following defeat , a collapse of discipline, or poor morale. ... View from the park looking north-west. ...

Legacy

The Scottish victory was complete and, although full English recognition of Scottish independence was not achieved until more than ten years later, Robert Bruce's position as king was greatly strengthened by the events at Bannockburn. Scottish independence is an ambition of a number of political parties, pressure groups and individuals within Scotland. ...

The modern Bannockburn monument

In recent years a legend has developed that Robert I was saved at a critical juncture of the battle by a force of Knights Templar - a story with no foundation in the documents of the time. The Bannockburn Monument near Bannockburn in Scotland. ... The Bannockburn Monument near Bannockburn in Scotland. ...

A modern, abstract monument stands in a field above the battle site, where the warring parties are believed to have camped on the night before the battle. The monument consists of two hemicircular walls depicting the opposing parties.

Nearby stands the 1960s statue of Bruce by Pilkington Jackson. The monument, and the associated visitor centre, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area.

In 1932 the Bannockburn Preservation Committee, under Edward Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, presented lands to the National Trust for Scotland. Further lands were purchased in 1960 and 1965 to facilitate visitor access. Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Edward James Bruce, 14th Earl of Kincardine KT (9 June 1881–27 November 1968) was the son of Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin. ... The standard of the NTS The National Trust for Scotland, or NTS, describes itself as The conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotlands natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

"Bannockburn. Robert Bruce's Address to His Army." is also the title of a patriotic poem by Robert Burns. Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... For the chain gang fugitive and author from Georgia, see Robert Elliott Burns. ...

Notes

For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ... General Sir Alexander Frank Philip Christison (November 17, 1893 - December 21, 1993) was a major British military figure of the Second World War. ...

References

Primary

• Barbour, John, The Bruce, trans. A. A. M. Duncan, 1964.
• Bower, Walter, Scotichronicon, ed. D. E. R. Watt, 1987-1193.
• Gray, Thomas, Scalicronica, edited and transalted by H Maxwell, 1913.
• The Lanercost Chronicle, ed and translated by H. Maxwell, 1913.
• Vita Edwardi Secundi (Life of Edward the Second), ed. N. D. Young, 1957.

Secondary

• Barrow, G. W. S., Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, 1988.
• Nicholson, R., Scotland-the Later Middle Ages, 1974.
• Prestwich, M., The Three Edwards: War and State in England, 1272-1377, 1980
• Ramsay, J. H., The Genesis of Lancaster, 1307-99, 1913.
• Brown, C.K. , Robert the Bruce. A life Chronicled.
• MacNamee, C., The Wars of the Bruces
• Brown, M., Wars of Scotland