Early Rebellions and Battles: Stirling & Falkirk
Recap
• Alexander III died without a direct heir in 1286 • John Balliol is crowned King of Scotland in 1292; with Edward I as Overlord • Scotland allies itself with France during the AngloFrench War in 1295 • This causes Edward I to invade Scotland, seizing its castles, the Stone of Destiny and removing John Balliol from power in 1296
John Alexander III Balliol (1241-1286) 1292-1296
Note:
• We have little evidence about the early career of William Wallace. • A lot of the evidence is based on the work of Blind Harry who was writing about 170 years after the death of Wallace. • There are a lot of inaccuracies and it is a romantic version of events. • Some argue it was written to encourage patriotism amongst Scots as relations between Scotland and England were simmering at this time. • Braveheart is based on the poem by Blind Harry.
Edward’s Authority over Scotland
Edward’s Authority
• To complete the subjugation of the Scots, Edward brought in his own men to run Scotland. • De Warrenne was made Lieutenant of Scotland and was responsible for maintaining peace in the kingdom but he struggled with this.
Edward’s Authority
• English judges were appointed but they had little knowledge of Scottish laws or customs. • Sheriffs were replaced with English Lords who often did not even speak the local language. • The Scots hated this and were very awkward when it came to paying taxes.
Edward’s Authority
• The most hated official was Hugh de Cressingham, the Treasurer of Scotland. His job was to establish an English tax system in Scotland.
Cressingham’s Coat of Arms
Early Rebellions Against Edward I
Early Rebellions
• Rebellions began to spring up around Scotland. • In the Western Isles, the McDougal family resented the rival MacDonald family being made Edward’s men in the region and conflict resulted in April 1297.
Early Rebellions
• Further uprisings led by Bishop Wishart and the Robert Bruce (Earl of Carrick) in South West Scotland. • Bruce and James Steward (exGuardian) felt aggrieved as they were not given prominent positions by Edward, despite supporting him over John Balliol • Edward gave control to the English Lord, Henry Percy. • Steward and Bruce, guided by Bishop Wishart then mounted an armed uprising in the south west.
Percy’s Coat of Arms
Early Rebellions
• They are quickly outsmarted by Lord Percy and at Irvine the nobles surrender without a fight. • Some claim that this was just political posturing by Bruce and he surrendered as Wallace was staging a revolt in the name of King John. • The English left troops in the south west while Percy and the Scots negotiated terms. • With the capitulation of the nobles at Irvine, this now left William Wallace in sole control of rebellion in the south.
Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray
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A rebellion also broke out in the north led by Andrew Murray. He had been captured at Dunbar Murray escaped from England and returned to his lands in the north to find them controlled by an English garrison. His actions in the north were vital in raising resistance towards Edward as he began at the same time as the nobles in the south west.
Andrew Murray
His first attempt at capturing Urquhart Castle was not successful (early 1297) but he gains the castle in late 1297.
Inverness, Elgin, Duffus, Banff and Aberdeen Castles soon followed.
Andrew Murray
• By late 1297 he had successfully removed all English garrisons north of Dundee. • By August he had joined Wallace at the siege of Dundee.
William Wallace
William Wallace
• Very little is known about Wallace before 1297. • He was most likely an outlaw living in Selkirk Forest. • Wallace first came to the attention of Edward with the murder of William Heselrig, the Sheriff of Lanark.
William Wallace
Sir William Douglas joined Wallace and they quickly moved north to Scone, via Fife, where the English Knight Sir William Ormseby was forced to flee.
William Wallace
• It is at this point Wallace joined forces with Murray. • In response, the English sent an army north, led by the hated Hugh de Cressingham.
Battle of Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
• Forget what you’ve seen in Braveheart - that’s fiction! • This battle has no glorious charge of knights, no long pikes or spears and doesn’t take place on an empty field. • However, the ‘real’ battle of Stirling Bridge is vastly important. • It proved to a demoralised Scottish nation that an English army could be defeated.
The Importance of Stirling
Stirling Bridge
Look at the map. Can anyone tell me why the English army had to go through Stirling to reach the rebels?
Stirling Bridge
If an army marches north into the heartlands of Scotland, they need to pass by Stirling Castle. It’s the easiest and cheapest route.
Stirling Bridge
March to the west? • An army can’t march up the west coast of Scotland. • First of all, it’s very barren, i.e. no food. • The region is mountainous. • There are rivers to cross, eg the Clyde, presenting a formidable obstacle.
Stirling Bridge
March to the east • Equally, it is as difficult to march up the eastern coast of Scotland. • The land is blocked by the Firth of Forth. • The river Forth is only passable by ferry, which is too slow and too dangerous to do with an army. • The only real crossing of the river Forth is at Stirling Bridge.
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Castle
Stirling Bridge
• Stirling Castle was an almost impregnable fortress. • Wallace and Murray had no hope of capturing the castle. • Their only hope was to starve the defenders out. • But first they had to win the battle.
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
• As plans go it’s actually very simple. • The Scottish army will wait on a hill across the river bank. • The English will expect the Scots to wait until they finish crossing the bridge before they attack – the chivalrous thing to do.
Stirling Bridge
• Wallace and Murray had no intention of being chivalrous. • As soon as the English were half-way across they charged into combat. • The battle was actually fought on the bridge.
Stirling Bridge The picture here is an artist’s impression of the battle, which accurately portrays the narrow battlefield of the bridge.
This made the numerical superiority of the English useless.
http://www.stirling.gov.uk/i ndex/stirling/historytimelin e/wars_of_independence/b attlesb.htm
Stirling Bridge Simplified
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Stirling Bridge
Significance of the victory
Stirling Bridge
• Stirling Bridge was not a significant military victory. • However, it did prove that the mighty English army could be defeated in battle by the Scots, something that they had so far been unable to do. • After the victory Wallace and Murray were able to win a lot of support in Scotland, and both were named joint Guardians of Scotland. • Unfortunately Murray died a few weeks later from infected wounds he received at Stirling.
Stirling Bridge
• Murray’s death was unfortunate, as he may have been the tactical genius behind the victory rather than Wallace. • Wallace decided to take the battle to England. • He raided as far south as York, causing a great deal of damage and terror in the northern counties. • However, Edward had now returned from France, determined to finally settle the Scottish question.
Battle of Falkirk
Falkirk In the spring of 1298 Edward... • Arrived back in England from France (March) • Moved his headquarters to York • Summoned a massive army to assemble at Roxburgh on 25 June
Falkirk
What of Wallace? • There is evidence to suggest that Wallace spent the Spring and early Summer in Selkirk forest, training and preparing for the upcoming battle • There is evidence that he was willing to force people into serving • It is said that he had gallows erected outside towns as a warning
Falkirk
Edward’s Army • Consisted of – 2200 cavalry – 12,000 infantry (10,000 of which were Welsh) • Edward joined his army in early July
Scorched Earth Policy • As the English marched north the Scots burnt and destroyed the countryside Why? • To stop them finding any food or shelter
Problems for Edward
• English army was running out of supplies and near starvation • A shipment of wine arrived ahead of the food… • Welsh troops got drunk, fought with English soldiers and approx 80 were killed • The Welsh threatened to join the Scots • Then the supply ships arrived and the Welsh rejoined the army
Falkirk
The Night before the Battle – Burgh Muir…21st July • The Scots were only 13 miles away at Falkirk • The English slept in full armour • Edward slept on the ground like his men • During the night his horse trod on him breaking a rib • In the commotion, some thought that the enemy was amongst them • With the whole camp awake, they set out towards Falkirk well before dawn broke
The Scottish Army • More than 8000 footsoldiers equipped with long spears • Small body of archers • 500 to 600 knights provided by the nobles
Wallace, on seeing the army opposite him move in battle formation, famously attempted to rouse his troops by crying “I have brought you to the revel, now dance if you can”
Scottish position Callander Wood
Scots Army Scots knights
Slamman hill
Archers
4 Schiltrons with 1000-2000 men in each
Wooden stakes tied with rope Marshland Knights
Edward’s Army
Longbows and crossbows
Falkirk
As soon as Edward’s army sighted the Scots the English cavalry plunged into the attack
Falkirk Scots Army
Edward’s Army
English knights divided into 2 halves and went round either side of the marshland to attack the Scots from the sides
Falkirk Scots Army
Edward’s Army
Most of the Scot archers were killed.
Falkirk Scots Army
Edward’s Army
After a short rout where they were outnumbered, many knights fled
Falkirk English knights charged at the schiltrons but could not break through. The spearmen outnumbered English cavalry, so there was an impasse
Falkirk Edward brought in his Welsh longbowmen and foreign crossbowmen to fire at the schiltrons
Falkirk
Scottish soldiers fell in their hundreds.
Falkirk Edward then ordered his knights to attack the schiltrons again. This time the schiltrons broke and the Scots scattered
Falkirk
Thousands of Scots were killed (Guisborough said 56,000, Walsingham 60,000, but these are massive exaggerations!)
Consequences of Falkirk
Falkirk
• Wallace escaped the carnage and took full responsibility for the defeat. • He resigned as Guardian. • Wallace spent some time travelling Europe trying to gain support for Scotland, he even made an appeal to the Pope. • As a result he was able to get the Pope to secure the release of King John.
Falkirk
• Falkirk sealed the end of an effective rebellion against Edward. • The Scots chose two new guardians, John ‘The Red’ Comyn and Robert the Bruce.
Falkirk
Robert the Bruce
John ‘The Red’ Comyn
Falkirk
• Falkirk sealed the end of an effective rebellion against Edward. • The Scots chose two new guardians, John ‘The Red’ Comyn and Robert the Bruce • However, these two men hated each other. • As a result, rather than fight for Comyn, Bruce surrendered to Edward in 1302. • John surrendered with the rest of the nobles in 1304.
Falkirk
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Wallace refused to surrender and he was declared an outlaw by the Scottish nobles. Wallace was eventually captured in 1305, betrayed by a Scottish knight, Sir John Menteith. Wallace was taken to England and put on trial for treason. Wallace claimed he could not be guilty of treason as he had never sworn an oath of fealty to Edward. However, he was eventually found guilty and sentenced to death.
Historians’ Views
Historians’ Views
• King Edward meant business in 1298, nothing less than the complete subjugation of Scotland - P. Armstrong
Revision
Revision
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/histor y/warsofindependence/williamwallaceandt hescottishresistance/revision/1/ • http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/histor y/warsofindependence/williamwallaceandt hescottishresistance/video/ • http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/quiz/q67071 262