83-632: Irish Rebellion may refer to: The Irish Bruce Wars 1315–1318 , an attempt by members of the O'Neill clan backed by a Scottish and Irish army to make Edward Bruce the High King of Ireland. They were supported by Edward's older brother, Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland. The Geraldine Rebellion (1534) and the FitzGerald Rebellion against Henry VIII of England 1535 to 1537, having to do with who
166-563: A high king since Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Conor) who had been deposed by his son in 1186. Further, the Plantagenet dynasty had claimed a right to take control of Ireland by the papal document Laudabiliter in 1155 and indirectly ruled much of the eastern part of the island. The country was divided between the Gaelic dynasties that survived the Norman invasion and
249-517: A Scots royal fortress occupied by the English, was under siege by the Scottish army. King Edward assembled a formidable force of soldiers to relieve it—the largest army ever to invade Scotland. The English summoned 25,000 infantry soldiers and 2,000 horses from England, Ireland and Wales against 6,000 Scottish soldiers, that Bruce had divided into three different contingents. Edward's attempt to raise
332-403: A common heritage, language and culture. When Ó Néill approved of conditions for himself and on behalf of his vassals, preparations began. Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer , received news from Irish sources around this time that an invasion was about to take place, and made his way to Ireland, where he held land mainly in and around the castle and town of Trim . He had previously fought against
415-403: A field above a possible site of the battlefield, where the warring parties are believed to have camped, alongside a statue of Robert Bruce designed by Pilkington Jackson . The monument, along with the associated visitor centre, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. Edward I had wanted to expand England to prevent a foreign power such as France from capturing territories in
498-460: A full-scale attack on the English forces the next day and to use his schiltrons as offensive units, as he had trained them. This was a strategy his predecessor William Wallace had not employed. The English army was defeated in a pitched battle which resulted in the deaths of several prominent commanders, including the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford , and capture of many others, including
581-540: A large force consisting both of his Anglo-Irish and Gaelic vassals, in addition to forces of other magnates. At the same time, Bruce was reinforced by Moray who had returned from Scotland with around five hundred fresh troops and supplies. The Battle of Kells was fought on the sixth or seventh of November, with Mortimer being decisively defeated by Bruce. Mortimer was forced to retreat to Dublin while his lieutenant, Walter Cusack, held out at Trim. He almost immediately set sail for England to urge Edward II for reinforcements. At
664-454: A major staging point. This is supported by Herbert Maxwell who stated that "Bruce's position was taken up to bar King Edwards access to Stirling." Most medieval battles were short-lived, lasting only a few hours, so the Battle of Bannockburn is unusual in that it lasted two days. Shortly before the battle, King Robert picked a flat field flanked by woodland known as New Park to set up camp for
747-662: A number of Scots deaths, Bruce refused to give battle and instead, with the Ó Néill, retreated northwards to Coleraine via Armagh . Bruce and Ó Néill sacked and burned Coleraine, threw down the bridge over the river Bann and faced off de Burgh's pursuing army on the opposite bank. While both sides now were experiencing shortages of food and supplies, Bruce and Ó Néill could at least draw support from local lords such as Ó Cathain and Ó Floinn. Mindful of this, de Burgh eventually withdrew back forty miles to Antrim, while Butler had to return to Ormond due to lack of supplies. In addition to this, Bruce sent separate messages both to King Felim and
830-500: A republican uprising against British rule of Ireland The United Irish Uprising of 1800, an uprising against British rule of Newfoundland The 1803 Irish rebellion , for independence, led by Robert Emmet The Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 , also called The Famine Rebellion of 1848 The Fenian Rising of 1867 The Easter Rising of 1916, a nationalist uprising against British rule of Ireland See also [ edit ] List of Irish uprisings Topics referred to by
913-465: A rival dynast, Cathal Ua Conchobair, promising to support them if they withdrew. Cathal managed to return to Connacht and had himself proclaimed king, leaving Felim with no choice but to return to put down his rebellion. Worse followed: De Burgh found himself deprived of not two but three allies and their armies when his kinsman, Walter mac Walter Cattach Burke deserted back to Connacht at the head of several hundred men, probably to guard his own estates from
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#1732765097515996-467: A small horse, light armour, and a battle axe to defend himself. The Earl of Hereford's nephew Henry de Bohun spotted the king so poorly equipped and took advantage. Henry de Bohun charged forward in full combat gear with his lance , encountering Bruce's troops. Bruce and de Bohun faced off in what became a celebrated instance of single combat . Bohun charged at Bruce and, when the two passed side by side, Bruce split Bohun's head with his axe. However
1079-533: A threat to the south and southwest of Scotland, and also reopening up a potential source of aid to England from the Hiberno-Normans and Gaelic Irish. Added to this was a request for aid from the King of Tír Eógain (Tyrone), Domnall mac Brian Ó Néill (Donall Ó Néill). Ó Néill had been troubled by Norman incursions to the southeast (the de Verdons), the east (tenants of the Earl of Ulster ) and west (also by
1162-586: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Irish Bruce Wars 1315%E2%80%931318 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Scotland Irish kingdoms : [REDACTED] Kingdom of England The Bruce campaign was a three-year military campaign in Ireland by Edward Bruce , brother of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce . It lasted from his landing at Larne in 1315 to his defeat and death in 1318 at
1245-408: Is estimated that no more than half the infantry actually arrived, but the English army was still by far the largest ever to invade Scotland. The Scottish army probably numbered around 7,000 men, including no more than 500 mounted troops. Unlike the English, the Scottish cavalry was probably not equipped for charging enemy lines and suitable only for skirmishing and reconnaissance. The Scottish infantry
1328-400: Is the title of a patriotic poem by Robert Burns . The chorus of Scotland's unofficial national anthem Flower of Scotland refers to Scotland's victory over Edward and the English at Bannockburn. Many artworks depict the battle. John Duncan and Eric Harald Macbeth Robertson both painted Bruce's encounter with de Bohun. John Phillip painted Bruce receiving the sacrament on the eve of
1411-653: The Battle of Faughart in County Louth . It was part of the First War of Scottish Independence against England , and the conflict between the Irish and Anglo-Normans . After his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn , Robert the Bruce decided to expand his war against the English by sending an army under his younger brother Edward to invade Ireland. Some native Irish leaders also asked him to send an army to help drive
1494-661: The Earl of Ulster , the de Mandevilles, Bissets of the Glens , Logans, and Savages , as well as their Irish allies, overall led by Sir Thomas de Mandeville. However they were defeated in battle by the Scots under Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray . Subsequently, the Scots managed to take the town, though not the castle, of Carrickfergus . In early June, Donall Ó Néill of Tyrone and some twelve fellow northern Kings and lords met Edward Bruce at Carrickfergus and swore fealty to him as King of Ireland . The Irish annals state that Bruce " took
1577-599: The Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland . In 1258 some of the Gaelic aristocrats elected Brian Ua Néill high king; however, he was defeated by the Normans at the Battle of Downpatrick in 1260. In 1315 Robert the Bruce , King of Scots, sent his younger brother Edward Bruce to invade Ireland. There have been several theories as to the motives behind Bruce's campaign in Ireland. One theory proposed for
1660-467: The River Forth , near Stirling. The English appear to have advanced in four divisions. The Scots assembled defensive formations known as schiltrons , which were strong defensive squares of men with pikes. Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray , commanded the Scottish vanguard , which was stationed about a mile south of Stirling, near the church of St. Ninian, while the king commanded the rearguard at
1743-478: The Scottish Highlands . It was besieged in 1314 by Bruce's younger brother Edward Bruce , and the English decided that if the castle was not relieved by mid-summer it would be surrendered to the Scots. The English could not ignore this challenge, and prepared and equipped a substantial campaign. Edward II requested from England, Wales and Ireland 2,000 heavily armoured cavalry and 13,000 infantry. It
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#17327650975151826-520: The Anglo-Normans out of Ireland, offering to crown his brother High King of Ireland in return. Another reason for the expedition was that supporters of the exiled House of Balliol , rival competitors for the Crown of Scotland , had fled to Ireland. The campaign effectively ended with Edward's defeat and death in the Battle of Faughart in 1318. By the early 14th century, Ireland had not had
1909-509: The Bannockburn. This story is important because it was a reflection of Robert the Bruce's leadership. It is stated in an article by Sidney Dean that "While controversial among his peers, Bruce earned the respect of his soldiers by leading from the front and displaying physical courage." The second English cavalry force was commanded by Robert Clifford and Henry de Beaumont. Their forces included Sir Thomas de Grey of Heaton , father of
1992-538: The British Isles. But he needed Scotland's allegiance, which led to his campaign to capture Scotland. The Wars of Scottish Independence between England and Scotland began in 1296. Initially, the English were successful under the command of Edward I: they won victories at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) and at the Capture of Berwick (1296) . The removal of John Balliol from the Scottish throne also contributed to
2075-603: The Bruce enough time to decide whether to move northwards beyond the Forth or westwards up the river into a district of mosses and hills. Robert knew that the latter decision would influence the plans of Edward II and his lords. Given the declared objective and the advancing march the previous week, it was obvious that the English would continue their advance on Stirling. In an effort to "rescue" Stirling, Edward II continued to hurry his troops: they marched seventy miles in one week. Many historians criticise Edward II for this move, as he
2158-607: The Bruces at Bannockburn where he was taken prisoner and freed to return King Edward II 's royal seal, lost in the rout. The Scottish Parliament met at Ayr on 26 April 1315, just across the North Channel from Antrim . As King Robert did not yet have a legitimate son, Edward was proclaimed his legal heir and successor as King of Scots and all other titles in case of his death. Edward's invasion fleet also mustered there, having received calls to assemble as far back as at least
2241-622: The Earl of Hereford. The victory against the English at Bannockburn is one of the most celebrated in Scottish history, and for centuries the battle has been commemorated in verse and art. The National Trust for Scotland operates the Bannockburn Visitor Centre (previously known as the Bannockburn Heritage Centre). Though the exact location for the battle is uncertain, a modern monument was erected in
2324-564: The Earl of Ulster) of Tír Eógain and to retain his lands, he and some twelve of his vassals and allies jointly asked for aid from Scotland. The Bruce brothers agreed, on condition that Edward would be supported as King of Ireland. The brothers envisaged themselves as separate rulers of Scotland and Ireland. Robert would regain Man and Edward possibly make an attack on Wales, with Welsh support. Their vision included "a grand Gaelic alliance against England" between Scotland and Ireland, both countries having
2407-417: The English on the other side of the wood, thought that he must have his share, and issuing from the wood with his division marched across the open ground towards the two afore-named lords. Sir Henry de Beaumont called to his men: "Let us wait a little; let them come on; give them room". "Sir," said Sir Thomas Gray, "I doubt that whatever you give them now, they will have all too soon". "Very well" exclaimed
2490-400: The English success. However, the Scots defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. This was countered by Edward I's victory at the Battle of Falkirk (1298) . By 1304, Scotland had been conquered, but in 1306 Robert the Bruce seized the Scottish throne and the war was reopened. After the death of Edward I in 1307, his son Edward II of England was crowned as king, but
2573-484: The King's Peace , the third part of his Robert the Bruce trilogy, the campaign, and particularly Robert's visit to Ireland to support his brother, are described at significant length. Edward Bruce is shown as out of his depth during his invasion of Ireland; there may be some truth in this, although the novel could exaggerate his lack of competence and the differences between the two brothers. The invasion of 1315 also forms
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2656-717: The Vita Edwardi Secundi gives a different account: 'On Sunday, which was the vigil of St John's day, as they [the English] passed by a certain wood and were approaching Stirling Castle, the Scots were seen straggling under the trees as if in flight, and a certain knight, Henry de Boune pursued them with the Welsh to the entrance of the wood. For he had in mind that if he found Robert Bruce there he would either kill him or carry him off captive. But when he had come thither, Robert himself came suddenly out of his hiding-place in
2739-537: The advance of the knights, but were ordered to stop shooting to avoid additional friendly fire . The English then attempted to deploy their English and Welsh longbowmen to flank the advancing Scots, but they were dispersed by 500 Scottish cavalry under the marischal Sir Robert Keith . (Although the Scottish cavalry is sometimes described as light cavalry, this appears to be a misinterpretation of Barbour's statement that these were men-at-arms on lighter horses than those of their English counterparts. ) The English cavalry
2822-526: The attractions created by a £9m redevelopment of the centre and the nearby battlefield memorial is a computerised multiplayer game. On 11 June 2020, during the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom , the statue was defaced with graffiti. In 2016 Swedish metal band Sabaton released a song, "Blood of Bannockburn", on their album The Last Stand about this battle. " Scots Wha Hae "
2905-498: The available evidence, Reese concludes that "it seems doubtful if even a third of the foot soldiers returned to England." If his estimate is accurate, of 16,000 English infantrymen, about 11,000 were killed. The English chronicler Thomas Walsingham gave the number of English men-at-arms who were killed as 700, while 500 more men-at-arms were spared for ransom. The Scottish losses appear to have been comparatively light, with only two knights among those killed. The immediate aftermath
2988-468: The backdrop of a series of novels by Tim Hodkinson, Lions of the Grail and The Waste Land Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( Scottish Gaelic : Blàr Allt nam Bànag or Blàr Allt a' Bhonnaich ) was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce , King of Scots , and the army of King Edward II of England , during the First War of Scottish Independence . It
3071-549: The battle. There is first-hand evidence in a poem, written just after the battle by the captured Carmelite friar Robert Baston, that one or both sides employed slingers and crossbowmen. The exact site of the Battle of Bannockburn has been debated for many years, but most modern historians agree that the traditional site, where a visitor centre and statue have been erected, is not correct. A large number of alternative locations have been considered, but modern researchers believe only two merit serious consideration: This battle
3154-462: The captured nobles, Edward II released Robert's wife Elizabeth de Burgh , sisters Christina Bruce , Mary Bruce and daughter Marjorie Bruce , and Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, ending their eight-year imprisonment in England. Following the battle, King Robert rewarded Sir Gilbert Hay of Erroll with the office of hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland . The defeat of the English opened up
3237-414: The chronicler Thomas Grey . The younger Grey described the battle: Robert Lord de Clifford and Henry de Beaumont, with three hundred men-at-arms , made a circuit upon the other side of the wood towards the castle, keeping the open ground. Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray , King Robert's nephew, who was the leader of the Scottish advanced guard, hearing that his uncle had repulsed the advanced guard of
3320-569: The entrance to the New Park. His brother Edward led the third division. The fourth division was nominally under the youthful Walter the Steward , but actually under the command of Sir James Douglas . The Scottish archers used yew-stave longbows and, while these were equal to English longbows in strength, there were probably fewer Scottish archers, possibly only 500 although there is no evidence as to their number. These archers played little part in
3403-399: The flemish footman shattered the chivalry of France—and more than either of these it initiated the change which was to come over the mediaeval art of war, in demonstrating the superiority of infantry properly handled to the mounted men-at-arms upon whom the entire stress of fighting had hitherto been laid. The defeated were quick to learn their lesson and apply it in their own way. This shows
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3486-427: The ground. The only manors left alone belonged to Irish lords intimidated to join him, or that of a junior branch of the de Lacy family who in an effort to gain lands voluntarily joined him. In 1317, Domhnall Ó Néill , the King of Tyrone , with the support of Edward's Irish allies sent a remonstrance to Pope John XXII asking him to revoke Laudabiliter and mentioning Edward as King of Ireland. Pope John ignored
3569-511: The hostages and lordship of the whole province of Ulster without opposition and they consented to him being proclaimed King of Ireland and all the Gaels of Ireland agreed to grant him lordship and they called him King of Ireland." At this point Bruce directly or indirectly ruled much of eastern and mid-Ulster. In late June, Edward proceeded with his army from Carrickfergus along Magh Line ( Six Mile Water ), burning Rathmore, near Antrim town , which
3652-542: The invasion of Ireland was to drain England of men, materials and finance and even to exploit the resources in Ireland for Scotland's benefit, a second front in the ongoing war , as England relied heavily on Ireland for resources and deprive the English of Irish tax revenues contributing to the war effort. This became critical when King Robert's control of the Isle of Man was lost to Norman-backed Scots in January 1315, opening
3735-612: The most popular tourist attractions in the area. The battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and protected by Historic Scotland under the Historic Environment (Amendment) Act 2011. The National Trust for Scotland operates the Bannockburn Visitor Centre (previously known as the Bannockburn Heritage Centre), which is open daily from March through October. On 31 October 2012
3818-407: The night, the English forces crossed the stream known as the Bannockburn, establishing their position on the plain beyond it. A Scottish knight, Alexander Seton , who was fighting in the service of Edward II of England, deserted the English camp and told Bruce that English morale was low and encouraged him to attack. In the morning, the Scots advanced from New Park. Not long after daybreak, Edward
3901-628: The north of England to Scottish raids and allowed the Scottish invasion of Ireland . These finally led, after the failure of the Declaration of Arbroath to secure diplomatic recognition of Scotland's independence by the Pope, to the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton in 1328. Under the treaty, the English crown recognised the independence of the Kingdom of Scotland, and acknowledged Robert the Bruce as
3984-779: The original building was closed for demolition and replacement by a new design, inspired by traditional Scottish buildings, by Reiach and Hall Architects. The project is a partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland , funded by the Scottish Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund . The battlefield's new visitor centre—now rebranded as the Bannockburn Visitor Centre—opened in March 2014. One of
4067-540: The pass. Here he was met by Mac Duilechain of Clanbrassil and Mac Artain of Iveagh, both of whom had submitted to him at Carrickfergus. Their attempted ambush ended in their defeat and the army pressed on, destroying de Verdon's fortress of Castleroache, and on 29 June attacked Dundalk . The town, another possession of the de Verdon's, was almost totally destroyed with its population, both Anglo-Irish and Gaelic, massacred alike. In July, two separate armies opposing Bruce met and assembled at Sliabh Breagh, south of Ardee . One
4150-481: The place of honour at his side in his own schiltron with the men of Carrick and Argyll. After Robert Bruce killed Sir Henry de Bohun on the first day of the battle, the English withdrew for the day. That night, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scottish noble serving in Edward's army, defected to the Scottish side and informed King Robert of the English camp's low morale, telling him they could win. Robert Bruce decided to launch
4233-484: The previous month. On 26 May 1315 Edward and his fleet (and more than 5,000 men) landed on the Irish coast at points at and between Olderfleet Castle at Larne , and Glendrum. His brother had sailed from Tarbert for the Western Isles with his son-in-law Walter Stewart, to subjugate them till "all the isles, great and small, were brought to his will." Edward faced by an army led by vassals and confederates of
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#17327650975154316-414: The remaining troops, turning their defeat into a rout . King Edward, with about 500 men, first fled for Stirling Castle where Sir Philip de Moubray, commander of the castle, turned him away as the castle would shortly be surrendered to the Scots. Then, pursued by James Douglas and a small troop of horsemen, Edward fled to Dunbar Castle , from which he took a ship to Berwick. From the carnage of Bannockburn,
4399-791: The request. Similarities exist between the 1317 Remonstrance and the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath have long been evident. The Declaration of Arbroath was likewise sent to Pope John XXII complaining of mistreatment at English hands. Historian Sean Duffy argues that the author of the Declaration relied heavily on the text of the Remonstrance. After several years of mobile warfare, Bruce and his allies failed to hold areas that they had conquered. His army fed itself by pillaging , which caused increasing unpopularity. The pan-European Great Famine of 1315–1317 affected Ireland also, and disease became widespread in his army, causing it to shrink, and he
4482-492: The rest of the army tried to escape to the safety of the English border, 90 miles (140 km) south. Many were killed by the pursuing Scottish army or by the inhabitants of the countryside they passed through. Historian Peter Reese wrote that "only one sizeable group of men—all foot soldiers—made good their escape to England." These were a force of Welsh spearmen who were kept together by their commander, Sir Maurice de Berkeley . The majority of them reached Carlisle . Weighing
4565-568: The rightful king. The following are the notable casualties and captives of the battle. 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. A modern monument was erected in a field above the possible site of the battle, where
4648-428: The royal bodyguard. Once they were clear of the battle, d'Argentan turned to the king and said: " Sire, your protection was committed to me, but since you are safely on your way, I will bid you farewell for never yet have I fled from a battle, nor will I now. " He turned his horse to charge back into the ranks of Scottish, where he was overborne and slain. Edward fled with his personal bodyguard and panic spread among
4731-419: The said Henry, "if you are afraid, be off". "Sir," answered the said Thomas, "it is not from fear that I shall fly this day." So saying, he spurred in between Beaumont and Sir William Deyncourt and charged into the thick of the enemy. William was killed, Thomas was taken prisoner, his horse being killed on the pikes, and he himself carried off with the Scots on foot when they marched off, having utterly routed
4814-427: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Irish Rebellion . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irish_Rebellion&oldid=1249029770 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
4897-606: The same time, Governor of Ireland (and Bishop of Ely ) John de Hothum began to take drastic action to defend Dublin from Bruce, such as levelling entire tenements and churches to use the stones to reinforce their walls. After sacking and burning Kells, Bruce proceeded to do the same to Granard , Finnea, the Cistercian monastery of Abbeylara and raided Angaile (Annaly), the lordship of Gaelic lord O Hanely. Bruce spent Christmas at de Verdon's manor of Loughsewdy , consuming its supplies entirely and before leaving, razing it to
4980-492: The seriousness of the situation, Edward II had on 1 September ordered an assembly of the leading Anglo-Irish, which met at Parliament in Dublin in late October, but no decisive action was taken. On 13 November, Bruce marched further south via Dundalk – where, incredibly, "some gave them the right hand" , i.e., a fight – garrisoned Nobber on the 30th, and advanced to Kells, where he was met by Mortimer. Mortimer had managed to raise
5063-457: The sheer importance of the Scottish spearman on the European stage as many countries began to adapt to this infantry dominated medieval battleground. They were moving away from cavalry and more towards the domination of the foot soldier. Another aspect is that this battle was for the rights to Stirling Castle essentially. Robert the Bruce did not want to give the castle up to the English as it was
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#17327650975155146-565: The siege failed when he found his path blocked by a smaller army commanded by Bruce. The Scottish army was divided into four divisions of schiltrons commanded by (1) Bruce, (2) his brother Edward Bruce , (3) his nephew, Thomas Randolph, the Earl of Moray and (4) one jointly commanded by Sir James Douglas and the young Walter the Steward. Bruce's friend, Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, brought thousands of Islesmen to Bannockburn, including galloglass warriors, and King Robert assigned them
5229-405: The siege on Stirling. The Hereford-Gloucester force was the first to cross over the Bannockburn and marched toward the woodlands that hid the Scots and stood in the way of the English on their way to Stirling. Little did the English know that Bruce had ventured ahead away from his natural protection. King Robert was not then fully armed for combat, but was instead armed for reconnaissance with only
5312-414: The squadron of the said two lords. Some of the English fled to the castle, others to the king's army, which having already left the road through the wood had debouched upon a plain near the water of Forth beyond Bannockburn, an evil, deep, wet marsh, where the said English army unharnessed and remained all night, having sadly lost confidence and being too much disaffected by the events of the day. During
5395-404: The upcoming battle. This was because the woodland gave Bruce and his foot soldiers an advantage since the English were very adept at cavalry. The Scots split their army into four divisions and the Bruce commanded the four divisions to form a diamond formation. Bruce covered the rear to the south, Douglas to the east, Randolph to the north (the direction of Stirling), with 500 horsemen under Keith to
5478-801: The upcoming conflict. Thus, when in August, Bruce and his men crossed the Bann (in four ships supplied by Scots sea captain, Thomas Dun ), de Burgh retreated still further to Connor , where on either the first or ninth of September a charge by the Scots-Irish led to his defeat. William Liath was captured and taken as hostage to Scotland by Moray who arrived there on 15 September 1315 to raise more troops, "his ships filled with booty." De Burgh retreated back to Connacht, while other Anglo-Irish took refuge in Carrickfergus Castle . Finally apprised of
5561-450: The vanguard into battle. He had also tried to persuade the king that the battle should be postponed. This led the king to accuse him of cowardice. Goaded by the accusation, Gloucester advanced to meet the Scots. Few accompanied Gloucester and, when he reached the Scottish lines, he was quickly surrounded and killed. The English were gradually pushed back and ground down by the Scots' schiltrons . The English longbowmen attempted to support
5644-560: The warring parties are believed to have camped on the night before the battle. The monument consists of two semicircular walls depicting the opposing parties. Nearby stands the 1960s statue of Bruce by Pilkington Jackson . Although the statue was conceived by Pilkington Jackson he commissioned Thomas Taylor Bowie of the Ontario College of Art in Toronto to create the statue. The monument, and the associated visitor centre, are some of
5727-505: The west, in reserve. On 23 June 1314, two English cavalry formations advanced. The first was commanded by the Earl of Gloucester and by the Earl of Hereford . They followed behind a smaller detachment of roughly 300 soldiers led by Sir Robert Clifford and Sir Henry de Beaumont who marched closer to the River Forth. Both of these detachments marched in front of the main fighting force. These two detachments were tasked with lifting
5810-443: The wood, and the said Henry seeing that he could not resist the multitude of Scots, turned his horse with the intention of regaining his companions; but Robert opposed him and struck him on the head with an axe that he carried in his hand. His squire, trying to protect or rescue his lord, was overwhelmed by the Scots.' The Scots then rushed the English forces under Gloucester's and Hereford's command, who retreated, struggling back over
5893-499: Was a battle that Robert the Bruce hoped would confirm his place on the throne of Scotland and force Edward II to recognize him King. Bruce also faced internal struggles for the crown of Scotland among the "Balliols, Bruces, and the Scottish political nation in a decades-long contest for the crown." As stated by W. M. Mackenzie, "The victory at Bannockburn is of more than national interest and had other results than those immediately affecting Scotland. With Falkirk and Courtrai (1302), where
5976-524: Was a decisive victory for Robert Bruce and formed a major turning point in the war, which ended 14 years later with the de jure restoration of Scottish independence under the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton . For this reason, the Battle of Bannockburn is widely considered a landmark moment in Scottish history. King Edward II invaded Scotland after Bruce demanded in 1313 that all supporters, still loyal to ousted Scottish king John Balliol , acknowledge Bruce as their king or lose their lands. Stirling Castle ,
6059-571: Was a holding of the Savages. He then went south by way of the Moiry Pass – called "Innermallan"/"Enderwillane"/Imberdiolan" in contemporary accounts – between Newry and Dundalk . This ancient routeway had been for centuries the passage south out of Ulster into the Kingdom of Mide , Leinster and Munster but because of its narrowness Ulster armies had frequently ambushed and been ambushed at
6142-420: Was an attempt by Robert the Bruce to legitimise his kingship through combat. An article by Medieval Warfare states, "Robert Bruce, King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329 aged around 55, was no stranger to the battlefield. He waged war to wear down his Scottish opponents and the English regime in Scotland, culminating in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, to legitimise his kingship and free his kingdom." It
6225-486: Was defeated and killed at the end of 1318 at the Battle of Faughart in County Louth . This campaign has sometimes been dealt with briefly or not at all in accounts of the Wars of Scottish Independence , but there are a few exceptions. The campaign is described in books 14 to 16 of John Barbour's , 1375–77, epic poem The Brus , for his principle patron, Robert II of Scotland . In Nigel Tranter 's novel The Price of
6308-485: Was hemmed in against the Bannockburn, making it difficult for them to manoeuvre. Unable to hold their formations, they broke rank. It soon became clear to Aymer de Valence and Giles d'Argentan (reputedly the third-best knight in Europe) that the English had lost the battle and Edward II needed at all costs to be led to safety. Seizing the reins of the king's horse, they dragged him away, closely followed by 500 knights of
6391-412: Was incapable of providing the determined leadership his father had shown, and the English position soon became more difficult. In 1313, Bruce demanded the allegiance of all remaining Balliol supporters, under threat of losing their lands. He also demanded the surrender of the English garrison at Stirling Castle , one of the most important castles held by the English, as it commanded the route north into
6474-666: Was led out of Connacht by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and his ally, the King of Connacht, Felim mac Aedh Ua Conchobair . The second consisted of forces raised in Munster and Leinster by the Justicier Edmund Butler . The Scots-Irish army was located at Inniskeen, ten miles north. In between Sliabh Breagh and Inniskeen was the village of Louth. De Burgh moved his army north of Louth and set up camp while his cousin, William Liath de Burgh attempted to ambush Bruce's forces. While some skirmishing did result in
6557-450: Was likely armed with axes, swords and pikes, and included only a few bowmen. The precise numerical advantage of the English forces relative to the Scottish forces is unknown, but modern researchers estimate that the Scottish faced English forces one-and-a-half to three times their number. On the morning of 23 June 1314 it was still not certain if a battle was going to take place. The armies were still eight miles apart, giving King Robert
6640-511: Was not acting as a leader of a well-trained army but was instead acting like a pilgrim. This bad decision-making by Edward II led to horses, horsemen, and infantry becoming extremely worn out with toil and hunger. Now Edward II was within reach of Stirling. Edward II and his advisors began to make plans for the upcoming battle. Edward and his advisors knew the places where the Scots were likely to challenge them, and sent orders for their troops to prepare for an enemy established in boggy ground near
6723-670: Was supreme head of the church The Desmond Rebellions , which occurred in the 1560s, 1570s and 1580s in Munster Tyrone's Rebellion (also known as the Nine Years' War (Ireland) from 1594 to 1603, predominantly in Ulster O'Doherty's Rebellion , 1607 The Irish Rebellion of 1641 , a conflict between the Roman Catholic native Gaelic-Irish and Hiberno-Normans, and Protestant settlers The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ,
6806-420: Was surprised to see the Scottish pikemen emerge from the cover of the woods and advance towards his position. As Bruce's army drew nearer, they paused and knelt in prayer. Edward reportedly 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." The Earl of Gloucester had argued with the Earl of Hereford over who should lead
6889-540: Was the surrender of Stirling Castle, one of Scotland's most important fortresses, to King Robert. He then slighted (razed) it to prevent it from being retaken. Nearly as important was the surrender of Bothwell Castle , where a sizeable party of English nobles, including the Earl of Hereford, had taken refuge. At the same time, the Edwardian strongholds of Dunbar and Jedburgh were also being captured. By 1315, only Berwick remained outside of Robert's control. In exchange for
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