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91-679: The Weardale campaign , part of the First War of Scottish Independence , occurred during July and August 1327 in Weardale , England. A Scottish force under James, Lord of Douglas , and the earls of Moray and Mar faced an English army commanded by Roger, Lord Mortimer of Wigmore , accompanied by the newly crowned Edward III . In 1326 the English king Edward II was deposed by a rebellion led by his wife, Isabella , and her lover, Mortimer. England had been at war with Scotland for 30 years and

182-427: A crossbowman, and 3d for a foot archer. With the success of the English at Falkirk two years earlier, Edward must have felt in a position to bring Scotland under full control permanently. To do this required further campaigning, eliminating the last opposition and securing castles that were (or would be) centres of resistance. The English took control of Caerlaverock Castle , but apart from some small skirmishes, there

273-476: A day, the defenders of the destroyed castle were allowed to submit; about fifty men surrendered. Meanwhile, while Robert Bruce outwardly maintained his loyalty to Edward, he was secretly advancing his own ambition and, while assisting Edward in the settlement of the Scottish government, on 11 June 1304, with both of them having witnessed the efforts of their countrymen at Stirling, Bruce and William Lamberton made

364-482: A direct English assault would be obviously suicidal, the English were less secure. On the night of 3/4 August, Douglas led a night attack on the English camp, cutting guy ropes and creating panic. They penetrated to the centre of the English camp and collapsed the King's tent with a terrified Edward III inside. The Scots successfully retreated to their camp. The English were convinced that this had been an attempt by

455-710: A friend, rather than as an enemy. He was facing both excommunication by the Pope for his actions and a possible invasion by the French. Robert the Bruce's defection to the English king's side was not total. He sent a letter to the monks at Melrose Abbey in March 1302 that effectively weakened his usefulness to the English king. Apologizing for having called the monks to service in his army when there had been no national call up, Bruce pledged that, henceforth, he would "never again" require

546-642: A man as he himself will be willing to answer for". This suggests that Edward suspected Robert was not entirely trustworthy and may have been plotting behind his back. Bruce, as Earl of Carrick and now 7th Lord of Annandale, held huge estates and property in both Scotland and England, and had a claim to the Scottish throne. He also had a large family to protect. In addition to his wife Elizabeth and daughter Marjory, there were his brothers, Edward, Alexander, Thomas and Nigel, his sisters, Christian, Isabel (Queen of Norway) , Margaret, Matilda and Mary, and his nephews Domhnall II, Earl of Mar and Thomas Randolph . If he claimed

637-697: A northern landowner, Andrew de Moray of Petty . Andrew and his father were both captured in the rout after the Battle of Dunbar in April 1296. Andrew the younger was initially held captive in Chester Castle on the Anglo-Welsh border, from which he escaped during the winter of 1296–97. He returned to his father's castle at Avoch on the northern shore of the Moray Firth , where he raised his banner in

728-565: A pact that bound them, each to the other, in "friendship and alliance against all men." If one should break the secret pact, he would forfeit to the other the sum of ten thousand pounds. Though both had already surrendered to the English, the pact signaled their commitment to their future perseverance for the Scots and their independence. They now intended to bide their time until the death of the elderly king of England. Scotland lay defenceless and Edward set about amalgamating her into England. Homage

819-465: A plan to cut off the Scots. They set off well before dawn on 20 July: the men-at-arms moved mounted, as fast as they could. The baggage train was left behind and the infantry straggled after the cavalry, falling well behind. The vanguard forded the River Tyne at Haydon as night fell. The English stood-to-arms all night, anticipating a desperate Scottish assault. This did not materialise and

910-528: A position on the north bank of the River Wear , close to Stanhope Park . Their spearmen adopted their traditional schiltrons  – tightly packed pike formations with little mobility but capable of all-round defence. They occupied rocky heights immediately overlooking the fast-flowing river. An attack on this position would be all but hopeless. The English formed up in battle order, were addressed by Edward III and advanced slowly, hoping that

1001-545: A serjeant being counted as equal in worth to one half of a knight. Also accompanying them was 850 paid househeld men, mostly from the royal household. Several earls, such as the Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Lincoln , showed up in person, but most did not. The cavalry were divided into four battalions, each consisting of 15–20 bannerets (60–80 total), each in command of on average 13 knights and squires (780–1,040 total). Edward also requested 16,000 infantry from his magnates, but

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1092-491: A site held sacred by the Scots, that Ormesby had been dispensing English justice. Ormesby was forewarned of Wallace's imminent assault and hastily fled. On hearing about the start of an aristocratic uprising, Edward I, although engaged in events in France, sent a force of foot soldiers and horsemen under Henry Percy and Robert Clifford to resolve the "Scottish problem". On receiving reports that William Douglas had defected to

1183-468: A spike on London Bridge . The English government displayed his limbs separately in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth. On 15 September, the English parliament met with the Scottish representatives to decide the ordinances of government for Scotland. In the midst of listing punishments to be meted out to other Scots, Edward ordered Robert Bruce to put his castle at Kildrummy "in the keeping of such

1274-526: The Battle of Dupplin Moor ; this marked the beginning of the Second War of Scottish Independence . First War of Scottish Independence Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton [REDACTED] Kingdom of Scotland Gaelic Ireland : [REDACTED] Kingdom of England The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between English and Scottish forces. It lasted from

1365-623: The Battle of Falkirk . (It is impossible to give a precise number of the dead.) Despite the victory, Edward and his army soon returned to England and thus failed to subdue Scotland completely. But the defeat had ruined Wallace's military reputation. He retreated to thick woods nearby and resigned his guardianship in December. Wallace was succeeded as Guardian of the Kingdom jointly by Robert Bruce and John Comyn , but they could not see past their personal differences. This brought another shift in

1456-564: The English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until the de jure restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton in 1328. De facto independence was established in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn . The wars were caused by the attempts of the English kings to establish their authority over Scotland while Scots fought to keep English rule and authority out of Scotland. The term "War of Independence" did not exist at

1547-422: The River Wear . The English declined to attack it and the Scots declined to fight in the open. After three days the Scots moved overnight to an even stronger position. The English followed them and, that night, a Scottish force crossed the river and successfully raided the English camp, penetrating as far as the royal pavilion. The English believed that they had the Scots surrounded and were starving them out, but on

1638-568: The landed nobility to pass on titles and properties as normal. De Soulis remained abroad, refusing to surrender. Wallace was still at large in Scotland and, unlike all the nobles and bishops, refused to pay homage to Edward. Edward needed to make an example of someone, and, by refusing to capitulate and accept his country's occupation and annexation, Wallace became the unfortunate focus of Edward's hatred. He would be granted no peace unless he put himself utterly and absolutely under Edward's will. It

1729-481: The 1300 border campaign is one of the best-documented English armies of the medieval period. The king issued summons in December 1299 asking for feudal service from his magnates across the realm (with the exception of Wales, which Edward stated 'have leave to remain home, because of all the great work they have done in our service in the past'). The roll recording for the army showed that 40 knights and 366 mounted serjeants responded to this request with unpaid service, with

1820-456: The Earl of Surrey's army, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge . The Scottish army deployed to the north-east of the bridge, and let the vanguard of Surrey's army cross the bridge before attacking. The English cavalry proved ineffective on the boggy ground around the bridge, and many of them were killed. The bridge collapsed when English reinforcements were crossing. The English on the opposite side of

1911-541: The English court as a common plaintiff. John was a weak king, known as "Toom Tabard" or "Empty Coat". John renounced his homage in March 1296. That same month Edward invaded Scotland and stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then-Scottish border town. In April, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar in East Lothian . By July, Edward had forced John to abdicate. Edward instructed his officers to receive formal homage from some 1,800 Scottish nobles (many of

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2002-604: The English in a number of battles. His forces continued to grow in strength, encouraged in part by the death of Edward I in July 1307. The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 was an especially important Scottish victory, after which the English released the female relatives of Bruce for exchange. In 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was signed by the community of the realm of Scotland and sent to Pope John XXII affirming Scottish independence from England. In 1327, Edward II of England

2093-472: The English were defeated and forced to agree a humiliating peace in 1325. By February 1326, it was clear that Edward II's wife, Isabella , had taken the exiled Roger Mortimer as a lover. Living in Paris, and encouraged by the French court, they became the centre of English opposition to Edward II. In April the Scots agreed a military alliance with the French. In September Isabella, Mortimer and

2184-439: The Pope, The Pope's support for the Scots faded without Philip's influence. It seemed that Philip had such difficulties that he signed a peace treaty with Edward that did not include any protection for the Scots. This act the Scots knew spelled their doom. A powerful Scottish delegation, led by Soulis, went to Paris that autumn to try to head off such an event. In his absence, Comyn was appointed as Guardian. In November 1302, when

2275-548: The Scots to abandon their positions and engage in a fair and open battle. The Scots replied that they were content where they were and if the English King and his council were unhappy with the situation, the onus was on them to do something about it. The English in turn declined to attack, and remained on the south bank of the Wear, facing the Scottish positions, hoping to starve them out. This stand-off lasted for three days. On

2366-501: The Scots took advantage of the chaotic situation to launch large raids into England. Seeing opposition to the Scots as a way of legitimising their position, Isabella and Mortimer prepared a large army to oppose them. In July 1327 this set off from York to trap the Scots and force them to battle. After two weeks of poor supplies and bad weather the English confronted the Scots when the latter deliberately gave away their position. The Scots occupied an unassailable position immediately north of

2457-490: The Scots were exultant at their victory. Their successes, however, were rendered useless when, in May 1303, Philip formally signed a peace with England and omitted any consideration for the Scots. Edward I was now free from embarrassment abroad and at home, and having made preparations for the final conquest of Scotland, he commenced his invasion in the middle of May 1303. His army was arranged in two divisions—one under himself and

2548-449: The Scots were nearby. On 16 July the English set off in battle formation and headed towards the freshest smoke plumes. No contact with the Scots was made. The procedure was repeated on 17 July with the same result. The English realised that the Scots could plunder and burn the villages while still moving faster than the English across terrain described in le Bel's eyewitness account as "savage wastes". The English instead formulated

2639-457: The Scots would come down to fight them on the flood plain. They declined to, and Douglas declared that it was not unchivalrous for a smaller force to make the most of what advantages it had. After scouting the Scottish position, a body of English longbowmen forded the Wear upstream and began firing into the Scots from long range, hoping to make their position untenable. They were chased off by Scottish cavalry. The English then sent heralds, inviting

2730-567: The Scots. The laws and liberties of Scotland would be as they had been in the day of Alexander III, and any that needed alteration would be with the advice of Edward and the advice and assent of the Scots nobles. Excepting William Wallace and John de Soulis, it seemed that all would be forgiven after some of the more famous leaders were exiled from Scotland for various periods. Forfeited estates could be recovered by payment of fines levied in amounts deemed appropriate for each individual's betrayal. Inheritances would continue as they always had, allowing

2821-479: The Scots. This army included 780 Hainault mercenary men-at-arms . While assembling, the Hainaulters fell out with the English infantry and engaged in a running battle through York. Both suffered significant losses. The English positioned a large force of Welsh troops at Carlisle and a strong contingent of men-at-arms at Newcastle upon Tyne ; it was assumed that the presence of these forces on their flanks and

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2912-568: The Scottish border town of Berwick as a prelude to his invasion of Scotland . By 1323 the English, now ruled by Edward II , had been completely expelled from Scotland. Robert Bruce was securely on the Scottish throne and had carried out several major raids deep into England. In May a 13-year truce was agreed. Despite this, Scottish raids continued, as did English piracy against Scottish shipping. To add to Edward II's embarrassments, when an Anglo-French war broke out in Aquitaine in 1323

3003-470: The Scottish raids were intended to exert pressure on the English to acknowledge his kingship. Ending the devastating Scottish raids by defeating the Scots in battle would aid in legitimising Isabella and Mortimer's de facto rule. For Bruce, demonstrating that the English were unable to end the raids would potentially put the Scottish king in a position to dictate a peace. Under these pressures, the truce collapsed and both sides prepared for full-scale war. Bruce

3094-464: The Tyne was fordable. The Scots were some way south of the English; they had been aware of the English army but unable to locate it. One of the English scouts was captured by the Scots, but released with a message for Edward III that the Scots were eager for battle. The freed scout then led the English army to the Scottish army's position, probably on 31 July. The Scots had established themselves in

3185-471: The campaign considered it "to the great shame, dishonour, and scorn of all England". The north of England was so thoroughly looted that extensive tax exemptions had to be granted. The campaign had been hugely expensive for the English: 70,000 pounds ; the 780 Hainaulters alone submitted a bill for 41,000 pounds. For context, the English crown's total income each year was about 30,000 pounds. The Scottish army

3276-438: The castle, Edward refused, saying, "If he thinks it will be better for him to defend the castle than yield it, he will see." After three months of bombardment with every siege engine Edward could bring to bear, the defenders still held the castle. When they could hold out no longer, they offered to surrender unconditionally, but Edward refused to accept. He would first bombard the castle with " Warwolf ", his new trebuchet . After

3367-476: The church, his attendants, Kirkpatrick and Lindsay, entered and, finding Comyn still alive, killed him. Bruce and his followers then forced the local English judges to surrender their castle. Bruce realised that the die had been cast and that he had no alternative except to become either a king or a fugitive. The murder of Comyn – within a church – was an act of sacrilege, and he faced a future as an excommunicate and an outlaw. However his pact with Lamberton and

3458-488: The defeat of the English. The blessing of Wishart gave Wallace and his soldiers a degree of respectability. Previously, Scottish nobles had considered them mere outlaws. He was soon joined by William Douglas and others. In early June, Wallace and Douglas planned a symbolic strike to liberate Scone , the seat of the English-appointed Justiciar of Scotland, William de Ormesby . It was from Scone,

3549-506: The difficulty of the terrain would hinder any Scottish attempt at retreat sufficiently for the main English army to force the Scots to battle. The English army at York set out on 1 July, reaching Durham on 15 July. Edward III accompanied the army as nominal commander, but exercised no authority; that was reserved for Mortimer. Isabella remained in York. From Durham the sight of smoke from burning farms indicated that at least some of

3640-634: The heir to the throne – thirteen-year-old Prince Edward  – landed in Suffolk . Edward II's authority collapsed, Isabella's faction took over the administration with the support of the Church, and Edward II was taken prisoner in November. Edward II's treasurer, Walter de Stapledon , was killed by a mob in St Paul's Cathedral ; his main counsellor, Hugh Despenser ,

3731-552: The killing in Dumfries, at Scone Abbey on 25 March 1306, Robert Bruce was crowned as King Robert I of Scotland . He then began a new campaign to free his kingdom. After being defeated at the Battle of Methven , he was driven from the Scottish mainland as an outlaw. His wife, three of his brothers, his sisters, and daughter were captured by the English. The three brothers were hanged, drawn and quartered. Bruce later came out of hiding in 1307. The Scots thronged to him, and he defeated

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3822-513: The king's army at Bothwell , which he captured in September. The two English armies met to winter at Linlithgow without having damaged the Scots' fighting ability. In January 1302, Edward agreed to a nine-month truce. It was around this time that Robert the Bruce, along with other nobles, gave his allegiance to Edward I, even though he had been on the side of the patriots until then. There are many reasons that may have prompted his turning. Not

3913-459: The larger, was under his own command. The prince was to take the southwestern lands and the greater glory, so his father hoped. But the prince held cautiously to the Solway coast. Scot forces, commanded by de Soulis and de Umfraville, attacked the prince's army at Lochmaben in early September and maintained contact with his army as it captured Robert the Bruce's Turnberry Castle. They also threatened

4004-469: The least of them possibly was that Bruce found it loathsome to continue sacrificing his followers, family and inheritance for the exiled Scottish king John Balliol. There were rumours that Balliol would return with a French army and regain the Scottish throne. Soulis supported the return of Balliol as did many other nobles, but the return of John as king would lead to the Bruces losing any chance of ever gaining

4095-429: The merchants of Lübeck and Hamburg that they now had free access to all parts of the kingdom of Scotland, which had, by favour of God, been recovered by war from the English. Only one week after this document was signed, Wallace mounted an invasion of England. Crossing into Northumberland , the Scots followed the English army fleeing south in disarray. Caught between two armies, hundreds of refugees fled to safety behind

4186-405: The monks to serve unless it was to "the common army of the whole realm", for national defence. More serious to the Scottish patriots than the apparent defection of Bruce was the loss of support from Philip IV of France and subsequently, the Pope. Philip faced revolt at home and became too involved in his own difficulties to care about the Scots. He thus created a schism between the Scots' cause and

4277-467: The most hunted man in Scotland for years, but especially for the past eighteen months. He was quickly taken through the Scottish countryside, his legs bound beneath his horse, towards London, where, after a show trial , the English authorities had him executed on 23 August 1305, at the Elms of Smithfield in the traditional manner for a traitor. He was hanged, then drawn and quartered , and his head placed on

4368-402: The name of Scotland's king, John Balliol . Moray quickly gathered a band of like-minded patriots, and employing hit-and-run guerrilla tactics, began to attack and devastate every English-garrisoned castle from Banff to Inverness . The entire province of Moray was soon in revolt against King Edward I 's men, and before long Moray had secured the region, leaving him free to turn his attention to

4459-455: The nation in whom I was born." The confederacy of men that Bruce joined included James the Steward , Robert Wishart and William Douglas. Dissension broke out in the Scottish camp when the Scottish and English armies met in July 1297 near Irvine . The aristocratic revolt apparently halted before it even started, but its leaders led long and futile negotiations. It has been suggested that this

4550-441: The next morning the English were in a difficult situation. They had outrun their supplies and no food was available locally. It was also raining heavily; this continued for several days and made the Tyne unfordable. After a week the English were complaining, states le Bel, of their "discomfort and poverty" and their commanders developed a new plan. The English sent out scouts and moved 9 miles (14 km) west to Haltwhistle , where

4641-472: The night of 2/3 August the Scots decamped, moving a short way to an even stronger position, within Stanhope Park proper. The English in turn shifted camp to again face the Scots, still on the south side of the river; they feared that if they attempted a crossing in force the Scots would attack the vanguard once it was across and defeat it in detail . While the Scots' position was strong enough that

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4732-519: The night of 6 August the Scottish army escaped and marched back to Scotland. The campaign was ruinously expensive for the English. Isabella and Mortimer were forced to negotiate with the Scots and in 1328 the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton was signed, recognising Scottish sovereignty. The First War of Scottish Independence between England and Scotland began in March ;1296, when Edward I of England ( r.  1272–1307 ) stormed and sacked

4823-793: The other under the Prince of Wales. Edward advanced in the east and his son entered Scotland by the west, but his advance was checked at several points by Wallace. King Edward reached Edinburgh by June, then marched by Linlithgow and Stirling to Perth. Comyn, with the small force under his command, could not hope to defeat Edward's forces. Edward stayed in Perth until July, then proceeded, via Dundee , Montrose and Brechin , to Aberdeen , arriving in August. From there, he marched through Moray, before his progress continued to Badenoch , before re-tracing his path back south to Dunfermline , where he stayed through

4914-473: The overseas trade that Scotland had enjoyed under Alexander III . Any evidence of his administrative acumen was probably destroyed by Edward's officials after his execution. There is, however, one Latin document in the archives of the Hanseatic town of Lübeck , which was sent on 11 October 1297 by "Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, leaders of the kingdom of Scotland and the community of the realm." It told

5005-418: The political situation. During 1299, diplomatic pressure from France and Rome persuaded Edward to release the imprisoned King John into the custody of Pope Boniface VIII . The papacy also condemned Edward's invasions and occupation of Scotland in the papal bull Scimus, Fili . The bull ordered Edward to desist his attacks and start negotiations with Scotland. However, Edward ignored the bull. William Wallace

5096-480: The rebels, Edward dispatched Robert Bruce , Earl of Carrick, together with his father's vassals of Annandale, to attack Douglas's stronghold in Lanarkshire . Whilst traveling north to face Douglas, Bruce began to think about where his loyalties truly lay. He decided to follow the Scottish cause, being quoted as saying, "No man holds his flesh and blood in hatred, and I am no exception. I must join my own people and

5187-469: The rest being prisoners of war at that time). Throughout Scotland, there was widespread discontent and disorder after the English Crown extended its dominion over Scotland. Acts of defiance were targeted at local English officials. In 1297, the country erupted in open revolt. Andrew de Moray and William Wallace emerged as the first significant Scottish patriots. Andrew de Moray was the son of

5278-424: The rest of the northeast of Scotland. William Wallace rose to prominence in May 1297, when he killed William Haselrig , the English sheriff of Lanark , and members of his garrison at Lanark. It is possible Richard Lundie helped in the attack. When news of Wallace's attack on the English rippled throughout Scotland, men rallied to him. The rebels were supported by Robert Wishart , Bishop of Glasgow, who longed for

5369-440: The river then fled the battlefield. The Scots suffered relatively light casualties, but the death from wounds of Andrew Moray dealt a profound blow to the Scottish cause. Stirling Bridge was the first key victory for the Scots. After clearing the English out of Scotland, Wallace turned his mind to the administration of the country. One of his early intentions was to reestablish commercial and diplomatic ties with Europe and win back

5460-422: The seat of government to York. On 3 July he invaded Scotland, intending to crush Wallace and all those daring to assert Scotland's independence. On 22 July, Edward's army attacked a much smaller Scottish force led by Wallace near Falkirk . The English army had a technological advantage. Longbowmen slaughtered Wallace's spearmen and cavalry by firing scores of arrows over great distances. Many Scots were killed at

5551-408: The starving Scots to cut their way out of the trap they found themselves in. On 6 August a prisoner interrogation revealed that the Scots were preparing to move their entire army that night. The English slept fully armoured and in battle order in anticipation of a Scottish assault, with large bonfires burning to illuminate the field. The Scots, who were indeed out of food, picked their way through

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5642-561: The support of the Scottish church, who were prepared to take his side in defiance of Rome , proved to be of great importance at this key moment when Bruce asserted his claim to the Scottish throne. He went to Glasgow and met with the Bishop of Glasgow, Robert Wishart. Rather than excommunicate Bruce, Wishart absolved him and urged people to rise in his support. They both then travelled to Scone, where they were met by Lamberton and other prominent churchmen and nobles. Less than seven weeks after

5733-477: The swamp to the north of their position, which the English had considered impassable. With daylight they retreated north to Scotland with their plunder. Edward III wept tears of frustration at their escape. The outwitted English marched slowly back to Durham – their horses were worn out – where they were reunited with their supply wagons on 10 August. The Hainaulters were paid off and returned home. Contemporary English opinion of

5824-426: The temporary truce between the Scots and the English ended, Edward delayed calling up his army until spring. Over that winter, however, he sent John Segrave and an army on a scouting expedition into the area west of Edinburgh. They were ambushed by Comyn and Simon Fraser , who had ridden all night to meet them. The Scots attack led to the capture of the severely wounded Segrave and, although his army later rescued him,

5915-690: The throne and receive Bruce's lands as compensation or vice versa. For some unknown motive, probably a desire to ruin his rival, Comyn revealed the conspiracy to Edward. Bruce was at the English court at this time and, after being forewarned, fled back to Scotland. Bruce arrived in Dumfries and found Comyn there. At a private meeting with Comyn on the 10th of February, 1306 at the Greyfriars Church, Bruce reproached Comyn for his treachery, which Comyn denied. Furious, Bruce drew his dagger and stabbed, though not mortally, his betrayer. As Bruce ran from

6006-419: The throne themselves. Also, Robert's father was old and ill, and may have wished his son to seek peace with Edward, who, he was convinced, would eventually be victorious over the Scots. The elder Bruce would have seen that, if the rebellion failed and his son were against Edward, he would lose everything; titles, lands, and probably his life. Edward also had come to see that he needed a Scottish noble like Bruce as

6097-474: The throne, he would throw the country into yet another series of wars. The pact which Bruce had made with Lamberton was not so secretly managed, and suspicions were awakened. This led to a conference with Comyn in which Bruce proposed, as the best means of preventing future trouble and for restoring their own privileges and the rights of Scots, that they should henceforward enter into an understanding with each other. Under this, Comyn would support Bruce's claim to

6188-435: The time, Wallace and Moray were both in their late twenties and neither could yet claim to be Scottish national heroes. Whereas some of the Scottish nobility had given in to English demands for allegiance (whilst still supporting the Scottish cause), Wallace's force remained unequivocally dedicated to the struggle for Scottish independence. On 11 September 1297, Scottish forces, under the joint command of Moray and Wallace, met

6279-520: The time. The war was given that name retrospectively many centuries later, after the American War of Independence made the term popular, and after the rise of modern Scottish nationalism . When King Alexander III ruled Scotland, his reign had seen a period of peace and economic stability. On 19 March 1286, however, Alexander died after falling from his horse. The heir to the throne was Alexander's granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway . As she

6370-507: The victorious Bruce laid out his terms. Chief among them was the recognition of Scotland as a fully sovereign nation, with him as its king. Negotiations took place over the winter. Edward III was excluded from them, but made his objections to the process and its outcome clear. The Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton was agreed, more or less on the terms Robert had demanded. The treaty was signed in Edinburgh by Bruce on 17 March 1328 and

6461-419: The walls of Newcastle. The Scots laid waste a swathe of countryside before wheeling west into Cumberland and pillaging all the way to Cockermouth , before Wallace led his men back into Northumberland and fired 700 villages. On his return from England, laden with booty, Wallace found himself at the pinnacle of his power. In March 1298, Wallace was knighted, reputedly by one of the leading nobles of Scotland, and

6552-666: The way of supply or baggage trains , instead dispersing over a wide area to forage. This was contrary to the normal military practice of the time, which stressed the benefits of concentration. These factors gave the Scots an unusual degree of operational mobility. Their scattered formation, which enabled them to advance on a front of 70 miles (110 km) or more, also made it difficult for opponents to identify their numbers, centre of operations and even direction of travel. They plundered and burnt their way south and by 5 July they had penetrated as far as Appleby . The English had assembled an army at York, stronger and better-equipped than

6643-581: The winter. Early in 1304, Edward sent a raiding party into the borders, which put to flight the forces under Fraser and Wallace. With the country now under submission, all the leading Scots surrendered to Edward in February, except for Wallace, Fraser, and Soulis, who was in France. Terms of submission were negotiated on 9 February by John Comyn, who refused to surrender unconditionally, but asked that prisoners of both sides be released by ransom and that Edward agree there would be no reprisals or disinheritance of

6734-512: Was a deliberate move in order to provide space and time for Wallace to levy and train men. Percy and Clifford assumed that this was the end of the problem and retired back to the south, only to be followed once more by Wallace and Moray. These two divided their forces and in a short time again forced the English south of the Forth, leaving them holding only the castle of Dundee . While laying siege to Dundee Castle, Wallace heard that an English army

6825-528: Was again advancing north, this time under John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey . Wallace put the leading men of the town of Dundee in charge of the castle's siege and moved to halt the advance of the English army. Wallace and Moray, who had recently combined their forces, deployed on the Ochil Hills overlooking the bridge crossing the River Forth at Stirling and prepared to meet the English in battle. At

6916-558: Was again paid to Edward by the nobles, and a parliament was held in May 1305 to elect those who would meet later in the year with the English parliament to establish rules for the governance of Scotland by the English. The Earl of Richmond, Edward's nephew, was to head the subordinate government of Scotland and control the castles of Roxburgh and Jedburgh . Justices were to be appointed in pairs, one Englishman and one Scot. Militarily strategic localities were to be controlled by English sheriffs and constables, but most others by Scots. A council

7007-446: Was also decreed that James Stewart, de Soulis and Ingram de Umfraville could not return until Wallace was given up, and Comyn, Alexander Lindsay, David Graham and Simon Fraser were to actively seek his capture. In May, having eliminated most Scottish opposition, Edward turned his attention to Stirling Castle, laying siege to it with great determination. Asked by its defender, William Oliphant, if he had permission to surrender or must hold

7098-400: Was appointed Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland in the name of the exiled King John Balliol. He began preparations for a confrontation with Edward. In January 1298, Philip IV of France had signed a truce with Edward that did not include Scotland, thereby deserting his Scots allies. Edward returned to England from campaigning in France in March and called for his army to assemble. He moved

7189-454: Was appointed largely because he was not part of either the Bruce or the Comyn camps, and was a patriot. He was an active guardian, and made renewed efforts to have John Balliol returned to the Scottish throne. In July 1301, Edward launched his sixth campaign into Scotland, aiming to conquer Scotland in a two-pronged attack. One army was commanded by his son, Edward, Prince of Wales , the other,

7280-477: Was declared a traitor and sentenced to be drawn, hanged, disembowelled, castrated and quartered  – his head was displayed at one of London's gates; Robert Baldock , his chancellor, died in prison; and the Earl of Arundel was beheaded. Under threat of having his son disinherited, Edward II abdicated in January ;1327. A few days later Prince Edward was crowned as Edward III. It

7371-580: Was deposed and killed. The invasion of the North of England by Robert the Bruce forced the English to sign the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton on 1 May 1328, which recognised the independence of Scotland with Bruce as King. To further seal the peace, Robert's son and heir David married the sister of Edward III. Norham Castle Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

7462-402: Was formed to advise the Earl of Richmond, including Bruce, Comyn and Lamberton. For all the apparent participation by Scots in the government, however, the English held the real power. While all this took place, William Wallace was finally captured at Robroyston near Glasgow on 3 August 1305. He was delivered to the English by retainers in the service of John Menteith . Wallace had been easily

7553-406: Was immobilised with an unspecified illness during 1327. This did not prevent the Scots from maintaining the pressure on England. On 15 June a large Scottish force raided across the border. In July a Scottish army re-entered England. It is reported to have consisted of 10,000 mounted men and it was led by Donald, Earl of Mar , Thomas, Earl of Moray , and James, Lord of Douglas . It had little in

7644-450: Was invited in by the Scottish nobility to arbitrate. Before the process could begin, he insisted that all of the contenders recognise him as lord paramount . In early November 1292, at a great feudal court held in the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed , judgement was given in favour of John Balliol having the strongest claim in law. Edward proceeded to reverse the rulings of the Scottish lords and even summoned King John Balliol to stand before

7735-458: Was no action. In August, the Pope sent a letter demanding that Edward withdraw from Scotland. Due to the lack of success, Edward arranged a truce with the Scots on 30 October and returned to England. That year, Robert Bruce finally resigned as joint guardian and was replaced by Ingram de Umfraville . In May 1301, de Umfraville, John Comyn and William Lamberton resigned as joint guardians and were replaced by John de Soulis as sole guardian. Soulis

7826-421: Was only able to muster 9,000 infantry, giving his army a total count of around 10,000. The infantry were grouped into units of 100, each commanded by an armoured serjeant, which were further subdivided into units of 20. The average daily rate of pay was 2d (two pence) for a spearman or billman, 12d (one shilling) for a serjeant, 24d (two shillings) for a knight, 6d for a hobelar , 6d for a mounted archer, 4-6d for

7917-868: Was ratified by the English Parliament at Northampton on 1 May. The treaty was resented in England and was widely referred to as turpis pax , the shameful peace. It ended the First Scottish War of Independence after 32 years. Robert Bruce died in 1329, leaving as his heir the five-year-old David II ( r.  1329–1371 ). Edward III was never reconciled to the treaty. In 1330 he seized Mortimer, had him executed and established his personal rule. England and Scotland were soon at war again: in August ;1332 Edward Balliol and his English supporters, backed by Edward III, won

8008-474: Was reinforced later in the year and crossed the border to devastate Northumbria again. The siege of Norham Castle continued into late 1327 and the main English force in the region was unable to venture out of its base at Alnwick . If the Scots were to invade again in 1328, the English lacked the finances to raise troops to oppose them, and so Isabella and Mortimer were forced to negotiate. Edward II died in September under suspicious circumstances. In October

8099-459: Was sent to Europe to try to gain further support for the Scottish cause. Wallace went to France to seek the aid of Philip IV, and he possibly went on to Rome. William Lamberton , Bishop of St Andrews, was appointed as a third, neutral Guardian to try to maintain order between Bruce and Comyn. The Scots also recaptured Stirling Castle. In May 1300, Edward I led a campaign into Scotland, invading Annandale and Galloway . Edward I's invasion force in

8190-571: Was still a child and in Norway, the Scottish lords set up a government of guardians. Margaret fell ill on the voyage to Scotland and died in Orkney on 26 September 1290. The lack of a clear heir led to a period known as Competitors for the Crown of Scotland or the "Great Cause", with several families laying claim to the throne. With Scotland threatening to descend into civil war, King Edward I of England

8281-491: Was understood that his mother and her lover intended the young Edward to be their puppet. With Edward II deposed, Isabella and Mortimer lacked legitimacy and popular support. The Scots saw opportunity in the chaos south of the border; as Edward III was being crowned a Scottish force was besieging the English-held border castle of Norham . Edward II had refused to recognise Robert Bruce as king of Scotland, and

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