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Top 10 Amazing Facts about the Battle of Bannockburn

The Battle of Bannockburn  was a victory of King of Scots, Robert. The Bruce’s army over King Edward II of England’s army. It was the First War of Scottish Independence.

Although it did not end the war, as victory came 14 years later, Bannockburn remains a significant landmark in Scottish history.

King Edward II invaded Scotland in 1313 after Bruce demanded that all supporters of deposed Scottish king John Balliol recognize Bruce as their king or lose their lands.

The Scottish army was sieging Stirling Castle, a Scots royal fortress occupied by the English. To relieve it, King Edward assembled a formidable force of soldiers – the largest army ever to invade Scotland.

1. Battle of Bannockburn was fought for Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle. Photo by Julien.scavini.

Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s largest and most well-known castles. It commanded the route north to the Scottish Highlands. This made it one of the most strategically important locations during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

During the war, control of Stirling Castle alternated between England and Scotland several times, and it was the last English stronghold in Scotland in 1314.

2. The Scottish army was commanded by King Robert I

Robert The Bruce. Photo by FlowerPower211.

The Scottish army was divided into four divisions. It was led by Bruce (popularly  known as Robert the Bruce), his brother Edward Bruce, his nephew, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, and a division led jointly by Sir James Douglas and the young Walter the Steward.

He was crowned King of Scots in 1306 and quickly attempted to force Scotland’s independence from England. By 1314, he had captured the majority of the English castles in Scotland and had launched some daring raids into Cumbria.

3. The English army outnumbered the Scots

Maurice blessing the Scottish army. Photo from

4. Schiltron formation  was used by the Scottish army

To counter the 2,000 heavily armored English horsemen, Bruce ordered the digging of hundreds of holes capable of snapping horse legs. He also used schiltrons, which were large defensive circles of men armed with long pikes.

When fully formed, the tightly-knit group would deploy their pikes on three levels, forming a death wall against charging cavalry. Bruce needed to use cunning tactics because his army was less advanced than the English army, which was perhaps the best in the medieval world.

5. Bruce defeated the English vanguard on the first day

Bruce kills Sir Henry. Photo by James William Edmund Doyle.

On the first day of the battle, an English cavalry unit spotted and charged a Scottish force. The Scottish king was present.

Sir Henry de Bohun, an English knight, charged across the field on his war-horse to strike him. Robert Bruce stood his ground, dodged the lance, and split Bohun’s head in half with his axe.

The tenacious Scots then forced the English cavalry to retreat. Later that day, another English cavalry charge the Scots, but are unable to break the schiltron and retreat in confusion.

6. A Knight in English ranks defected to Bruce after the first day

Alexander Seton was a Scottish knight who served as a bodyguard for Edward II. He deserted the English camp and provided Bruce with intelligence on Edward’s army.

He told him that the English were demoralized. Alexander encouraged Bruce to attack them. The next day, Robert Bruce decided to launch a full-scale attack on the English forces, using his schiltrons as offensive units, as he had trained them.

William Wallace, who was his predecessor, did not use this strategy. The English army was defeated in a pitched battle. Several prominent commanders, including the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, were killed and many others, including the Earl of Hereford, were captured.

7. Edward II fled from the battlefield after being annihilated 

King Edward II. Photo from

The Scottish schiltron launched an offensive on the second day. Edward’s forces were driven back to the steep-sided Bannockburn. The heavily armored English forces were unable to cross the waterway again.

The English were forced to break their formation after being trapped between the enemy spikes and the stream, effectively ending the battle. King Edward II fled the battlefield and was pursued by the Scots until he reached Dunbar. There, he boarded a ship bound for England.

8. Bruce was able to release his family from captivity

The Battle of Bannockburn was a resounding Scottish victory, allowing Bruce to shift his campaign to the north of England. In exchange for captured English nobles, Bruce was able to secure the release of his wife and daughter, both of whom had been held captive in England since 1306.

9. The exact site of the battle is unknown

For many years, the exact location of the Battle of Bannockburn has been debated.  Most modern historians agree that the traditional site, where a visitor center and statue have been erected, is incorrect.

Many alternative locations have been considered, but modern researchers believe that only two deserve serious consideration:

• The Dry field is a peaty area outside the village of Balquhiderock, about.75 miles (1.21 km) east of the traditional site.
• Balquhiderock Carse, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of the traditional site. The National Trust believes this is the most likely location. 

10. Bannockburn’s victory is termed as Scotland’s unofficial national anthem

In the Wars of Independence, the Battle of Bannockburn was a significant victory for Scotland. It is still remembered as a watershed moment in Scottish history, and the unofficial national anthem Flower of Scotland refers to their victory at Bannockburn.

A monument has been erected on the site where the two armies are said to have camped the night before the battle. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area and consists of a statue of Robert the Bruce.