Robert the Bruce
Stirling Castle
Leading to
The Battle of Bannockburn
Page 1
Why did the battle of Bannockburn take place, for years Scotland had been under English rule, but slowly the Scots took control of parts of their lands. The battle was for a important part of Scotland Stirling Castle.
Stirling Castle sits on a craggy rock overlooking the ancient royal burgh that shares the same name. It did not feature in recorded history until the 12th century, but even at its first appearance it is a place of importance. The position of the castle is a strategy one, it was the first point along the Forth where medieval travellers could cross by means of a bridge, after Stirling the river gradually widens until it becomes the Firth of Forth. So whoever controlled the castle controlled the crossing, in 1313, Stirling Castle was in the hands if the English.
During 1313 a force of Scottish troops under the command of Edward Bruce, the brother of the king, arrived outside the castle. Medieval warfare knew only two methods of capturing a fortified bastion like Stirling, it may be starved out, or it could be assaulted. The former was a very long process, and the latter could entail a bloody repulse. Edward patiently besieged the castle, his aim was to starve out the garrison under the command of Philip Mowbray. Edward was still there in the autumn, his force was by this time fed-up, bored with waiting for the garrison to surrender, and fearful of spending a Scottish winter at a camp in the fields.
In October the two commanders entered into a bizarre agreement in keeping with the spirit of this: more chivalric age of warfare. Mowbray would surrender Stirling Castle to the Scots if an English relieving force had not approached within three miles of Stirling by Midsummer's Day 1314. So it is with this in mind that led to the battle, the Scots trying to prevent the English getting to Stirling to relieve the garrison.
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