Bannockburn

As 8,000 Scottish soldiers, most of them spearmen, faced 18,000 English infantrymen, archers and mounted knights in June 1314 near the Bannock Burn, many would have thought that the result a foregone conclusion. But two days later, the English were routed, Edward II fled to the coast and took ship for home, and few English and Welsh soldiers escaped from Scotland unhurt. This emphatic victory was the moment that enabled Scotland to remain independent and pursue a different destiny. In this book, best-selling author Alistair Moffat offers fresh insights into one of the most famous battles in history, yet one which is surprisingly little understood. Where exactly was it fought; and what happened at the Scottish council of war the night before the second day to persuade the Scots to attack at dawn? This book follows in detail the events of those two days that changed history, and captures all the fear, heroism, confusion and desperation as he describes the tactics and manoeuvres that led to a stunning and unexpected Scottish victory.

Cornell sets the iconic battle in political and military context and focuses new attention on the roles of Robert and Edward in the events leading to the build-up of their armies. He reassesses both the crucial melee fought on the second day and the casualties suffered by the English.

The battle of Bannockburn, fought on the fields south of Stirling at midsummer 1314, is the best known event in the history of Medieval Scotland. It was a unique event. The clash of two armies, each led by a king, followed a clear challenge to a battle to determine the status of Scotland and its survival as a separate realm. As a key point in the Anglo-Scottish wars of the fourteenth century, the battle has been extensively discussed, but Bannockburn was also a pivotal event in the history of the British Isles. This book analyses the road to Bannockburn, the campaign of 1314 and the aftermath of the fight. It demonstrates that in both its context and legacy the battle had a central significance in the shaping of nations and identities in the late Medieval British Isles.

The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 was one of the decisive battles of British history. The bitter hostility between England and Scotland which had continued since 1296, the contrasting characters of the opposing commanders Edward II and Robert the Bruce, the strategy of the campaign and the tactics of the battle itself - all these elements combine to make the event one of absorbing and lasting interest. The enormous impact of the Scottish victory on the fate of the two kingdoms means the battle is ripe for the vivid and scholarly reassessment that John Sadler provides in this fascinating book. The Scottish victory meant that Scotland would not simply become an appendage to England but would remain a free and independent state – it also implied the war would continue

Originally written in 1914 for the six hundredth anniversary of the battle, this book details the history surrounding the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Morris explains the events leading up to the battle, the typical army of the time and the long-term consequences of Bannockburn in a reasoned and impartial yet still highly readable format. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of Anglo-Scottish relationships.

The Battle of Bannockburn, at which Robert the Bruce's army vanquished Edward I, remains one of the most significant and ongoing sources of Scottish pride.