Bannockburn And Stirling Bridge

An entertaining and informative account of the Battles of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn, including maps of the conflict and an exploration of the wider Scottish Wars of Independence detailed through a five-stage walk of the area.

The death of the last of the Scottish royal house of Canmore in 1290 triggered a succession crisis. Attempts to undermine Scottish independence by King Edward I of England sparked open rebellion culminating in an English defeat at the hands of William Wallace at Stirling Bridge in 1297. Edward gathered an army, marched north and at Falkirk on 22 July 1298 he brought Wallace's army to battle. Amid accusations of treachery, Wallace's spearmen were slaughtered by Edward's longbowmen, then charged by the English cavalry and almost annihilated. In 1305 Wallace was captured and executed, but the flame of rebellion he had ignited could not be extinguished.

Pete Armstrong's illustrated account of the Battle of Bannockburn, a pivotal campaign in the First War of Scottish Independence. Bannockburn was the climax of the career of King Robert the Bruce. In 1307 King Edward I of England, 'The Hammer of the Scots' and nemesis of William Wallace, died and his son, Edward II, was not from the same mould. Idle and apathetic, he allowed the Scots the chance to recover from the grievous punishment inflicted upon them. By 1314 Bruce had captured every major English-held castle bar Stirling and Edward II took an army north to subdue the Scots. Pete Armstrong's account of this battle culminates at the decisive battle of Bannockburn that finally won Scotland her independence.

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.

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Stirling has changed and developed over the last century.

This book tells the amazing story of Stirling’s history from earliest times to the modern day. Some of the most pivotal moments in Scottish history occurred in the city’s surroundings, including the greatest military victory in Scottish memory. Exactly 700 years ago, an English army marched into Scotland intent on crushing Scottish resistance once and for all. The site they chose for their attack was Bannockburn – where the Scottish troops were waiting for them. One of King Edward’s own knights captured the resolution of the Bruce’s men: ‘these men,’ he said, ‘will conquer or die.’ And conquer they did, shattering the English army and harrying them all the way back to the border. But there is more to central Scotland's premier city than one battle: illustrated with 120 pictures and filled with curious, interesting and quirky facts throughout, this book will interest anyone who knows and loves this part of Scotland.