Bannockburn, Battle of

Battle fought on 23–24 June 1314 at Bannockburn, Scotland, between Robert (I) the Bruce, King of Scotland, and Edward II of England. The defeat of the English led to the independence of Scotland.

Edward II, attempting to relieve Stirling castle, led over 2,000 knights and 15,000 foot soldiers, including about 5,000 archers. Bruce had only 500 light cavalry and some 7,000 foot soldiers. He took up a defensive position behind a stream and dug pits to hamper the English cavalry. An English attack was repulsed, so Edward's forces made a night march to outflank the obstacles. This manoeuvre was badly executed, leaving Edward's knights in boggy ground and the archers out of position in the rear. Bruce blocked the English advance with schiltrons (tightly packed formations) of pikemen, then, as the archers tried to deploy, charged with his cavalry and routed them. The English knights' charges against the Scottish schiltrons suffered heavy casualties, and 500 noblemen were taken for ransom.