LEARNING INTENTIONS

• Describe events after Bannockburn which helped achieve Scotland’s independence

• Describe the role in these events of the Declaration of Arbroath and the Treaty of Edinburgh

Contrary to what many people believe, Scotland’s victory at Bannockburn did not immediately achieve independence;

there were still many more events to come.

Victory at Bannockburn achieved complete support for King Robert.

The November 1314 Statute of Cambuskenneth forced lords

with land in England and Scotland to choose which to keep. Land was also given to supporters

of Bruce, especially Thomas Randolph and James

Douglas.

The Scots had captured many English lords at Bannockburn. Some were held for ransom

but others were more valuable.

Bruce exchanged the Earl of Hereford for 15 prisoners,

including his Queen, daughter and sister (held since 1307), as well as Bishop Robert Wishart.

Bruce was becoming more powerful and set about

winning Scotland’s independence.

Bruce’s brother, Edward led numerous attacks into the

north of England, going as far as Yorkshire. This further

undermined King Edward II’s authority.

Bruce also tried to open up a second front against Edward II

by invading Ireland.

In Summer 1315 he sent his brother Edward to lead the

Irish campaign, starting first in Ulster. The plan was to force the English out of Ireland and

crown Edward as Ireland’s new king.

King Robert ultimately hoped to take full control of

Ireland, followed by Wales, and then attack the

English from all sides.

Edward’s Irish invasion was successful at first, winning

battles in Dundalk and Carrickfergus.

After this the Irish campaign was less effective, partly

because the Scots did not win the loyalty of many Irish lords

and chieftains.

The Scots failed to win many major castles (including

Dublin) and in October 1318 Edward Bruce was killed in a

battle at Meath.

Although the plan to control Ireland ultimately failed, it still

helped the Scots’ independence plans.

It caused great fear amongst England that the Scots could

achieve so much, and it forced the English to divert their

military away from Scotland.

King Robert’s next action was a sustained campaign in the

north of England.

In 1315 the Scots attempted to take control of Cumbria, including the key city of

Carlisle. Although this plan failed, it did not stop Bruce

from trying again.

Between 1315-1319, the Scots invaded England every year, and also won back control of

Berwick in 1318.

The Scots captured castles and took land as far south as

Newcastle. Some English towns did not trust their king

to protect them so paid the Scots to leave them alone.

However Edward II did fight back, especially after the death

of Edward Bruce.

In August 1319 he took a large army north to Newcastle. He began to attack Berwick

but had to give up and send his forces to fight a Scottish army

that were attacking Yorkshire.

King Robert continued to invade and attack England. In 1322,

Edward led a huge army north to try to capture and kill Bruce.

This army was repelled and whilst returning to England

Edward was very nearly captured by the Scottish army,

in the Scots’ victory at the Battle of Old Byland.

Whilst King Robert was enjoying some military success,

he was facing problems in terms of diplomacy.

Pope John XXII was hostile to him, partly due to the killing of Comyn but also because of

his refusal to agree a truce with England (who controlled the Pope’s lands in Gascony).

In 1319 the Pope summoned four Scottish bishops to ask

why they had failed to excommunicate Bruce.

In return, Bruce sent three letters: one from himself, one

from the Bishops and one from Scotland’s nobles, all

supporting Bruce as Scotland’s rightful king.

The 1320 letter from the nobles has become famous as the

Declaration of Arbroath (the site where it was written).

The letter has become famous as a statement of nationalism

(although it was almost certainly not read by the nobles who attached their seals to it).

Bruce did eventually reach a truce with England in 1323, with northern English lords especially pushing for this.

However this lasted only three years, with Scots angry at

losing English land and with Edward II’s continuing refusal

to acknowledge Scotland’s independence.

The major change between England and Scotland came in

1327, with the death of Edward II and his replacement by his

son, Edward III.

Edward II was very unpopular in England and eventually a group of barons – led by his wife, Isabella and Roger

Mortimer, had him killed.

King Robert believed the boy king Edward III (who was only

14) would be very weak.

Bruce launched raids in Northern England and also

Ulster, before announcing that he was claiming all land in

Northumbria. The English government then agreed to

negotiate a peace settlement.

On 17 March 1328, the Treaty of Edinburgh was signed

between England and Scotland.

The Treaty agreed:

• Scotland was independent• King Robert was its king• England had no claim on any

Scottish land• Robert’s son, David would

marry England’s Princess Joan

On 7 June 1329, King Robert the Bruce died.

The cause is not clear although Bruce had long been ill with what

was believed to be leprosy.

Bruce’s body was interred at Dunfermline Abbey and his

heart ended up at Melrose Abbey, after being taken on a crusade.

The Wars’ significance:

• They achieved independence (albeit with ongoing fights) until the 1707 Act of Union

• They created famous figures, especially Wallace and Bruce

• Some say it was when a Scottish identity was first created

• They inspired later revolutions, such as the USA