Page 76 - All About History - Issue 16-14

Braveheart’s battle

Weapons used to inflict
death and destruction

Bow and arrow
Although the Iron Age had
made swords cheap, the bow
was popular for its accuracy and Battle-axe
range. The Welsh had proved The battle-axe was designed for
themselves adept at using them one-handed combat, although some
but the user needed space to required the use of two hands. Although
operate. As it proved at the they were not as popular in the 13th century,
Battle of Stirling Bridge, the they were nonetheless used. They would
cramped conditions north of struggle to hack through steel-plate armour, but
the river and the aggressive nature their weight and sharpness would make light work ROBERT THE BRUCE
of the Scots’ attack gave little of most enemies. The Scots would also have had
opportunity to use them, but they axes and indeed used them to great effect on the Scottish, 1274-1329
could be devastating. English troops they felled in Stirling.
Bruce was the son of
Brief Robert Bruce, Earl of
Carrick. He objected
Bio to Edward I’s choice
Claymore Dirk of John Balliol as King
Measuring up to 152 centimetres (60 inches) in A long thrusting dagger, the dirk was of Scotland, so when Edward
length, the claymore was a sword favoured by used by officers in the Scottish Highland led an invasion north of the
William Wallace. It was first used in the 13th regiments and it was prominent in the border, resulting in Balliol being
forced to abdicate, he was
century and it came with a twisted wooden 13th century. It is thought William broadly in support. Bruce then
hilt that afforded a good grip. It was Heselrig, the English sheriff or switched allegiance to William
better if the enemy was further Lanark, was killed by a dirk and Wallace’s uprising against
away due to its size, but it had that Wallace killed the leader of a English rule and when Wallace
a long ricasso so, if an enemy got group of English youths using one was eventually defeated, Bruce
close, the user could grip further when he was 19. The dirk would became a Guardian of Scotland
down the sword and stab at double up as a utility tool and it in 1298 and later went on to
shorter range. was worn on a Scotsman’s kilt. successfully stake his claim to
the Scottish throne.

The Battle of Stirling Sparked by the appointment of John Balliol
Bridge resulted in a great as King of the Scots in 1292 on the choosing
victory for the Scottish
of King Edward I of England, Scotland had
effectively come to be ruled by England, ending
100 years of relative peace between the two
countries. Balliol had eventually attempted to
rebel against this control, siding Scotland with
France when Edward wanted to go to war
with the French. Balliol made an unsuccessful
attempt at attacking Cumberland that saw
the English sack Berwick in retaliation. In the
middle of all of this carnage, Wallace’s anger was
JOHN DE WARENNE growing more and more intense.
English, 1231-1304 Legend has it that a flash point occurred
when he was approached by a group of English
soldiers demanding the fish he had caught from
The 6th Earl of
Brief Surrey was a military a local Scottish river. Wallace offered them half
commander during
Bio Edward I’s reign. in an attempt at appeasement, but the soldiers
He led the English refused the offer and the rage in this great bear
to victory in the Battle of of a man boiled over. He cut the men down in a
Dunbar in 1296. Appointed
warden of the kingdom and flash, incensed that the English would dare tell
land of Scotland, he returned him what to do in his own country.
to England but headed back The biggest turning point, though, and the
north to fight against Wallace.
Although defeated, he did win one which had led to Wallace jointly leading an
at Falkirk in 1298, but then the army with Andrew Moray, came in the summer
power of the English army was of 1297. Wallace and his men were in Lanark
so great that this was expected.
and became involved in a skirmish with English

76