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23 June in military history: the Battle of Bannockburn, 1314

Military history · 23 June · Wars of Scottish Independence · Full calendar

Location: Bannockburn, near Stirling, Scotland.
Location: Bannockburn, near Stirling, Scotland. Location map: © Echoes of Battle (data: Natural Earth, public domain)
Quick answer

On 23 and 24 June 1314 Scotland under Robert the Bruce won a decisive victory at Bannockburn near Stirling, breaking a much larger English army led by King Edward II. It is the most celebrated victory in Scottish history.

Ground of his own choosing

Bruce chose boggy, enclosed ground that cramped the English cavalry and archers. His tight spear formations, called schiltrons, broke the English horsemen, and the crowded English army could not deploy its strength.1

Our article on the Battle of Bannockburn covers the two days of fighting. › Battle of Bannockburn, 1314

Also on this day

Frequently asked questions

When and where was the Battle of Bannockburn?

It was fought on 23 and 24 June 1314 near Stirling in central Scotland, during the First War of Scottish Independence.

Who won the Battle of Bannockburn?

The Kingdom of Scotland under Robert the Bruce won a decisive victory over the larger English army of King Edward II.

How did the Scots beat a larger army?

Bruce chose boggy, enclosed ground that cramped the English cavalry and archers, and used tight spear formations called schiltrons to break the horsemen.

Notes

A number in the text points to a note; each note names the works that paragraph draws on, listed in full under Sources.

  1. Echoes of Battle, “Battle of Bannockburn”. ↩

Sources

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