ABSTRACT
The English army, an enormous one for the day, did indeed reach Stirling before Midsummer Day 1314, and the Scots accepted without argument that the castle had been relieved, but the king, encouraged by his magnates, insisted on fighting. The Battle of Bannockburn was a complete disaster for the English, due in no small measure to their commanders making the fundamental military error of underestimating their enemy. Edward II fled from the field, leaving many knights dead or in Scottish hands. From then on, the Scottish situation grew steadily worse, the Scots raiding deep into England and capturing Berwick in 1318. In March 1315, Robert Bruce’s brother Edward invaded Ireland and, after a series of spectacular victories, was crowned King of Ireland in May 1316. His success was, however, short-lived, since he rapidly lost the support of the leading Irish chiefs and was killed near Dundalk in 1318.
