1. 1297-98: After Stirling Bridge

2. 1297-8: After Stirling Bridge
23/11/18
AIM – Learn how the Scots tried to capitalise on their success at the battle of Stirling Bridge.
SUCCESS CRITERIA –
Be able to describe the steps taken by Murray and Wallace to capitalise on their success at Stirling Bridge.
Be able to explain why Wallace wasn’t able to exploit his victory fully in the six months following the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Be able to make a judgement on whether or not Wallace should be regarded as a successful leader of Scotland from
TASKS
Copy today’s aim and heading into your jotter.
Through class questioning, recap the battle unfolded at Stirling Bridge, along with its immediate consequences for both sides. Catch up with Neil who’ll remind us of where we are and tell us about what is to come.
3. Go through today’s PPt (following this slide), taking notes of information given in bold.
4. Paste today’s handout into your jotter.
5. Use what we’ve learned and apply it to today’s ‘big question’.
Homework due TODAY:
The ‘explain’ question on why the Scots won at Stirling Bridge.

3. Recap with Neil… Tell us what you know, Neil!
Watch ‘History of Scotland’, ep2, 38:02 to 48:02

4. Control
The victory of Wallace and Murray at Stirling Bridge gave them leadership of the Scottish political community.
They re-established the Guardianship, this time as a distinctly military regime, replacing the traditional leadership of the Comyns and the Stewards.
Both Murray and Wallace acted in the name of the imprisoned King John Balliol. This made their rule legitimate. Wallace described himself as ‘Guardian of the kingdom of Scotland and commander of its army, in the name of the famous prince the lord John, by God’s grace illustrious king of Scotland.’
The Comyns and the Stewards – traditional leaders of Scotland - had been found wanting in battle at Dunbar and its aftermath.
Careful with that, please!: Wallace the commoner becomes a Guardian of Scotland.

5. After the Battle of Stirling Bridge, Edward I lost almost all of his gains from Dunbar. English garrisons at Stirling, Dundee and Dumbarton all surrendered. Only Edinburgh, Roxburgh, Dunbar and Berwick remained.

6. Trade
With Scotland largely rid of the English, Wallace and Murray’s first priority was to re-establish diplomatic and commercial relations with Europe.
They targeted Scotland’s old trading partners in the Hanseatic League. They wanted to let their old contacts know that it was ‘business as usual’, and resurrect the shipment of Scottish wool, hides, timber and fish to the Baltic ports.

7. Wallace and Moray wanted to restore Scotland’s trade links with Europe
Wallace and Moray wanted to restore Scotland’s trade links with Europe. Whilst based at Haddington on 11th October 1297, they wrote a famous letter to merchants in the Northern European towns of Lubeck and Hamburg to reopen trade.
In the ‘Letter to Lubeck’ Wallace wrote that Scotland was ‘recovered by battle from the power of the English’. They said that Scotland was free of Edward’s control and ready to trade again.
Under the reign of Alexander III, Scotland’s North Sea trading partners had sent supplies of foodstuffs, weapons and armour, iron and steel – all of which were now absolutely essential to the war effort.
The Letter to Lubeck; it says:
Andrew Murray and William Wallace, leaders of the kingdom of Scotland, and the community of the same kingdom, to the prudent and discreet men, their beloved friends the mayors and commons of Lubeck and of Hamburg, greeting and continual increase of sincere affection. We have been informed by trustworthy merchants of this kingdom that you, of your own grace and not out of regard for our situation, are considerate, helpful and favourable in all causes and affairs relating to us and our merchants. We are therefore more obliged to thank you and repay you and wish to make formal links with you. So we ask that you tell all of your merchants that they may have safe access to all ports of the kingdom of Scotland, with their merchandise, because the kingdom of Scotland, thanks be to God, has been recovered by war from English power. Farewell. Given at Haddington in Scotland, 11 October 1297.
We also ask that you will support the business of John Burnet and John Frere, our merchants, in the same way as you would have us support the business of your merchants.
The letter is probably one of several sent to Scotland’s former trading partners. It is one of only a handful of surviving items which came from Wallace himself.
Other than the Lubeck letter, we have four writs and charters and a note guaranteeing safe passage for three monks. The location of where it is signed is significant. Haddington near Edinburgh was one of the leading burghs of Scotland and an important administrative centre of the Lothians. That Murray and Wallace felt comfortable enough to sign it there – so close to the English border and the main road south to the enemy – shows how secure Wallace and Murray felt after their victory.

8. The Army
In November 1297, Andrew Murray then died of wounds received at Stirling Bridge. William Wallace became Scotland’s only Guardian.
He was made a knight, and became Sir William Wallace. He started work to repair damage caused by the collapse of the Scottish government.
Wallace worked to build up the Scottish army. He knew they’d been lucky at Stirling Bridge. The Scots army still had too few knights, archers and foot soldiers.
Wallace had no intention of making himself ruler of Scotland. He was Balliol’s man and this still divided Scotland. Many Scottish nobles remained loyal to Edward and wouldn’t bring their men to join Wallace.
Snuffed out: Andrew Murray died of his wounds just when Scotland needed him most.
Politically it was an extremely difficult time to be a noble in Scotland and many sat on the fence and hedged their bets. Throwing their lot in with a defeated faction could see them lose their titles, their lands and their lives.

9. The Church
Wallace had the support of the Scottish Church. The Bishops of Moray, Glasgow and St. Andrews had great influence over the Scottish people and they preached that Scotland’s war was a ‘holy war’.
This encouraged people to fight – if they died in battle against the English, they were told that they would go straight to heaven.
Bishop takes pawn: The Bishops of Scotland whipped up the peasants to fight for Wallace as he helpfully furthered their own cause.

10. Government
Wallace’s administration passed several pieces of important legislation. Four writs and charters survive as evidence of his government’s rule.
This demonstrated that Wallace was able to play the role of politician as well as that of warlord.
Wallace’s position in Scotland was remarkable achievement. Being of such low social rank, in normal circumstances he would never have had such power. His position was far from easy however as it depended entirely upon the prestige of his victory at Stirling.

11. The nobles were happy to let Wallace run the kingdom and take the all of risks. He was openly loyal to Balliol, which pleased the Comyns and kept the Bruces frustrated. If victory came, they could replace him with Balliol or a new king, whilst if Edward won, Scotland’s nobles could blame Wallace for everything.
Wallace clearly held some real power however – in recognition for his loyalty and services to King John, Wallace was able to award Dundee and its lands to the Scottish nobleman Alexander Scrymgeour.
Like a boss: True to character, Scrymgeour was dignified and humble when he heard the news that Wallace was going to give him Dundee.

12. Capitalising on the success of Stirling Bridge and to keep up his momentum, Wallace decided to attack England. At the end of 1297 he led a brutal raid across the border into Northumberland, resulting in many English deaths.
When Edward learned of these attacks, he vowed to punish the Scots.
Invasion
Heavens above!: The canons here at Lanercost - one of our main primary sources for this period – would have been raided by Wallace’s army on its way past in late 1297.

13. PASTE IN HANDOUT
Wallace led his army (comprised mainly of infantry spearmen) south to the edge of Newcastle, but did not attack the large and formidable town. Instead, the Scots tracked west along the line of Hadrian’s Wall, ravaging the countryside as they went.
At Newminster and Hexham he extorted a ransom for sparing the monasteries. This didn’t prevent Scottish troops from stealing sacred objects from the altar of Hexham Priory.
Walter of Guisborough wrote in his account of events that Wallace apologised to the monks for the behaviour of ‘rough and uncivilised people who had no shame’.
The cry ‘the Scots are coming’ spread panic throughout the northeast, prompting an exodus of refugees to flee southwards.
“The Scots gathered and invaded, devastating the whole country, causing burnings, depredations and murders, and they came almost up to the town of Newcastle; but turned away from it and invaded the county of Carlisle; there they did as they did in Northumberland, destroying everything; and afterwards they returned to Northumberland, to devastate more fully anything they had overlooked previously”.
The canons of Lanercost: a bit miffed at it all.

14. Wallace’s army arrived outside Carlisle on the 11th November
Wallace’s army arrived outside Carlisle on the 11th November. A clerk was sent to the city to demand its surrender to ‘William the Conqueror’.
The city had prepared for his arrival, constructing defences and weapons to resist a siege whereas Wallace had brought no siege weapons with him.
Leaving a force to keep the garrison in check, Wallace spent a week ravaging and pillaging the lands around Carlisle before marching back eastwards towards Newcastle again.
You’re no’ getting in unless we say you are: medieval Carlisle was noted for its hospitality.

15. By the 20th November, Wallace’s army were marching in the snow.
The Scots arrived at Newcastle to find the citizens had garrisoned the castle and built three siege weapons of their own.
Wallace decided not to attack, instead marching north, back into Scotland.
Wallace was unable to capitalise fully on his victory at Stirling. He seems to have presided over – rather than led – a five week rampage through northern England, boldly challenging Newcastle and Carlisle, but ill-equipped to assault either.
Well, I’ve had warmer trips abroad: Scottish soldiers found the English weather to be even worse than the stuff back home.

16. William the failure?
Wallace appears to have been indecisive – attracted by the strategic prizes of large English cities, but with an army not suited to take either.
His campaign captured the important town of Berwick, but the only castle he managed to take was a relatively minor one at Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders.
Had Murray lived, allowing the Scots to draw upon his training and experience, it could be argued that the invasion may have turned out differently.
Wrapped up like a Christmas present: after the Northumberland campaign, Wallace feared he might never feel his toes again.

17. Edward’s reply
With Edward away fighting in France, England was reeling in the shock of defeat and invasion.
Horrified by the impudence of Wallace, the English government issued writs across England and Wales to raise a fresh army which would have numbered over 33,000 strong.
Sir Robert Clifford led a retaliatory raid into Annandale in December 1297, destroying several villages.
An unmanageably large English force of 18,500 men was mustered by early As de Warenne recovered enough of his composure to lead them towards Berwick, Wallace evacuated the town – unable to hold it against so many.
De Warenne on Stirling Bridge: …Stop saying that! I wasn’t running away! I didn’t feel well and I just had to go home…

18. Edward ordered the English army to wait at Berwick until he could personally join it and take command.
Wallace probably spent the spring of 1298 training new recruits for his army.
By March 1298 – six months after Stirling Bridge – the English still held the major castles of Berwick, Roxburgh and Edinburgh. Wallace had increased the pressure on them all however, keeping their garrisons hemmed in within their castle walls.
Annandale was the family estate of the young Bruce’s father (also Robert). Edward sailed from France to take the lead of his army.
Yo-ho-ho, get me some rum: when he saw the ship waiting for him by the shore, Edward wasn’t exactly buzzing for the voyage home.

19. Today’s ‘Big Question’
Take note of the question in your jotter and write an answer drawing upon the notes you have taken today:
Based upon what we’ve learned of him so far, to what extent can Wallace be regarded as a successful leader of Scotland?