Defeat of the English in Scotland By 1309 Bruce had controlled 2/3 of Scotland English still held had control of some castles and towns…

Capturing a Castle Perth, Linlithgow, Roxburgh, Edinburgh and Stirling Castle all held by English garrisons Besiege the castles? Could take months Bruce did not have men or equipment to do so Besiegers could be an easy target

Capturing a Castle Bruce used ‘hit and run’ tactics One captured they destroyed it Why? English could reoccupy it Bruce did not have the men to defend the castle

Capturing Perth 8 Jan 1313 Town surrounded by wall Part of wall beside River Tay not well guarded Bruce and men waded in the water with ladders Climbed the riverside wall Once inside opened gate Soldiers poured into town Town captured Castle burned to ground

Capturing of Linlithgow Sept 1313 Bruce hid armed men in hay cart Drove it to castle entrance Stopped the cart at entrance preventing garrison closing gate or dropping portcullis Scots able to enter and capture castle

Capturing of Roxburgh Castle 27 Feb 1314 Garrison celebrating shrove Tuesday Douglas and 60 men disguised as stray cattle in dark clothes, crawling on hands and knees approached castle Creep up the castle walls using rope ladders Garrison taken by surprise and fled

Capturing of Edinburgh Castle March 1314 Thomas Randolph and his men climbed the north face of the rock They captured a gate and let in more attackers English captain of the castle was killed Castle was destroyed

Stirling Castle March 1314 Castle besieged by Edward Bruce English Governor of castle (Sir Philip Mowbray) offered to surrender if English army did not reach castle by Midsummer’s Day 1314 Edward Bruce accepted This was lead to fighting in an open battle

Edward II response… Petitions received from people in Lothian, north of England about Bruce’s treatment and threats Edward II decided to lead an army into Scotland