1. 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…

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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