Stirling Castle is known as 'the Key to Scotland' this may be the most important and strategic castle in Scotland. It is situated in the link between the north and the south. Over the years the castle has fallen into the hands of many people, both Scottish and English. In 1174, William the Lion signed the treaty of Falaise which allowed key Scottish castles to be taken over by the English. During the period 1296 and 1304, the castle was captured by the Scottish and the English several times until Edward I finally took control of it to last for ten years. After the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 the Scots reclaimed the castle, but in 1333 the English took it back again. More to come ...
William Wallace and Andrew De Moray leaders of the Scottish revolt in the South and North joined forces and defeated the English army led by Surrey at Stirling. The Scots caught the English forces as they crossed a bridge across the Forth.1
Stirling castle was still under the control of English forces but was under siege from the Scots led by Edward Bruce. Bruce and the English commander, Sir Philippe de Mowbray, came to an agreement that if English forces had not reached the castle by midsummer 1314, Mowbray would surrender the castle to the Scots. Bruce even let Mowbray leave the castle to inform the English king of the agreement.3
Edward II and his army left Berwick to march to Stirling Castle which they had to reach before midsummer's day if the castle were to be saved from falling back into the hands of the Scots.3
Forces led by Edward II were defeated by Robert I at Bannockburn. Edward was trying to reach Stirling Castle to relieve the English forces there. This was an important battle for the Scots to win and helped them to make some gains of land in northern England even if the success was short-lived.
Thousands of Scots gathered near the town of Musselburgh, just to the east of Edinbugh. They faced an English army led by the Duke of Somerset. The Scots had a good position on the battle field but wasted it when they attacked. The Scots were heavily defeated. The defeat at Pinkie Cleugh was a threat to Queen Mary and so she was secretly moved from Stirling Castle to the Augustinian Inchmahome Priory located on an island on lake Menteith.4
1. J.D. Mackie,A History of Scotland,1978 2. Susan Ross,The Castles of Scotland, 3. Caroline Bingham,The Life and Times of Edward II, 4. Antonia Fraser,Mary Queen of Scots,
StumbleUpon