#Robert the Bruce

[medievalandfantasymelee]

Yesterday was Father's day. And I was a bit busy. So belatedly, I'd like to wish a Happy Father's Day to the wonderful DILFs of our tournament! They're not all good men (hell they're not all good fathers) but they are all HOT.

[illustratus]

Encounter between Robert the Bruce and Sir Henry de Bohun

by John Ambrose de Walton

Illustration from 'British Battles on Land and Sea' by Sir Evelyn Wood first published 1915

[scotianostra]

On June 19th 1306 the army of Robert the Bruce suffers a defeat at the hands of the English at the Battle of Methven, west of Perth.

In late February 1306 word had reached King Edward I in London, that the Bruce had murdered John Comyn, the English King was ill at the time so he dispatched his cousin Aymer de Valence North with instructions to "burn, slay and raise dragon". Valence, was also brother-in-law of the murdered John Comyn, so had a score to settle and headed north leading the vanguard of an English army.

By early June the English had seized Perth their armies numbers were swelled by supporters of the murdered Comyn. Edward was left in London and began assembling an invasion force to follow Valance when he was well enough to lead it.

The capture of Perth left Bruce with a dilemma. On the one hand he needed to take action to show he was an effective commander and it made sense to deal with the English vanguard before the entire might of the army arrived under Edward I. However, Bruce only had limited forces with which to deal with a well equipped English host. On balance he decided to fight and marched to Perth arriving outside the walls of the town on 18th June 1306.

Valence, was an experienced soldier who had fought with Edward I in his continental campaigns and in Scotland. The size of the army at his disposal is disputed with the various sources contradicting each other as to whether it was larger or smaller than the Scottish force. The configuration of the English army is also unknown although it seems likely it consisted on a significant number of mounted troops.

The Scottish forces were under the direct command of Robert the Bruce and are generally said to have numbered around 4,500 strong although this figure is probably over-inflated. Bruce's deputy at Methven was Christopher Seton with other notable commanders including Gilbert Hay and James Douglas, so his army would have had good chance if they had met in open combat.

Late afternoon on 18 June 1306 Bruce's force approached Perth. Envoys were sent forward to request the English march out of the town and fight a pitched battle. Valence refused to accept the challenge on the grounds it was too late in the day for a battle to be begin. The size of the two forces may also have been a factor in his decision, leading me to think the Scots might have outnumbered the English.

Either way Bruce believed that no battle would be fought that day and withdrew his forces five miles west towards Methven. That site was chosen due the proximity of a small brook and a woodland enabling the Scots to forage for supplies. They then settled down for the night pitching their billets across the area. There seems to have been little thought given to deploying sentries or sending scouts forward to keep an eye on the English.

Valence had no intention of agreeing to an orderly pitched battle. As far as he was concerned, he was not only dealing with rebels but ones that had murdered a relative on holy ground. Before dawn in the wee sma' hours he led his men out of Perth and proceeded west along the road to Crieff. Little is known about the sequence of the battle but, whenever the Scots became aware of the English advance, it was too late. The English assault would have been spearheaded by the heavily armoured, mounted Knights that stormed into the unprepared Scottish camp. With no time to muster a defensive formation, the dispersed Scottish infantry had no chance and were cut to pieces.

The Scottish forces fled the battlefield but were cut down and casualties may have numbered in the thousands. Some form of rearguard action must have been fought because Bruce and his key supporters, along with 500 troops, managed to disengage and retreat west towards Crieff.

Bruce fled the battlefield and in the days that followed at Dalrigh was ambushed by about a thousand men led by John MacDougall of Lorne, kinsmen of the murdered Red Comyn. I will pick up the story then, but, as we know now The Bruce escaped.

A simple stone marks the site of the Battle of Methven.

[vintagepromotions]

Chivas Regal Scotch whisky advertisement featuring an illustration of Robert the Bruce (1960).

[e-von-dahl]

You know how people write bojere crack fics inspired by the 9/11 fic, but about events in the own countries history? Well I was thinking about events in scottish history and what ones could potentially make a terrible romantic tragedy.

I thought about writing one where Jere is William Wallace and Bojan is Robert the Bruce, but then I thought “wait, is that technically also William Wallace x Robert the Bruce fanfiction?”

Then I came to the awful realisation that that probably already exists somewhere in the depths of the internet. I don’t want to look it up but I know it’s out there.

[simply-ellas-stuff]

I think my favorite thing about Outlaw / King is that Elizabeth de Burgh falls in love with Robert the Bruce via her love of his daughter Marjorie.

Elizabeth bonds with and falls into adoration of Majorie long before she leans into any feeling for Robert.

And I adore that.

[virtualscotland]

An early morning walk around the historic Dumfries town centre in the south of Scotland - what a lovely and underrated place to visit! We weren't there for very long but are looking forward to going back during the summer - lovely walk along the river! 😀 Hope you enjoy!

[jason-1971]

[nahokura]

I REFUSE to believe that Angus MacFadyen is turning 61.

HE DOESN'T EVEN LOOK 50.

[medievalandfantasymelee]

THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE

FIRST ROUND: 19th Tilt

Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Ivanhoe (1997) VS. Robert the Bruce, Outlaw King (2018)

Propaganda

Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Ivanhoe (1997) Portrayed by: Ciaran Hinds Defeated Opponents: - Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert [Sam Neill], Ivanhoe (1982)

“A) I would argue that Bois-Guilbert is THE original Hot (Medieval) Villain of modern literature. He is spiritually conflicted, agnostic, rude, sometimes cruel, and unexpectedly generous to/devastated by the hot, principled woman he can't have. The narrative treats them as mirrors and foils and I'm permanently not over it. B) of all, this adaptation really plays up his spiritual angst and Ciarán Hinds' smolder is unmatched. He tells Rebecca that he has money to buy her books and... hng. Also: the cheekbones”

Robert the Bruce, Outlaw King (2018) Portrayed by: Chris Pine Defeated Opponents: - King Edward I [Stephen Dillane], Outlaw King (2018)

“Easily Chris Pine’s career performance imo. It’s impossible not to admire his Robert the Bruce. Loving father. Adorably respectful husband. Do I even need to mention the glorious scenes? Lover. Fighter. King of the Scots!!!”

Additional Propaganda Under the Cut

Additional Propaganda

For Sir Brain de Bois-Guilbert:

For Robert the Bruce:

[hagarsays]

Chris Pine is causing chaos right now like damn🫣

[illustratus]

[scotianostra]

Bruce and de Bohun, were fightin’ for the croon,/ Bruce taen his battle-axe and knocked de Bohun doon.

An old Scottish rhyme handed down through the centuries, it's origins were from the first bit of action recorded at The Battle of Bannockburn on 23rd June 1314. In the 1930′s Wishaw firm, Battleaxe confectionery marked this by putting this verse on the wrappers of their Battle-axe toffee, I love the patriotism of firms like this.

The rhyme tells of the Bruce dispatching of the 22 year old English Knight Sir Henry de Bhun had given the Scottish troops a massive morale boost.

On the first day two English cavalry formations advanced towards the Scots who were positioned beyond the Bannock Burn. As they crossed the stream, the English formations encountered a body of Scots, among them Robert the Bruce himself, the most notable knights in these type of situations were recognisable by their attire, our King would have stood out among those around him with the Lion Rampant in red with the rest or tabard being a bright yellow, as seen in the pics.

As soon as the English sighted the Scots without warning, Henry de Bohun, the nephew of the Earl of Hereford, raised his lance and charged at the unsuspecting Bruce. Bruce turned to face him and, at the last moment as the two passed side by side, he swiftly pulled his pony aside, dodged the lance and split Bohun's head wide open with his battle axe. The effect of seeing the English knight fall dead at the feet of their King raised the Scots’ morale incredibly. The Scots then rushed upon the remaining English who struggled back over the Bannock Burn.

After being chided by his generals for risking his life in single combat, King Robert’s only regret was that he had broken the haft of his good axe in the duel.

If de Bohun had killed or captured Bruce, he would have become a chivalric hero. So, spurring his warhorse to the charge, he lowered his lance and bared down on the king. Bruce, an experienced warrior, didn't panic, but mounted "ane palfray, litil and joly" and met the charge. Dodging the lance, he brought his battle axe down on de Bohun's helmet, striking him dead. Elated, the Scots forced the English cavalry to withdraw.

Two of Edward's experienced commanders, Sir Henry Beaumont and Sir Robert Clifford, attempted to outflank the Scots and cut off their escape route – very nearly surprising the Scots. At the last moment, however, Thomas Randolph's schiltrom dashed out of the wood and caught the English cavalry by surprise.

A ferocious melee ensued. Without archers the cavalry found they were unable to get through the dense thicket of Scots spearmen, even resorting to throwing their swords and maces at them, until the Scots pushed them back and forced them into flight.

The Scots had won the first day. Their morale was high and Bruce's new tactic of using the schiltroms offensively rather than statically, as Wallace had used them at Falkirk, appeared to be working. Yet Bruce must have been contemplating a strategic withdrawal before the set piece battle that would inevitably follow in the morning.

For the English the setbacks of the first day were disappointing. Fearing Bruce might mount a night attack, they encamped in the Carse of Balquhiderock. The following day they still hoped to draw Bruce into a full-scale, set-piece battle where their decisive Welsh longbowmen could be brought to bear rather than let Bruce return to guerrilla warfare.

At this critical moment, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scots noble in the English army, defected to Bruce bringing him vital intelligence of Edward's army: its confined position and the low morale within the English camp. Bruce decided to risk all in the morning and face Edward in open battle.

At dawn the Scots ate their breakfast and advanced out of the wood to face the enemy. Medieval battles were seen as the judgement of God; it was important to have the saints on your side, and so, in the midst of the Scots schiltroms, Abbot Bernard of Arbroath carried their ancient lucky talisman, the Breccbennach (or Monymusk Relquary), which held the relics of St Columba.

Bruce himself made a speech invoking the power of St Andrew, John the Baptist and Thomas Beckett. Then, according to the chronicler Walter Bower: "At these words, the hammered horns resounded, and the standards of war were spread out in the golden dawn."

Abbot Maurice of Inchaffrey walked out in front of the army, led mass and blessed the Scots as they knelt in prayer. On seeing this, Edward II is reputed to have said: "Yon folk are kneeling to ask mercy." Sir Ingram de Umfraville, a Balliol supporter fighting for Edward, is said to have replied: "They ask for mercy, but not from you. They ask God for mercy for their sins. I'll tell you something for a fact, that yon men will win all or die. None will flee for fear of death." "So be it", retorted Edward.

An archery duel followed, but the Scots schiltrom rapidly took the offensive in order to avoid its inevitable outcome. Edward Bruce's schiltrom advanced on the English vanguard, felling the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, while Randolph's schiltrom closed up on their left.

The English knights now found themselves hemmed in between the Scots schiltroms and the mass of their own army and could bring few of their archers to bear. Some broke out on the Scots flank and rained arrows into the Scots ranks, but they were quickly dispersed by Sir Robert Keith's Scots cavalry; the rest were badly deployed, their arrows falling into the backs of their own army.

In the centre of the field there was ferocious hand to hand combat between knights and spearmen as the battle hung in the balance. At this crucial point Bruce committed his own schiltrom, which included the Gaelic warriors of the Highlands and Islands. Under their fresh onslaught, the English began to give ground. The cry "On them! On them! They fail!", arose as the English were driven back into the burn.

The battle's momentum was obvious. A reluctant Edward II was escorted away. As his royal standard departed, panic set in. The Scots schiltroms hacked their way into the disintegrating English army. Those fleeing caused chaos in the massed infantry behind them. In the rout that followed hundreds of men and horses were drowned in the burn desperately trying to escape.

The battle was over. English casualties were heavy: thousands of infantry, a 100 knights and one earl lay dead on the field. Some escaped the confusion: the Earl of Pembroke and his Welsh infantry made it safely to Carlisle, but many more, including many knights and the Earl of Hereford, were captured as they fled through the south of Scotland. Edward II with 500 knights was pursued by Sir James "the Black" Douglas until they reached Dunbar and the safety of a ship home.

The capture of Edward would have meant instant English recognition of the Scots demands. As it was, they could absorb such a defeat and continue the war. For the Scots it was a resounding victory. Bruce was left in total military control of Scotland, enabling him to transfer his campaign to the north of England.

Politically he had won Scotland's defacto independence and consolidated his kingship – as former supporters of Balliol quickly changed sides. In exchange for Bruce's noble captives Edward was forced to release Bruce's wife, daughter and the formidable Bishop Wishart, who had been held in English captivity since 1306. For the Scots soldiers there was the wealth of booty left in the English baggage train and the exhilaration of victory.

Now's the day, and now's the hour;

See the front o' battle lour;

Today a different Army of Scots are making knew alliences in Germany at The Euros, let's hope and pray the National Football team show just a wee bit of the Spirit of Scotland and beat the Hungarias so we can celebrate and hopefully move forward into the next round for the first time ever.