After victory at Stirling Bridge, William Wallace's army was defeated by King Edward I's larger force at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. The English cavalry flanked the Scottish army, driving off the Scottish cavalry and leaving the infantry formations vulnerable to attacks by English longbowmen. Many Scottish soldiers were killed or fled as a result. After the battle, Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland and went into exile, while the English monarch strengthened his control over Scotland in the following years until Wallace was captured and executed in 1305.

2. LEARNING INTENTIONS
• Describe events at the Battle of Falkirk
• Explain why the Scots lost the battle
• Describe events after the Battle of Falkirk

3. After victory at Stirling Bridge, Wallace set about securing
Scotland’s independence, including attacking England. King
Edward was angered by this and led a huge army north.

4. Falkirk was not planned by
Wallace in the way that Stirling
Bridge had been.
Edward did not know where
Wallace was when he marched
north and he had almost given
up looking for him. However he
was informed by two Scottish
nobles where to find Wallace
(just north of Falkirk).

5. Wallace’s plan had been to wait
until the English army headed
towards Edinburgh to get
more supplies.
Wallace hoped to attack small
groups of English soldiers,
including their rearguard. He
was surprised by Edward’s
decision to attack in July 1298.

6. The English army at Falkirk
was very different from
Stirling Bridge.
It was led by their king,
Edward, a very experienced
military leader. It was also
much larger – up to 2000
cavalry and also up to 12,000
soldiers (many with longbows).

7. The Scottish army was also
stronger than at Stirling
Bridge, although not as large as
Wallace had hoped.
There were around 6000
soldiers (organised into piked
schiltrons of 2000) and also
600 knights on horseback too.
They also had some longbow
archers too.

8. The Scots army was positioned behind a boggy marsh, which
Wallace hoped would stop a frontal attack from the English.

9. The English cavalry attacked the
Scots’ two flanks, allowing
them to avoid the boggy area.
The strength of the English
attack drove the Scots cavalry
from the battlefield.
Scotland’s schiltrons were now
undefended and at the mercy
of English archer attacks.

10. After the English archers
attacked, their foot soldiers did
the same, with the Scots either
being killed or fleeing (heading
towards the Callendar Wood).
Wallace and his commanders
also fled, burning Stirling Town
as did so, to try to stop it falling
into English hands. They found
safety in the Tor Wood.

11. There were many reasons for
the Scots’ defeat:
• Some claim the cavalry was
to blame, although most
accounts suggest they fought
bravely against a bigger army
• The timing was said to be a
problem; many believe the
Scots should have waitedDepiction of English cavalry, during the 100
Years War with France (1337-1453)

12. • The location also hurt the
Scots. It meant the English
did not attack from the front
(which was the Scots’ best
defence) and that the
schiltrons could not move.
• The use of schiltrons was a
problem because they were
not mobile enough, so could
not attack the English

13. Wallace was also blamed for
defeat, with many saying his lack
of military experience meant the
Scots had poor tactics.
Shortly after the battle, Wallace
resigned his Guardianship of
Scotland. Two of the replacement
Guardians were John Comyn
and Robert the Bruce.

14. In the years after Falkirk, the
Scots found other ways to
oppose English rule.
In 1299, some Scots travelled
to Rome to win the Pope’s
support on issues such as
Edward’s treatment and also
the fate of John Balliol. King
John was eventually released
into the Pope’s custody.

15. The Scots also took part in
military action against the
English, including attacking
their garrisons and forts.
The Scots also won back
control of much of the north
of Scotland, and created fear
amongst English occupiers
across the country.

16. Edward fought back, including
attending sieges at places such
as Caerlaverock Castle,
attacked using siege engines
(a trebuchet).
The Scots lost the support of the
French (1303) after they agreed
a treaty with England and the
Pope (1302) who blamed
Scottish bishops for the wars.

17. Edward’s final invasion in 1303-
1304 saw him take control of
castles and towns across the
country, including Stirling
(attacked using the Warwolf
trebuchet).
Edward offered amnesty to
various Scottish leaders, allowing
them to keep their lands and also
promised to respect Scottish laws.

18. After 1297, little is known of
Wallace. It is suggested he
travelled to France and
Rome to try to win support
for Scotland’s case.
He returned to Scotland in
1303 but was hunted by the
English. Unlike other
Scottish leaders, he was not
offered amnesty.

19. In August 1305, Wallace was
betrayed by Sir John Menteith. He
was captured and taken to London
for trial.
Wallace was found guilty of
treason and hanged, drawn and
quartered on the same day.
Parts of his body were sent to
different towns and his head placed
on a stick on London Bridge.