Military history

ORDERS OF BATTLE

THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN, 23–24 JUNE 1314

THE ENGLISH ARMY

Commander-in-Chief – King Edward II

The Fore-Battle or Vanguard

Commanded jointly by Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, and Humphrey de Bohun, Constable of England and Earl of Hereford.

Cavalry

600 Armoured Cavalry

250 Welsh mounted Troops (ie Hobelars) commanded by Sir Henry de Bohun.

Infantry

1,500 Longbowmen

150 Crossbowmen

1,500 Spearmen

The Main-Battle or Centre

Commanded by King Edward II

Cavalry

200 knights and men-at-arms riding ahead of the army as an advance guard under the Earl of Pembroke.

300 Cavalry commanded by Sir Robert Clifford

300 Cavalry of the King’s Household, commanded by the seneschal, Sir Edmund Mauley

Infantry

2,500 Longbowmen

150 Crossbowmen

2,500 Spearmen

The Rear-Battle or Rearguard

Cavalry

600 Cavalry

Infantry

1,500 Longbowmen

150 Crossbowmen

1,500 Spearmen/Pikemen

Total: 2,000 Heavy Cavalry, 250 Light Cavalry 11,450 Infantry (Longbowmen, Crossbowmen, Spearmen)

THE SCOTTISH ARMY (23/6/1314)

Commander-in-Chief – King Robert I

The Rear-Battle or Rearguard (the Centre Division on 24 June)

Commanded by King Robert I.

4 sub-divisions totalling 2,400 pikemen

The Main-Battle or Centre (the Right Wing on 24 June)

Commanded by Edward Bruce, Earl of Carrick.

3 sub-divisions totalling 1,800 pikemen

The Fore-Battle or Vanguard (the left wing on 24 June)

Commanded by Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray.

3 sub-divisions of pikemen totalling 1,800 pikemen

Light Cavalry

Commanded by James Douglas and Sir Robert Keith, Marshal of Scotland

350 Hobelars who fought as infantry

Archers

1,500 Archers.

Total: 7,500 Infantry, 350 light cavalry.

Note: I have calculated the numbers of the Scottish army from the minimum number of men that would be needed to cover half a mile of front, allowing each a frontage of 30 inches and standing in ranks six deep. There may have been many more Scots, perhaps as many as 10,000 men. I have divided the infantry into battalions or sub-divisions of ‘schiltrons’ of 600 men, although there is no concrete evidence for this organisation.

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