Robert the Bruce, The Rebel King Part III — The Return of the Bruce.In Case you missed:Part I&

Robert the Bruce, The Rebel King Part III — The Return of the Bruce.In Case you missed:Part I— http://www.peashooter85.com/post/88330216847/robert-the-bruce-the-rebel-king-part-i-thePart II — http://www.peashooter85.com/post/89114262752/robert-the-bruce-the-rebel-king-part-ii-theWith his army destroyed, and his status reduced to that of a mere outlaw, Robert the Bruce was forced to hide in forests and caves until eventually, he fled Scotland altogether.  Many believed that the defeated king would never return.  The Bruce, however, had big plans for the future of Scotland.  According to legend while seeking refuge in a cave, the Bruce watched as a spider attempted in vain to spin a thread across a seemingly impossible distance.  "What a fool", the Bruce thought, “why should he bother anymore?”.  But as the Bruce watched, the spider eventually succeeded.  Inspired by the small act from one of his smallest subjects, the Bruce vowed to persevere.  However he needed a change in strategy.In the spring of 1307 Robert the Bruce returned to Scotland with a small 500 man army.  Rather than battle muzzle to muzzle against the English, the Bruce planned to fight a war of surprise attacks and hit and run tactics.  One weakness of the English was their heavy use of cavalry, which the English used to move quickly across the Scottish lowlands.  The Bruce decided to fight where the English cavalry could not, in the forests, in the highlands, and on the hills.  He also made his army primarily of pikemen, who were the terror of mounted cavalry. This played off the Scots major advantage, as they had a reputation as being the best pikemen in Europe, while exploiting the English’s main weakness.In March of 1307, the Bruce attempted to ambush the army of his old nemesis Aymar de Valance at Glen Trol on the eastern shores of Catteringshaws Loch.  The Bruce chose his approach wisely, attacking from the high ground while simultaneously cutting off any avenue for an English retreat.  The Scottish assault took the English by surprise, but they were able to drive off the Scots.  Despite this, the English suffered terrible casualties while the Scots, who left in an orderly retreat, suffered light loses.Two months later the Bruce confronted Valance again.  This time he provoked the English to attack while his army was posted on the slopes of a heavily fortified hill.  Surrounding the hill was a large, very thick bog with a number of passes on which cavalry could travel.  The Bruce ordered large trenches dug into the passes as well as barricades erected. Only one pass was left open, a very narrow pass up the hill surrounded by thick bushes and scrub.  The English boldly charged through the pass, but the large 3,000 man army was slowed and confined by the narrow pass.  With this strategy, the Bruce was able to negate Valance’s superior numbers, forcing the large army into a chokepoint. As the English charged up hill, their horses tired and slowed to a trot, where they were immediately and mercilessly impaled on Scottish pikes. Those who turned back and attempted to retreat found they had no where to go, and were pushed forward to be skewered by the Scottish pikemen.  Many infantry and dismounted cavalry were trampled to death as the tightly compacted army was reduced into a panicked mob. In a short and bloody battle, the Bruce’s 500 man army annihilated Valance’s 3,000 man army.The Battle of Loudon Hill was the Bruce’s first major victory, and won him the support of many Scots.  Over time his army grew more and more, as he raided and destroyed English garrisons as well as his Scottish enemies; the supporters of the late John Comyn.  Then in late 1307, just as Robert the Bruce was hitting his stride, the king fell deathly ill.  First, he suffered a severe fever which weakened him to the point that he was bedridden.  Eventually he slipped into a coma, growing weaker and closer to death as time passed by.  When the Bruce awakened, his condition only worsened as he lived in a catatonic state, becoming almost completely unresponsive while staring blankly at nothing and drooling uncontrollably.  Many thought the Bruce would die over the winter, and with no heir to inherit the throne, it seemed like the Scottish bid for independence would end quickly.To be Continued… -- source link

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