Sieges of Stirling Castle: Difference between revisions
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In [[1299]] [[England|English]] constable [[John Sampson]] was [[besiege]]d by the [[Scotland|Scots]]. |
In [[1299]] [[England|English]] constable [[John Sampson]] was [[besiege]]d by the [[Scotland|Scots]]. |
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In [[1304]], [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] besieged the Scots. After the defeat of [[William Wallace]]'s Scots army at the [[Battle of Falkirk (1298)|Battle of Falkirk]] in [[1298]] it took [[Edward I of England|Edward |
In [[1304]], [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] besieged the Scots. After the defeat of [[William Wallace]]'s Scots army at the [[Battle of Falkirk (1298)|Battle of Falkirk]] in [[1298]] it took [[Edward I of England|Edward Longshanks]] 6 years to gain full control of [[Scotland]]. The last stronghold of resistance to English rule was [[Stirling Castle]]. Armed with twelve [[siege engines]] the English laid siege of the castle in April [[1304]]. For four months the castle was bombarded by lead balls (stripped from nearby church roofs), [[Greek fire]], stone balls, and even some sort of [[gunpowder]] mixture. Impatient with lack of progress, Edward ordered his chief engineer, Master [[James of St. George]], to begin work on a new, more massive engine called [[Warwolf]] - possibly a [[trebuchet]]. |
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The garrison of 30, led by [[William Oliphant]], eventually surrendered on [[July 20]] after Edward had previously refused to accept surrender until the Warwolf had been tested. |
The garrison of 30, led by [[William Oliphant]], eventually surrendered on [[July 20]] after Edward had previously refused to accept surrender until the Warwolf had been tested. |
Revision as of 18:17, 16 May 2006
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Sieges of Stirling Castle | |||||||
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Part of the Wars of Scottish Independence | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Scotland | England | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Oliphant | Edward I of England | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
30 | 12 siege engines, unknown number of troops |
There have been at least eight sieges of Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland.
In 1299 English constable John Sampson was besieged by the Scots.
In 1304, Edward I besieged the Scots. After the defeat of William Wallace's Scots army at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 it took Edward Longshanks 6 years to gain full control of Scotland. The last stronghold of resistance to English rule was Stirling Castle. Armed with twelve siege engines the English laid siege of the castle in April 1304. For four months the castle was bombarded by lead balls (stripped from nearby church roofs), Greek fire, stone balls, and even some sort of gunpowder mixture. Impatient with lack of progress, Edward ordered his chief engineer, Master James of St. George, to begin work on a new, more massive engine called Warwolf - possibly a trebuchet.
The garrison of 30, led by William Oliphant, eventually surrendered on July 20 after Edward had previously refused to accept surrender until the Warwolf had been tested.
Historians disagree on what eventually led the garrison to surrender. One explanation says Edward succeeded in filling the moat with earth and stone and prepared scaling ladders and ropes, and the garrison saw their fate and offered their surrender. Another says that Edward managed to breach a wall with a ram, which convinced the garrison to surrender. Another explanation was starvation.
Despite previous threats, Edward was comparatively lenient with the rebels. He only executed the man who had previously betrayed the castle to the Scots. William Oliphant was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
In 1337 a siege by Andrew Murray failed.
Between 1571 and 1585 the castle was besieged three times by Scots factions during the reign of James VI.
In 1651 Oliver Cromwell captured the castle during the English Civil War.
In 1746 Charles Edward Stuart besieged the castle during the final Jacobite Rising.