Edward I in Control?

1. Leaving in September 1296 to fight France, Edward I believed that Scotland was his He was wrong: defeat of Scottish army and imprisonment of Balliol did not mean that Scots had accepted defeat Harsh treatment of Scots made them angry and eager for revenge The Nobles may have accepted defeat but others would carry on the fight…. Edward I in Control?

2. Wallace’s Revolt • Arrival of a new leader excited the people to revolt • In May 1297 Wallace killed Heselrig as revenge for the murder of his wife • This shocked the English and they were eager to catch Wallace

3. Who was William Wallace and Why was he so important? • Most famous of Scottish leaders • Not from an important noble family • Very little is known of his early life • First mention of him in 1297 when described as an “outlaw” (criminal) • Brought a fierce energy to the war • Offered leadership and new tactics at a time when Scotland needed these most

4. What he did was not unique Others were fighting back….. Andrew Murray captured English castles in Inverness & Elgin In the South West, Robert Bruce, James Stewart and Wishart led resistance All of this evidence points to an organised national campaign against the English Wallace became their leader and the focus of Scottish resistance…. Did Wallace carry on the fight alone?

5. With Sir William Douglas, Wallace launched an attack on Scone Ormsby escaped with his life but Wallace seized valuable war ‘booty’ Scots were triumphant After each attack Wallace & his men disappeared into the countryside English found it very difficult to find them Wallace’s attacks gave Scottish nobles led by James Stewart time to form an Army Wallace the guerrilla fighter

6. Edward I: The Hammer of the Scots? • A huge English army faced the Scots at Irvine • They did not fight – the Scots again agreed to obey Edward I • This was not surrender – they had negotiated for a month….. • Giving Wallace time to gather strength, recapture castles and replace English officials with Scots • Murray and his forces were sweeping the English out of the North • Wallace and his men swept them out of the South

7. Edward I’s Big Mistake • Day-to-day running of Scotland left to Hugh Cressingham, Treasurer of Scotland • Hated by the Scots for raising taxes and treating Scots harshly • August 1297 had to tell Edward “we cannot raise any money in Scotland” • Most of Edward’s officials were dead, besieged or too frightened to work • Surrey and Cressingham given the job of crushing Scottish resistance. Massive English army marched towards Stirling…