Latest / The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History / The Wars of Independence: Scotland's Guardians After Wallace
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked about William Wallace, about the Declaration of Arbroath, about Bannockburn. But there's this stretch between Wallace's execution in 1305 and the battle that's often glossed over — and it's maybe the most precarious period for Scotland's cause. Luna: You mean after Wallace was dead and Edward thought he'd finally crushed the rebellion? Lucas: Exactly. Edward I had conquered Scotland. He'd removed the Stone of Destiny, taken the crown, installed English administrators. Most Scots nobles had sworn fealty to him — including Robert the Bruce, by the way. But there was this simmering resistance, and it centred on two men: Robert the Bruce and John Comyn. Lucas: Both had claims to the throne. Comyn was the more powerful — his family controlled huge swaths of the north and had ties to the Balliol line. Bruce was the Earl of Carrick, with lands in the southwest. And they were rivals. But they also both served as Guardians of Scotland at different points. Luna: Wait — they were co-guardians at some point? Lucas: Not exactly together. After Wallace resigned as Guardian in 1298, the leadership passed to a series of men — mostly Comyn and Bruce's grandfather, also Robert Bruce. But by 1304, with Scotland under English occupation, the two families were locked in a bitter power struggle. And it came to a head in February 1306. Lucas: And before we get into that, if today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's what keeps us going, no ads, no sponsors, just the history we want to talk about. Luna: Yeah, absolutely. And it's a small way to say this kind of deep dive matters. Lucas: Alright. So February 1306. Bruce and Comyn meet at Greyfriars Church in Dumfries. The story goes they argued; Bruce accused Comyn of betraying their plan to rise against Edward. And in a flash of anger — or maybe it was premeditated — Bruce stabbed Comyn at the high altar. Luna: In a church. That's a huge deal. Lucas: Huge. It was sacrilege. Bruce was excommunicated by the Pope. Suddenly he was a hunted man — not just by the English, but by the Church. But he had no choice. He rode straight to Scone and had himself crowned King of Scots just six weeks later. The ceremony was rushed; the countess of Buchan, who had the right to place the crown, was forced or persuaded to attend. They didn't even have a crown — they used a thin gold circlet. Luna: So it's a coronation under duress, with a makeshift crown. Lucas: Exactly. And Edward's response was swift. He sent a massive army north under Aymer de Valence. Bruce was defeated at the Battle of Methven in June 1306. He barely escaped with his life — his wife, daughter, and sisters were captured and imprisoned. His brother Niall was executed. Bruce became a fugitive, hiding in the Hebrides and Ireland. Luna: That's the famous 'Bruce in the cave' story, with the spider? Lucas: That's the legend — the spider that kept trying to spin its web, inspiring Bruce to try again. But the real story is more about guerrilla warfare. In early 1307, Bruce returned to the Scottish mainland with a small force. He landed at Turnberry in Carrick, his own earldom. And he started a campaign of hit and run attacks, targeting English garrisons and supply lines. Lucas: He avoided pitched battles. He'd strike at castles and then melt into the hills. His base was often in the wilds of Galloway or the Highlands. He had support from some of the lesser nobles and the church — especially Bishop William Lamberton of St Andrews, who'd been a close ally of Wallace. Luna: And the church was key, because even though Bruce was excommunicated, the Scottish clergy saw him as their best hope. Lucas: That's right. In fact, in 1309 and 1310, the Scottish clergy issued what's called the Declaration of the Clergy — a series of statements asserting that Scotland was an ancient, independent kingdom, and that the Scots had the right to choose their own king. It's a direct precursor to the Declaration of Arbroath. They argued that Bruce was their rightful king, excommunication or no. Luna: So they're basically saying 'Rome doesn't get to decide who rules us'. Lucas: Exactly. And it worked. By 1308, Bruce had defeated his main Scottish rivals — the Comyns and their allies — in a series of campaigns. He took key castles like Kildrummy and Aberdeen. He slowly gained control of the north. By 1313, he'd recaptured most of Scotland except Stirling Castle. And that set the stage for Bannockburn. Luna: But it's incredible that he went from a fugitive in 1306 to winning a decisive battle eight years later. Lucas: It's a remarkable turnaround. And it wasn't just military. Bruce was also a master of propaganda. He had his own chroniclers write his version of events — the 'Bruce' narrative that portrayed him as the rightful king restoring order. He also made sure to get his coronation recognized by the Scottish parliament. By the time Edward II marched north in 1314, Bruce had built a unified kingdom — or at least as unified as Scotland ever got. Luna: And the church, despite the excommunication, supported him all the way. Lucas: Yes. The excommunication was a problem, but it was a political tool for the Pope. The Scottish bishops essentially ignored it. In 1310, they even wrote to the Pope defending Bruce. It's a fascinating moment — the Scottish church putting national sovereignty above papal authority. That tension would echo for centuries. Luna: So after Wallace, the real architect of independence was Bruce — but it almost didn't happen. Lucas: Exactly. And it's important to remember that Bruce wasn't a flawless hero. He killed a rival in a church, he switched sides early in the wars, he executed prisoners. But he was also pragmatic, resilient, and politically astute. His legacy is that Scotland remained an independent kingdom for another 400 years after his death. And that's a pretty big thing.