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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 930
EAN num: 9781841765105
ISBN number: 1841765104
Label: Osprey Publishing
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 96
Printing Date: February 19, 2003
Publishing house: Osprey Publishing
Release Date: February 19, 2003
Sale Popularity Level: 311298
Studio: Osprey Publishing
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The death of the last of the Scottish royal house of Canmore in 1290 triggered a succession crisis. Attempts to undermine Scottish independence by King Edward I of England sparked open rebellion culminating in an English defeat at the hands of William Wallace at Stirling Bridge in 1297. Edward gathered an army, marched north and at Falkirk on 22 July 1298 he brought Wallace’s army to battle. Amid accusations of treachery, Wallace’s spearmen were slaughtered by Edward’s longbowmen, then charged by the English cavalry and almost annihilated. In 1305 Wallace was captured and executed, but the flame of rebellion he had ignited could not be extinguished.
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Rated by buyers -
My preconceived notions about this conflict I picked up from the movie,"Braveheart",have to be somewhat revised after reading this book.Mainly the equipment aspect,seeing that William Wallace would have probably worn a full suit of the latest European style armour imported from the "land of the Franks".The tartans he wears in Braveheart give Mel more the folksy hero look I'll admit,but in actual combat who's looking to be a "folkhero".Wallaces' army from my read of this pamphlet style book,was alot more organized and while there were some"Bezerkers" in his ranks alot more of them would have been equipped European style aping their French sympathies.Rather than a bunch of outraged natives defending their turf,Wallace's army appears organized and capable of pulling off a well executed trap and getting there"firstist with the mostest",beforwe the English could fully deploy their forces.Excellent maps and overhead views.Great artwork as always with Wallace in full armour rather than bluish and kilted.
King Edward the First was tied up in continental politics at the time of Stirling Bridge and so the English command at the battle was left to a subordinate,who bungled the affair.In the second part of this Osprey book,the Battle of Falkirk,Edward(Longshanks)the First was present and what a difference as the Scots were defeated.This makes the 4th book on the Scottish/English wars I've read in the Osprey series and there are even a few more I haven't yet read.I'd hoped to see and understand the origin of this conflict but I've concluded it's probably prehistoric when pre-Picts said they were tired of being bossed by ancestors of McRiley's,(something like that)!
Rated by buyers -
This Osprey title examines two of William Wallace's most climatic battles, both of which are portrayed (entertainingly but inaccurately) in the movie Braveheart. It does service to the most heroic battles in the history, and indeed the mythology, of Scotland.
Of the several campaign titles I have read, I found this one to be the most interesting and appealingly presented. In the usual format it begins by summarizing the events that led to Stirling Bridge-starting with the scandalous yet accidental demise of King Alexander III of Scotland in 1286, and the subsequent efforts by Edward I ('Longshanks') of England to subdue the Scots. It then gives a summarized chronology, and then goes on to profile the commanders on both sides, including the ruthless King Edward, the mediocre John de Warenne, the obese and oppressive Hugh Cressingham, and the infamous William Wallace and his compatriot Andrew de Moray (who is, like many of these people, completely left out in Braveheart).
The armies are subsequent detailed. They were surprisingly similar in composition-and the Scots were mail clad halberdiers and pikemen, rather than painted warriors wearing kilts and not much else (the three plates by Angus McBride excellently illustrate the soldiery of both sides-and makes Wallace into the knight he was likely armed as). The events leading up to the battles, and the battles themselves are discussed in clear detail, and the history of Scotland 1298-1314 is summed up as a conclusion.
Altogether, it is an excellent source on these two great battles in Scottish history, and the brilliant (and indeed freedom-loving and arrogant) warlord who led them.
Rated by buyers -
The Osprey Campaign account of the two major battles of William Wallace's rebellion has a solid, authoritative feel to it. Pete Armstrong's text is not particularly elegant and would have benefited from stricter editing, but he more than makes up for this with a thorough knowledge of his subject and an infectious enthusiasm for it.
It makes sense to combine these two battles in one volume because, together with a description of the background and linking events, they constitute an account of Wallace's entire campaign. Little is known about the man himself, so justice can be done to him in a relatively short book like this.
The maps, 2D and 3D, are informative and attractive. The illustrations of battle scenes are excellent, giving a real sense of how things must have looked, minus the mud and blood and guts, of course. The various sketches of seals and coats of arms will be rather too much for most general readers, but those depicting arms and armour should be of interest to everyone.
The Wallace episode is an important and absorbing one in the ancient conflict between English and Scot, rivals as only neighbors can be. It has accreted plenty of mythic elements also, which books like this may help to dispel.
Rated by buyers -
I know that many people like the Hollywood movie "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson, and have "learnt history" from that inacurrate, fantasy film. But if you want the real story about William Wallace's war against Edward II, take your time and read this superb, new volume from Osprey, written by the respected historian David Nicolle. Here we're introduced to Wallace the armoured knight, leading his disciplined mailclad scottish pikemen, not the longhaired and kilt-dressed savage in head of his pictish hordes as inacurratly portrayed by Hollywood. Perhaps equally important for the victory at Stirling bridge was also Andrew Murray. So enjoy this fascinating peice of history, and laugh subsequent time you watch "Braveheart"!
Rated by buyers 
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Amateur historian Pete Armstrong provides a good summary of William Wallace's famous rebellion against English rule in Scotland during 1297-1298. The two principle battles of this rebellion were Stirling Bridge and Falkirk, the very first a Scottish victory and the second an English victory. Overall, Armstrong provides both insight and detail of this epic phase of the Scottish struggle for independence from English domination.
Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297-1298 begins with a nine-page introduction that explains how Scotland's dynastic problems led to English intervention. The sections on opposing commanders and opposing armies are decent, but perhaps not as informative as they could have been (a diagram of tactical unit dispositions might have been helpful). The maps are a bit skimpy in this volume, as there are only four 2-D maps instead of the typical 7-8; they are: Edward I's invasion in 1296, the campaign of 1297, the campaign of Falkirk and the campaigns of 1300-1307. There are also three 3-D "Birds Eye View" maps - two of Stirling Bridge and one of Falkirk. The three battle scenes by Angus McBride depict William Wallace at Stirling, the Scottish attack at Stirling and the English cavalry at Falkirk.
One aspect of this book that is particularly welcome for military historians is the attention that the author devotes to issues such as the terrain over which the battles were fought. Clearly, the restrictive terrain at Stirling Bridge contributed significantly to the English defeat on that battlefield. Similarly, the lack of suitable defensive terrain at Falkirk led to the Scottish defeat. It is also clear that both sides were plagued by logistic problems and the lack of intelligence about enemy movements.
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