In describing events during the Wars of Independence, both Scottish and English chroniclers often lauded the actions of their heroes in the fight against English domination or Scottish rebellion. At the same time, these chroniclers were forced to concede that the type of war fought in Scotland and northern England was one in which violence and destruction were to the fore. Similarly, medieval knightly warriors could perceive of themselves as figures of chivalric virtue, while at the same time undertaking violent acts of spoliation and devastation in enemy territory. This dichotomy of views, in which the medieval ‘ideal’ of the soldier sat somewhat uncomfortably alongside the contemporary reality, is investigated further in chapter 5. In this section, the idealised view of warfare is temporarily disregarded in place of an investigation of the realities of fourteenth-century conduct during the Anglo-Scottish conflict. How did contemporary soldiers behave when on campaign in the countryside, when attacking an urban community, when dealing with religious institutions and when faced by their fellow combatants? What was the nature of wartime damage, and what was the rationale behind this devastation? And how did these actions compare with those of ‘the enemy’?

War in the Countryside

Hewitt has argued that ‘devastation called for neither skill nor courage nor strength. It afforded no opportunity for personal distinction. Much of it was no more than arson.’ Devastation was, however, the principal and most effective weapon of Scottish troops during the Wars of Independence. Robert I ruthlessly devastated large areas of Scotland to enforce his kingship on Balliol and Comyn supporters, before later expanding the geographical scope of such devastation to northern England and Ireland. Bruce Scots attempted to win regions back from Balliol allegiance by means of intimidation, burning the lands of those who supported the alternative regime. Bruce armies targeted Galloway in particular, and Fife to a lesser extent, as areas of Balliol support. Lothian and the Borders were attacked as areas of English control that had to be reconquered. Andrew Murray, praised by Scottish chroniclers as one of the principal war leaders of the Bruce cause, was at the forefront of these destructive attacks. Walter Bower's eulogy for the Bruce Scottish leader provides tales of Murray's fight for Scottish freedom.