Few battles resonate through British history as strongly as Bannockburn. On June 24, 1314, the Scots under the leadership of Robert the Bruce unexpectedly trounced the English, leaving thousands dead or wounded. The victory was one of Scotland's greatest, the more so because the Scottish army was outnumbered by about three to one. The loss to the English, fighting under Edward II, was staggering.

In this groundbreaking account of Bannockburn, David Cornell sets the iconic battle in political and military context and focuses new attention on the roles of Robert and Edward in the events leading to the buildup of their armies. The author brings the two-day battle to life and reassesses both the crucial melee fought on the second day and the casualties suffered by the English. Filled with colorful detail and fresh insights, the book throws new light on the battle itself, the character of the English defeat, the effect of that defeat on the course of the Anglo-Scottish wars, and the powerful impact of the battle's legacy on English and Scottish national identity.