<P> Edward II of England came to the throne in 1307 but was incapable of providing the determined leadership that had been shown by his father, Edward I, and the English position soon became more difficult . Stirling Castle was one of the most important castles held by the English, as it commanded the route north into the Scottish Highlands . It was besieged in 1314 by Robert the Bruce's younger brother, Edward Bruce, and an agreement was made that if the castle was not relieved by mid-summer it would be surrendered to the Scots . The English could not ignore this challenge and military preparations were made for a substantial campaign, in which the English army probably numbered 2,000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry, many of whom would have been longbowmen . The Scottish army probably numbered between 7,000 - 10,000 men, of whom no more than 500 would have been mounted . Unlike the heavily armoured English cavalry, the Scottish cavalry would have been light horsemen who were good for skirmishing and reconnaissance but were not suitable for charging enemy lines . The Scottish infantry would have had axes, swords and pikes, with few bowmen among them . </P> <P> The precise size of the English force relative to the Scottish forces is unclear, but estimates range from as much as at least two or three times the size of the army Bruce had been able to gather, to as little as only 50% larger . </P> <P> Edward II and his advisors were aware of the places the Scots were likely to challenge them and sent orders for their troops to prepare for an enemy established in boggy ground near the River Forth, near Stirling . The English appear to have advanced in four divisions, whereas the Scots were in three divisions known as' schiltrons', which were strong defensive circles of men bristling with pikes . Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, commanded the Scottish vanguard, which was stationed about a mile south of Stirling, near the church of St. Ninian, while the king commanded the rearguard at the entrance to the New Park . His brother Edward led the third division . According to Barbour, there was a fourth division nominally under the youthful Walter the Steward, but actually under the command of Sir James Douglas . The Scottish archers used yew - stave longbows and, though these were not weaker than or inferior to English longbows, there were fewer Scottish archers than English archers, possibly numbering only 500 . These archers played little part in the battle . There is firsthand evidence in a poem by the captured Carmelite friar Robert Baston, written just after the battle, that one or both sides employed slingers and crossbowmen . </P> <P> There is some confusion over the exact site of the Battle of Bannockburn, although most modern historians agree that the traditional site, where a visitor center and statue have been erected, is not the correct one . Although a large number of possible alternatives have been proposed, most can be dismissed, leaving two serious contenders: </P>

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