<P> The movement of English forces along the Anglo - Scottish border did not go unnoticed . In response, King John Balliol summoned all able - bodied Scotsmen to bear arms and gather at Caddonlee by 11 March . Several Scottish nobles chose to ignore the summons, including Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, whose Carrick estates had been seized by John Balliol and reassigned to John' The Red' Comyn . Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick had become Earl of Carrick at the resignation of his father earlier that year . </P> <P> The First War of Scottish Independence can be loosely divided into four phases: the initial English invasion and success in 1296; the campaigns led by William Wallace, Andrew de Moray and various Scottish Guardians from 1297 until John Comyn negotiated for the general Scottish submission in February 1304; the renewed campaigns led by Robert the Bruce following his killing of The Red Comyn in Dumfries in 1306 to his and the Scottish victory at Bannockburn in 1314; and a final phase of Scottish diplomatic initiatives and military campaigns in Scotland, Ireland and Northern England from 1314 until the Treaty of Edinburgh - Northampton in 1328 . </P> <P> The war began in earnest with Edward I's brutal sacking of Berwick in March 1296, followed by the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Dunbar and the abdication of John Balliol in July . The English invasion campaign had subdued most of the country by August and, after removing the Stone of Destiny from Scone Abbey and transporting it to Westminster Abbey, Edward convened a parliament at Berwick, where the Scottish nobles paid homage to him as King of England . Scotland had been all but conquered . </P> <P> The revolts which broke out in early 1297, led by William Wallace, Andrew de Moray and other Scottish nobles, forced Edward to send more forces to deal with the Scots, and although they managed to force the nobles to capitulate at Irvine, Wallace and de Moray's continuing campaigns eventually led to the first key Scottish victory, at Stirling Bridge . Moray was fatally wounded in the fighting at Stirling, and died soon after the battle . This was followed by Scottish raids into northern England and the appointment of Wallace as Guardian of Scotland in March 1298 . But in July, Edward invaded again, intending to crush Wallace and his followers, and defeated the Scots at Falkirk . Edward failed to subdue Scotland completely before returning to England . </P>

Who was the king of england just before the war for independence began