The Story Behind The Battle of Bannockburn Chess Set

24th June 1314

By the summer of 1314 only Stirling Castle remained in the grip of Scotland's English overlords. It was just south of here at the Burn (or small stream) at Bannock that the Scottish army prepared for the decisive set-piece battle against the army of King Edward II of England.

The patriotic quest of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, to free his land of foreign domination reached its climax at the Battle of Bannockburn. By the summer of 1314 only one last major stronghold, Stirling Castle, remained in the grip of Scotland’s English overlords.

It was now that King Edward II of England, desperate to recover ground lost since his Fathers’ death, led a huge and seemingly irresistible army northwards. The relief of the castle offered the chance of the decisive set-piece battle the English had longed for.

Although Bruce’s army numbered significantly less than that of Edward he knew that Scotland’s dream of independence lay in the actions of himself and his redoubtable Scots warriors in the days to come.

So it was that at the Burn (or small stream) at Bannock, a little to the south of Stirling, the Scottish army prepared.

Edward II was an inadequate King and a poor strategist, as later became apparent on the battle field, whereas Bruce commanded brilliantly throughout. His tactics and the spirit of the Scottish Infantry proved more than a match for the larger but poorly led English Army. By the evening of the 24th June 1314 Edward would escape to ignominy and Robert the Bruce became a national legend.

The Battle of Bannockburn chess set captures a pivotal moment in the proud history of the land of the Scots and celebrates the spirit of freedom in peoples everywhere.

How to purchase these items

You can purchase the pieces on their own or with or without the board. The pieces are also available as plain (undecorated) or painted (decorated). Buy the pieces and board together and get a great discount. If you would like to pick your own chess board for the pieces, please order the pieces only and add to basket a chess board of your choice

The Pieces

English King

Edward II King of England (1284-1327)
A 13th child who became King as the only Prince to survive childhood, the weak-willed Monarch created outrage and turmoil throughout his reign. His poor judgement led eventually to the loss of his Queen and his crown. Deposed in 1327, imprisonment and humiliation were followed by an horrific death at the behest of Isabella

English Queen

Isabella of France Queen of England (1295-1358)
The “She-wolf of France” as she became known would end her turbulent marriage of 1308 in a cruel and ruthless fashion. Leaving England with her lover Mortimer, she returned with him at the head of a foreign army to sweep all opposition aside and install her son, Edward III as King.

English Bishop

Walter Reynolds
Walter Reynolds, Archbishop of Canterbury (d 1327) A favourite of the court of Edward II.

English Knight

Gilbert de Clare Earl of Gloucester (1291-1314)
The first great English nobleman to fall at Bannockburn, King Edward’s great supporter led an ill-fated charge against the unyielding Scottish Pikemen.

English Rook

A Tower of Old Stirling Castle Mounted upon a towering outcrop of ancient volcanic rock its lofty site overlooking the momentous battle of 1314.

English Pawn

English Archer
Their Awesome potential, already hampered by the pandemonium in the English messes before them, perished under a charge by Scottish horsemen.

Scottish King

Robert The Bruce
Robert the Bruce, King Robert I of Scotland (1247-1329) Crowned in 1306 and subsequently hounded as an outlaw, Bruce championed the resistance to English rule he had demonstrated earlier with William Wallace. Famously heartened in his darkest hour by the tenacious resolve of a spider to persist in its struggle to build a web, the hero of Scotland went on to build a nation.

Scottish Queen

Elizabeth De Burgh
Queen of Scotland (died 1327) Victory for “The Bruce” reunited the King and Queen when she and her Royal Party, captured some eight years earlier, were liberated in exchange for over one hundred knights and noblemen seized during the battle of Bannockburn.

Scottish Bishop

William Lamberton
Bishop of St Andrews (died 1328) Assisted in the coronation of Robert I.

Scottish Knight

Sir James Douglas
(c 1286-1330) Knighted on the eve of the battle, loyal “Good Sir James”, fulfilled a promise and carried the heart of his beloved Bruce on his final crusade.

Scottish Rook

A Tower of Old Sterling Castle Mounted upon a towering outcrop of ancient volcanic rock its lofty site overlooking the momentous battle of 1314.

Scottish Pawn

Scottish Pikeman
Marshalled in fearsome schiltrons, steadfast groups hundreds in number, these hardy warriors humbled the mighty English cavalry.