Edward I led the English victory over William Wallace’s forces at the 1298 Battle of Falkirk.
The Battle of Falkirk was fought on 22 July 1298 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Edward I invaded Scotland after William Wallace and Andrew Moray’s victory over the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297. Wallace, serving as Guardian of Scotland, faced a much larger English host near Falkirk.
English longbowmen played a major role by disrupting the Scottish schiltrons, dense defensive formations of spearmen. English cavalry then attacked the weakened formations. The Scottish army was defeated, although Wallace escaped the battlefield and later resigned as Guardian.
Falkirk was a significant English success, but it did not permanently conquer Scotland. Edward I continued campaigning, while Robert the Bruce later became the leading Scottish claimant. Edward II’s later defeat at Bannockburn in 1314 showed that English control remained contested.