Bruce campaign in Ireland

Medieval campaign in Ireland

The Bruce campaign was a three year military campaign in Ireland by Edward Bruce, brother of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce. It lasted from his landing at Larne in 1315 to his defeat and death in 1318 at the Battle of Faughart in County Louth. It was part of the First War of Scottish Independence against England, and the conflict between the Irish and Anglo Normans. After his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce decided to expand his war against the English by sending an army under his younger brother Edward to invade Ireland. Some native Irish leaders also asked him to send an army to help drive the Anglo Normans out of Ireland, offering to crown his brother High King of Ireland in return. Another reason for the expedition was that supporters of the exiled House of Balliol, rival competitors for the Crown of Scotland, had fled to Ireland. The campaign effectively ended with Edward's defeat and death in the Battle of Faughart in 1318.

By the early 14th century, Ireland had not had a high king since Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Conor) who had been deposed by his son in 1186. Further, the Plantagenet dynasty had claimed a right to take control of Ireland by the papal document Laudabiliter in 1155 and indirectly ruled much of the eastern part of the island. The country was divided between the Gaelic dynasties that survived the Norman invasion and the Hiberno Norman Lordship of Ireland. In 1258 some of the Gaelic aristocrats elected Brian Ua Néill high king; however, he was defeated by the Normans at the Battle of Downpatrick in 1260.

In 1315 Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, sent his younger brother Edward Bruce to invade Ireland. There have been several theories as to the motives behind Bruce's campaign in Ireland. One theory proposed for the invasion of Ireland was to drain England of men, materials and finance and even to exploit the resources in Ireland for Scotland's benefit, a second front in the ongoing war, as England relied heavily on Ireland for resources and Glendrum. His brother had sailed from Tarbert for the Western Isles with his son in law Walter Stewart, to subjugate them till "all the isles, great and small, were brought to his will." Edward faced by an army led by vassals and confederates of the Earl of Ulster, the de Mandevilles, Bissets of the Glens, Logans, and Savages, as well as their Irish allies, overall led by Sir Thomas de Mandeville. However they were defeated in battle by the Scots under Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray. Subsequently, the Scots managed to take the town, though not the castle, of Carrickfergus. In early June, Donall Ó Néill of Tyrone and some twelve fellow northern Kings and lords met Edward Bruce Pope John ignored the request. "And that we may be able to attain our purpose more speedily and fitly in this respect, we call to our help and assistance Edward de Bruyis, illustrious earl of Carrick, brother of Robert by the grace of God most illustrious king of the Scots, who is sprung from our noblest ancestors. "And as it is free to anyone to renounce his right and transfer it to another, all the right which is publicly known to pertain to us in the said kingdom as its true heirs, we have given and granted to him by our letters patent, and in order that he may do therein judgment and justice and equity which through default of the prince [i. e. Edward II of England] have utterly failed therein, we have unanimously established and set him [Edward Bruce] up as our king and lord in our kingdom aforesaid, for in our judgment and the common judgment of men he is pious and prudent, humble and chaste, exceedingly temperate, in all things sedate and moderate, and possessing power (God on high be praised) to snatch us mightily from the house of bondage with the help of God and our own justice, and very willing to render to everyone what is due to him of right, and above all is ready to restore entirely to the Church in Ireland the possessions and liberties of which she was damnably despoiled, and he intends to grant greater liberties than ever otherwise she has been wont to have". Similarities exist between the 1317 Remonstrance and the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath have long been evident. The Declaration of Arbroath was likewise sent to Pope John XXII complaining of mistreatment at English hands. Historian Sean Duffy argues that the author of the Declaration relied heavily on the text of the Remonstrance.

After several years of mobile warfare, Bruce and his allies failed to hold areas that they had conquered. His army fed itself by pillaging, which caused increasing unpopularity. The pan European Great Famine of 1315–1317 affected Ireland also, and disease became widespread in his army, causing it to shrink, and he was defeated and killed at the end of 1318 at the Battle of Faughart in County Louth.