Bannockburned

ON JUNE 24th 1314 Robert the Bruce sat atop a hill near Stirling and plotted the defeat of Edward II’s advancing army, twice as large as his own. Precisely seven centuries later a knot of dignitaries including the Earl of Elgin (directly descended from King Robert), a Scottish government minister and some enlisted children mounted the same hill and laid wreaths to commemorate the slaughter of England’s soldiers—a rout that followed from a bad choice of overnight campsite in a bog.

This victory is emblazoned on every Scottish heart, which may be why Alex Salmond, Scotland’s nationalist first minister, chose this year for a referendum on Scottish independence, due on September 18th. More nationalist heartstring-tugging will follow on June 28th and 29th during a weekend of re-enactments and other medieval larks.