Editing 1297 (section)

==== British Isles ====
* [[April 14]] &ndash; King [[Edward I of England]] makes an appeal outside [[Palace of Westminster#Westminster Hall|Westminster Hall]] for support for the war against [[France in the Middle Ages|France]]. He apologizes for the high tax demands he has previously levied. Edward asks the Barons (some 1,500 knights) to swear allegiance to his 12-year-old son, Prince [[Edward II of England|Edward of Caernarfon]]. Aware of the dangers of the opposition to his power, Edward appears before a large crowd and receives total loyalty.
* May &ndash; [[William Wallace]], Scottish rebel leader, leads an uprising against the English at [[Lanark]] and [[Action at Lanark|kills Sheriff William Hesselrig]]. He joins with [[William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas|William Douglas the Hardy]], the first Scottish nobleman in rebellion – combining forces at [[Sanquhar]], [[Durisdeer]] and [[Scone Abbey]] (known as the [[Raid on Scone]]) in June. Later, Wallace captures the English treasury at [[Scone, Scotland|Scone]] to finance the rebellion against Edward I of England.<ref>Armstrong, Pete (2003). Osprey: ''Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297–98'', pp. 30–32. {{ISBN|1-84176-510-4}}.</ref>
* Summer &ndash; Edward I of England orders a punitive expedition against the rebellious Scots. At [[Roxburgh]], an army of some 9,000 men (including 2,000 cavalry) led by [[John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey|John de Warenne]] is assembled. Meanwhile, William Wallace leaves the forest of [[Selkirk, Scottish Borders|Selkirk]] with reinforcements and turns his attention north of the [[River Forth]].<ref>Armstrong, Pete (2003). Osprey: ''Stirling Bridge & Falkirk 1297–98'', p. 33. {{ISBN|1-84176-510-4}}.</ref>
* July &ndash; In [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]], a group of nobles forms a confederacy (organized by [[Robert Wishart]], bishop of [[Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway|Glasgow]]), but are defeated by English troops at [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]]. An agreement of submission to Edward I of England is signed by the future Scottish king [[Robert the Bruce]] and other Scottish leaders.
* [[August 22]] &ndash; Edward I of England leads an [[English expedition to Flanders (1297–1298)|expedition to Flanders]]. He moves with an army (some 8,000 men) supported by 800 knights to [[Ghent]] and makes the city his base of operations in [[Flanders]]. 
* [[September 11]] &ndash; [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]]: Scottish forces (some 6,000 men) led by [[Andrew Moray]] and William Wallace defeat an English army under John de Warenne at [[Stirling]] on the Forth.<ref>Cowan, Edward J. (2007). ''The Wallace Book'', p. 69. {{ISBN|978-0-85976-652-4}}.</ref>
* October&ndash;November &ndash; Scottish forces led by William Wallace begin raids in [[Northumberland]] and [[Cumberland]]. During a ceremony at Selkirk, Wallace is knighted and appointed [[Guardian of Scotland]].<ref>Sarah Crome (1999). ''Scotland's First War of Independence'', p. 57. {{ISBN|978-0-9536316-0-5}}.</ref> (Contradicts [[First Scottish War of Independence]] that cites William Wallace as having been made a knight and Guardian of Scotland in March, 1298)
* Winter &ndash; Edward I of England accepts a truce proposed by King [[Philip IV of France]] ("the Fair") and leaves Flanders. He returns to [[London]] and prepares a campaign against William Wallace in Scotland.