Warrior Monks at Bannockburn--Knight Templar's Part IX

  When the warrior knights went to the mattresses they sought refuge in a string of safe houses, mountain hideaways, farms, vineyards, and boatyards along the path to their refuge point.  They sought the open arms of other warrior and non-warrior knights.

  Not all the warrior monks were exclusively warriors, there were farmers and shepherds, builders and blacksmiths, butchers and cooks, tavern owners and assorted government clerks and a great deal of money handlers.

   All a part of a massive intelligence network that had information on church and government activities well before they happened. When the knights of the Paris precepretory departed and headed for Scotland they made their way using a dozen save havens; going down the Seine River, by way of coastal cargo vessels which they had also loaded fifty horses and part of the treasure which was not removed by the Flemish Knight prior to the evacuation of the temple.

  The Templar fleet of 18 vessels had departed le Rochelle France, the evening of march 12th, and was waiting for the coastal cargo vessels at the mouth of the Seine River and took the cargo of knights, horses, and  treasure.

  They made their way nonstop for the western shores of Ireland, some of the knights stayed at various way points moving up the coast, sometimes going up the rivers to castles under the control of the Temple.

   Some or the Irish knights joined them in their journey, they blended in with the locals working Templar lands farms, fisheries, and lending their building skills on properties as they went.

 They blended in with the warrior monks in the North of Ireland, the Herbicide islands, the Isle of Mull, and the north of Scotland in the area of Argyle.
 

   They were welcomed by Robert the Bruce, William Sinclair, and Angus OG Macdonald all warrior monks of the Poor Knights of Solomon’s Temple.

   Earl Henry Sinclair was the Master of Templar's in Scotland he was getting on in years, his two sons his two sons William and John were officers in the army of King Robert I, the Bruce.

  The Sinclair’s gave refuge on their five hundred estates to the escaping warrior monks, where they resettled, became involved in commerce using their combined skills in farming, fishing and building trades.

  They were all professional soldiers, and they married the local women and had families. During the Battle of Bannockburn William Sinclair was commander of all Templar’s under Robert the Bruce who was also a warrior monk of the Temple.

   Clan Logan was both of the Scottish highlands and the lowlands; they were part of the Stewart dynasty and close personal friends of both Angus Ox Macdonald and the Sinclair’s.

  They were associated with the Knight Templar contingent at the battle of Bannockburn. Robert Logan served under Sir Robert Keith, and Walter Keith served under Angus Og.

  Sir Robert & Walter Logan were part of the honor guard escorting King Bruce’s heart to the Holy Land and died at the battle of Teba; their remains were recovered by Sir William Keith and interred at Edinburgh Scotland.

  At the Battle of Bannockburn Earl Henry Sinclair was too old to be involved, his son William commanded the entire Templar contingent, with his brother John serving as his squire.

 Templar Angus Og from the Herbicide Isle of Islay was commander of the Highlanders, and the spear men of the Herbicide islands, he was also a good friend of King Bruce.

  Angus Og offered refuge and friendship to the King when his wife and daughters were kidnapped by King Edward I and imprisoned for seven years.

 Robert the Bruce’s three brothers were also killed in 1304, this was a very dark chapter in the life of the Bruce, a time when you are able to sort out who your real friends are.

  When Angus Og arrived at the Battle of Bannockburn and reported to William Sinclair as part of the Templar contingent, King Bruce welcomed him saying “My hope is constant in thee”, which became the motto of Clanranald.

   Angus Og had formed a “schilltron formation” in a diamond shape kneeling on the ground, with long pikes anchored in the ground pointing outward.

  A technique mastered by the Flemish Templars at the battle of Courtrai in 1302, when the French were defeated.  We will be discussing Flanders further in my discussion on the Flemish Knight.

 It was this formation that followed the “fresh force” under the command of Sir Robert Keith, and set the army of King Edward II, into a panicked retreat, with Angus Og's foot soldiers attacking the thirty thousand strong English army.

  In their panicked retreat they tried to cross the Bannockburn River falling over themselves as they slid down the steep banks and drowning in the river.

  It is said that you could cross the river dry-shod, or walk across the river without getting wet upon the dead bodies in the river.  Included in the English losses were one Earl and thirty eight Barons.

  For his services Angus Og was awarded the Earldom of Lochabel and the McDonald clan was to serve in a place of honor to the right flank of the King for the next several centuries.

   Angus Og died in the battle of Teba in Spain while escorting King Robert the Bruce’s heart to Jerusalem in 1330. His remains were brought back to the herbicide islands by Sir William Keith, and buried at the Abbey at Iona.

  Sir Robert Keith, was a Knight Templar, diplomat, Marischal of Scotland, and a senior General in the Army of Robert the Bruce.  Sir Robert Keith was commander of the “fresh force” of five hundred Templar's who led the assassin’s assault at the battle of Bannockburn, which created the panic and rapid retreat that changed the course of the battle and created an independent Scotland for the next 289 years.

  Prior to Bannockburn Sir Robert Keith was co-commander as was Sir James Douglas, of a reconnaissance force providing intelligence on the movement of King Edward II forces to both Edward and Robert the Bruce.

 After the war of Scottish Independence Sir Robert the Keith served the crown as a diplomat.  In 1320 Sir Robert the keith signed a letter to the Pope, vindicating Scottish independence; afterwards he held several diplomatic posts finally serving as peace commissioner to England in 1323.  He also ratified the Treaty of Corbeil in 1326 with the King of France.

 Sir Robert Keith was killed fighting for the child, King David II of Scotland, at the battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332.

  Sir Robert’s son William keith was also a knight Templar and served in the “fresh force” under his father’s command at Bannockburn. He was also a commander of Templar's under Sir James Douglas at the capture of Berwick in 1318.  He was part of the Templar honor guard escorting King Bruce’s heart to Jerusalem and was the only survivor of the battle of Teba.

  The Saracens permitted Sir William to recover the silver casket containing Robert the Bruce’s heart, the remains of Sir James Douglas, Sir Robert and Walter Logan, Sir William and John Sinclair, and Angus Og Macdonald.

  Sir William prepared the remains as was the custom at the time by boiling the bodies in vinegar and separating the flesh from the bones, and buried the flesh in an undisclosed location probably on the property of King Alphonso VI.

 The bones would be placed in a bone box or small casket, the femur bones were crossed under the skull. Angus OG’s remains were returned to the Abby of Ione in the Herbicide Islands, Sir James Douglas, AKA the Black Douglas, AKA the Good Sir James, was returned to Scotland and interred at St. Bride’s chapel at Lancashire, Scotland.

 William and John Saint Clair were interred at the family Castle in Roslyn not to be confused with Rosslyn Chapel which wasn’t  built for another  100 years.