Clan Sinclair to St Briavels Castle, and in 1296 he swore fealty to Edward I of England. In 1303 the Battle of Roslin took place where Scots under Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and the Clan Comyn defeated an English force. The Battle of Loudoun Hill took place in 1307 where Scots under Robert the Bruce, assisted by Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn again defeated the English. The family initially favoured John Balliol's claim to the throne but later it became paramount that they gave their loyalty to Robert the Bruce. The Battle of Bannockburn was fought in 1314, where the Clan Sinclair fought
Robert the Bruce gained first-hand knowledge of the city's defences. The next time Carlisle was besieged, in 1315, Robert the Bruce would be leading the attack. Edward I responded to King John's alliance with France and the attack on Carlisle by invading Scotland at the end of March 1296 and taking the town of Berwick in a particularly bloody attack upon the flimsy palisades. At the Battle of Dunbar, Scottish resistance was effectively crushed. Edward deposed King John, placed him in the Tower of London, and installed Englishmen to govern the country. The campaign had been very successful, but the English triumph would