The greatest challenge for Bruce came that same year as Edward invaded Scotland with a large army, nominally aimed at the relief of Stirling Castle, but with the real intention of drawing out Bruce and his men. The Scots army, roughly a quarter the size of the enemy force, was poised to the south of Stirling and prepared to make a quick withdrawal into the wild country to the west. However, their position just north of the Bannock Burn had strong natural advantages, and the king gave orders to suspend for a time the guerrilla tactics pursued hitherto. On the morning of 24 June and prior to battle, Barbour states it was then that Douglas was made a knight. Many now believe that Douglas was made a knight banneret. The knight banneret was established under Edward I. A knight banneret held no command responsibilities so much as greater honours. A knight banneret fought under his own banner unlike a knight bachelor who was limited to a pennon. In his "The Brus", John Barbour writes in Book XV that Douglas fought under his own banner, hence Douglas had to be a knight banneret. Barbour does state Douglas and others were knighted on the field of the Battle of Bannockburn, "each in their own degree" which would suggest not all were knights bachelor. Others believe that he was knighted late in his career. There is disagreement on the point.