Stirling Castle - Scotland

Stirling Castle stands along Castle Esplanade, atop Castle Rock, the remains of a 350-million-year-old volcano, in Stirling, Scotland.  This fortress stronghold sits strategically along the Forth Valley between Edinburgh and the Highlands.  Although in use as a fort for over 3,000 years, and identified as the home of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the castle only reaches the historical record in the 1100’s.  During the Wars of Independence, the castle changed hands several times between 1296 and 1342.  Stirling was first captured by Edward I in 1296, then reclaimed by the Scots after the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.  The English then recaptured the castle after the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, only to surrender it back to the Scots in 1299.  In 1304 Edward I returned to the castle to lay siege to it.  After a three month long contest the castle returned to British hands.  After the defeat of Edward II at Bannockburn the castle was reclaimed by the Scots.  In 1336 the English regained the castle but lost it again in 1342.  As a royal residence the castle came into its own during the reign of James IV.  He set out to remake Stirling in the footsteps of many of the great European palaces.  Much of the castle that is seen today is the result of James’ work.  The most famous resident of Stirling was Mary Queen of Scots, who was born to James V and his French wife, Mary of Guise.  When James died unexpectedly his six-day old daughter became queen.  Mary was crowned Queen of Scots here at the Chapel Royal on September 9, 1543.  After Mary was forced to abdicate in 1567 her 13-month-old son James was crowned King James VI.  With the succession of Charles I in 1625 the castle would not see another royal guest for the remainder of the 1600’s and its days as a royal residence would come to an end.  The abandoned castle would go on to serve as a prison in later years until finally resuming its place as a military base.  Finally the long disused buildings were repaired and rebuilt and are now maintained by Historic Scotland.

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