<P> The war began in earnest with Edward I 's brutal sacking of Berwick in March 1296 , followed by the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Dunbar and the abdication of John Balliol in July . The English invasion campaign had subdued most of the country by August and , after removing the Stone of Destiny from Scone Abbey and transporting it to Westminster Abbey , Edward convened a parliament at Berwick , where the Scottish nobles paid homage to him as King of England . Scotland had been all but conquered . </P>
<P> The war began in earnest with Edward I 's brutal sacking of Berwick in March 1296 , followed by the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Dunbar and the abdication of John Balliol in July . The English invasion campaign had subdued most of the country by August and , after removing the Stone of Destiny from Scone Abbey and transporting it to Westminster Abbey , Edward convened a parliament at Berwick , where the Scottish nobles paid homage to him as King of England . Scotland had been all but conquered . </P>
who was the king of england just before the war for independence began
who was the king of england just before the war for independence began
Edward I
Edward I