A Final Summary

The Battle of Barra has tended to be a footnote in history, viewed as one small step on the road to Bannockburn and ultimately independence, but I would contend that is was a pivotal event in achieving Scottish independence.

Prior to the 1307 campaign the Bruce cause was in tatters and no one could realistically expect him to succeed, and although his fortunes improved during 1307, there were still several Scottish enemies who could probably individually destroy his small force.

With victory at Barra, he defeated the strongest of his Scottish enemies and went on to destroy the Comyn powerbase in NE Scotland. Following this success, he went on to destroy or neutralize his Scottish enemies, and within a year no Scottish magnate had the power to resist him without English support.

Shortly after Barra, he captured Aberdeen and its port which offered him access to Europe. It was for several years the only major European trading port held by Bruce. (Dundee 1312; Perth 1312; Leith 1314; Berwick 1318). During these years Aberdeen would operate as a base for commerce raiding (basically piracy) and trade with Europe.

Without the victory at Barra it is unlikely that Aberdeen would have been taken and access to the resources to support the war would have been near impossible to obtain in the quantities required. (For more details see post)

http://barra1308.blogspot.com/2009/07/aberdeen-and-scottish-independence.html

Although there was still a long and dangerous path to Scottish independence, after the victory at Barra things would never  be so perilous as they were in 1306/7.