Title: Murder of John Comyn Scran ID: 000-000-520-563-C
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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WAL To assess and evaluate the impact of
the death of Comyn on the development of
the Scottish nation. SOC 3-02a.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
CONTENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES
SKILLS
Increase knowledge of the
Wars of Independence by
exploring the death of
Comyn, and its impact on
people’s lives and the
consequences it had then
and since. SOC 3-06a
To interpret the evidence and present an informed view
SOC 3-01a on how the death of Comyn contributed to the
development of the Scottish nation SOC 3-02a
To describe the factors contributing to the death of
Comyn and assess the impact on the development of
Scotland as a nation. SOC 3-05a
Through researching, identify possible causes of the death
of Comyn and report on the impact it had on the
development of Scotland as a nation. SOC 3-06b
To discuss the motives of those involved in the Death of
Comyn and assess the consequences it had then and
since. SOC 3-06a
Learning experience A: starter activity
The Arms of the Realm and Ancient Local Principalities of Scotland. Bartholemew 1983
FACT : The death of John Comyn is viewed as a
key turning point in Scottish history, with the
impact of this event leading to significant
developments on the direction of Scotland.
What is the criteria for
defining a significant
turning point in history?
WRITE on a post it note what the possible
criteria for defining a significant turning point
in history,
 THINK of categories perhaps including
‘power‘ ‘leadership' ‘democracy‘, etc.
 STICK your answer on the corresponding
category
 RANDOM students will be selected to explain
their answer.

POWER LEADERSHIP DEMOCRACY _________
Select and organise the following information into chronological
order to produce a timeline of the events leading to the death of
Comyn .
1306 February Robert the Bruce
murders John Comyn
at Dumfries.
Watch this clip to help
gather evidence as to
what actually happened
the night John Comyn
died.
DISCUSS : What would
Bruce gain from
Comyn’s death?
Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS
Dumfries, Thursday, February 10, 1306, 12 noon:
The town is in turmoil. Murder of the most sacrilegious kind happened at the high altar of the church of
The Greyfriars, not two hours ago.
Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, quarrelled with his cousin, John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, over the
future of the realm. Bruce drew his dagger and plunged it into Comyn. Comyn's uncle, Sir Robert, rushed
forward and hewed a mighty sword blow at Bruce's chest. Only chain mail saved Bruce's life. Sir Robert
perished under the blade of Sir Christopher Seton, Bruce's brother in-law.
The shouts of the monks sent Bruce and his supporters running from the church. Bruce was unsure of the
outcome in the confusion and two of his supporters, Roger Kirkpatrick and Sir John Lindsay, dashed back
into the church, plunging their daggers into Comyn's body. By then Friars Vennel and the High Street were
in uproar as word of the killing spread like wildfire.
The clash of steel rang out as a bloody running sword fight ebbed and flowed around the church. Folk fled
in terror from the flashing blades of supporters of both men but the Bruce band won the day. As the
Comyn support melted away Bruce and his friends leapt onto their horses and made for Dumfries Castle
which they took with little difficulty.
What Future Scotland now?
The Path from http://www.brucetrust.co.uk/path.html
Choose a key event
from today’s lesson
and complete further
research on the event .
Prepare to share your
finding with others.
The Battle of Bannockburn by William Hole, part of a mural in three
sections, from the Scottish National Portrait Museum in Edinburgh showing
Robert the Bruce in the foreground
Learning experience B: Research
LEARNING INTENTIONS
LEARNING INTENTIONS
SKILLS
 Say: Explain why the death of
Comyn is an important
turning point in Scotland's
development as a nation.
 Make: A storyboard, proving
your theory OR produce an
extended writing piece
explaining the impact of the
death of Comyn on the
development of Scotland.
 Do: Take notes during primary
source research.
CONTENT
Explain why the death
of Comyn is an
important turning
point in Scotland's
development as a
nation.
THE DEATH OF COMYN
What do you
know?
 What do you want
to know?
 What have your
learned?

Seal of the Guardians of Scotland showing St Andrew on the cross. ©
National Archive of Scotland.
Spies sent from
London to find out if
Bruce had murdered
Comyn in a church.
Robert the
Bruce murders
John Comyn at
Dumfries.
Go back three.
Go back two.
Finish
Start
.
King Edward II
invades
Scotland, but
is forced to
withdraw
Go back to the
start.
The king’s
treasurer told
that Bruce,
had started a
rebellion.
Go back one.
Bruce ambushed
and defeated by
King Edward’s
army at Methven.
Go forward one.
John of Seton
sentenced to
death, for
helping Bruce
in the murder
of Comyn.
Go back two.
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Bruce crowned
King at Scone
by Isobel of
Buchan.
Bruce is
victorious
against Aymer
de Valence at
Loudon Hill
Go forward one.
Go forward
one.
THEORY : The Death of Comyn had positive and negative
consequences that we will be investigating.
THINK of what the positives and negatives might have been.
PLAY the board game, in groups of four.
IF you land on a 'Star' or 'Stop' card, read the card, they have
positive and negative statements about the impact of the
death of Comyn on Scotland's development as a nation.
WRITE the statement into the Venn Hoop stating if you
believe it to be a positive / negative or both feature about the
death of Comyn
HIGH FIVE –You will be asked to raise your hands and give
the class five facts about Scottish Medieval Society learnt
from playing the game.
Level 3/4
Identify and describe positive and
negative effects of the Death of Comyn on
the development of Scotland.
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
Positive effects of
the Death of Comyn
DID THE DEATH OF COMYN HAVE AN IMPACT ON
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCOTLAND?
Positive &
Negative effects of the
Negative
Death of Comyn
Spies sent from
London to find out if
Bruce had murdered
Comyn in a church.
Robert the
Bruce murders
John Comyn at
Dumfries.
Go back three.
Go back two.
Finish
Start
.
King Edward II
invades
Scotland, but
is forced to
withdraw
Go back to the
start.
The king’s
treasurer told
that Bruce,
had started a
rebellion.
Go back one.
Bruce ambushed
and defeated by
King Edward’s
army at
Methven.
Go forward one.
John of Seton
sentenced to
death, for
helping Bruce
in the murder
of Comyn.
Go back two.
Bruce crowned
King at Scone
by Isobel of
Buchan.
Bruce is
victorious
against Aymer
de Valence at
Loudon Hill
Go forward one.
Go forward
one.
On your VENN diagram, write
the definitions for the
KEYWORDS, in your own
words.
 Traitor
 Forfeited
 Seditious
 Truce
 Chamberlain
 Fortified
The Death of John Comyn - Look and Learn History Picture Library
EITHER
CREATE a STORYBOARD recording Comyn’s death and
subsequent events.
OR
CHOOSE one (or two) argument from both sides and
complete the scales writing frame, in detail.
Level 2/3
Positive
Reasons
The reason I have chosen is
......................................................
........................................................
.......................................................
I think this because
........................................................
........................................................
.......................................................
.......................................................
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Be able to explain the overall effects of the THE
DEATH OF COMYN ON THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SCOTLAND.
Level 3/4
Be able to reach an opinion (evaluate)
about whether THE DEATH OF
COMYN DID HAVE AN IMPACT
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SCOTLAND.
Overall
judgement
In my opinion
...................................................................
...................................................................
...................................................................
........................................................
I think this because
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Negative
Reasons
The reason I have chosen is
...........................................................
............................................................
............................................................
I think this because
...........................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
.............................................................
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...............................................................
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Both will help you explain/evaluate if the Death of Comyn impacted on
the Development of Scotland.
COMPLETE the final box on the scales to reach an
overall evaluation about if you feel the death of Comyn
had a great impact on Scottish society, or not, using
information you have investigated to support your
answer,
 MAKE a line of continuum and stand in line ranging
from agree to disagree,
 RANDOM students will be selected to answer the key
question of the lesson Did the death of Comyn impact
on the development of Scotland?
 THINK about the problem of using the information we
have, to gaining a real understanding about how much
life was impacted .
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EVALUATE which of the learning intentions do you feel you have
achieved best?
I can explain the causes and consequences of a major historical
turning point/event,
I can give an account of the sequence of events leading to Robert
the Bruce ascending the Scottish throne.
I can work in a group to investigate the consequences of a major
turning point in history using primary and secondary evidence and
use this evidence to justify making a judgement (Writing Frame),
I can respond creatively to a major historical turning point/event
(Storyboard),
TARGET
One thing I know/can do well is … (copy the I can… statement you
are most confident with).
One thing I can do better at is … (copy the I can… statement you
wil target for improvement).