Pikemen were capable of creating almost impenetrable clusters in battle with best effect against mounted knights. The pike was heavier than the true long spear, but shorter-shafted, and thereby more manoeuvrable in close-combat fighting.
This is the pikeman of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester who was a nephew of Edward the Second and, indeed, a cousin to Robert Bruce.
Ironically, Gloucester fell at Bannockburn on the second day, in a courageous but foolhardy charge into the Scottish ranks, including Scottish Pikemen!
Despite his 23 years, Gloucester was already high-ranking, wealthy and ambitious earl, one of three fighting for Edward II at Bannockburn. Ironically, he was related to both Edward and Bruce and favoured by the latter before war drove them apart. Bannockburn proved to be his nemesis. The signs were there on the first day of battle when he was ignominiously knocked from his horse in little more than a skirmish following Bruce’s killing of de Bohun.
On day two of the Battle - and determined to cancel out the previous day’s embarrassment, Gloucester incautiously led the charge of his cavalry division directly at the Scottish spearmen, with the inevitable result. In the aftermath of battle Bruce had his remains sent home for burial in Tewkesbury Abbey. Despite the final divisions between them, his death was regretted by Bruce.
