Aberdeen Castle

Aberdeen Castle  was a medieval fortification located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is believed to have been destroyed by King Robert the Bruce in 1308 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military conflicts fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The conflicts arose due to the English attempt to assert their authority over Scotland and the Scottish resistance to English rule.

Prior to its destruction, the castle had been surrendered to the English in 1295 and was used by English troops as part of their efforts to suppress the east coast of Scotland. However, in 1297, the Scots, led by William Wallace, retook the castle and drove out the English. The castle later came under the control of John Balliol, the Scottish King.

The city of Aberdeen is said to have adopted the motto “Bon Accord” after the password used to initiate Bruce’s final attack on the castle. This motto is still used by the city today.

The castle was “slighted,” which means it was deliberately damaged or destroyed in order to render it useless as a defensive structure. This was a common practice during times of conflict in order to prevent enemy forces from using captured fortifications.