William+Wallace

The 13th of August 1305 marks the beginning of the enigmatic legend of William Wallace, [1] a man who still inspires the Scottish people towards independence to this day. This day was not the date of his birth but the date of his death at the hands of the English and is when the tale of William Wallace, the patriot and freedom fighter began. Born a second son to a mid-rank Lord in the Scottish midlands sometime during the 1270s, [2] little is known about the man who almost conquered the King of England, [|Edward I]. [3]
 * William Wallace**
 * __Career and Exploits__**

Wallace does not appear in historical documents until the assassination of William Heselrig, the English Sheriff in the town of Lanark in the year 1297 and was declared an outlaw and enemy of the King. [4] Perhaps the most famous and successful exploit of Wallace is the [|Battle of Stirling Bridge] in June 1297. [5] Edward had sent an English army into southern Scotland to subdue the rebelling public led by William Wallace. By collaborating with Highland dissident

leader, [|Andrew Murray], Wallace was able to secure the prime position upon Abbey Craig, at Stirling Castle and overlooking Stirling Bridge. [6] The bridge was narrow and surrounded by marshes, which forced the heavily armoured English cavalry to cross the bridge in pairs. Having the strategic upper hand Wallace sent the Scottish infantry charging down the hill, crashing into the English cavalry and slaughtering everyone.

Wallace used this momentum to further expel the English from his homeland and he sent letters to [|Lubeck] and Hamburg, seeking support for the Scottish cause. [7] It was at this point that he was knighted and appointed the Guardian of Scotland, protector of the throne. [8] He continued his activities by raiding the North England town of Newcastle and surrounding villages. However Wallace would get his comeuppance at the [|Battle of Falkirk] in April the following year. [9] The imposing English army crushed the Scottish forces, although Wallace managed to evade capture. __**Later Life and Death**__

Between 1298 and 1305 there is little evidence of the conduct of Wallace, although it is believed he spent some time on the European continent, seeking support for Scottish independence. [10] During 1303 Wallace returned to Scotland and began campaigning again, although without the success of before. It was a fellow Scot, John Menteith, loyal to the English king who captured and sent Wallace to London and to his death. [11] Tried for high treason and subsequently convicted of the crime Wallace was sentenced to be [|hanged, drawn and quartered], a cruel and painful execution, although “amply deserved” according to one English [|source]. [12] __**Cultural Influence**__

Wallace and his courageous actions were almost wiped from the history books until the 11,000-line poem by [|Blind Harry], a minstrel in the 1450s told the mythicised story of Sir William Wallace. [13] It was this poem that ignited the imaginations of authors, painters and poets for centuries and which turned William Wallace into a legend. His notoriety increased further as Scotland became united with England once more in the early seventeenth century. Wallace became the figurehead of the fight for Scottish independence; his determination that led to his death as a martyr still inspires the Scottish people today, turning him into the most significant figure in Scottish medieval history.

[1] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” //History Today// 55, no. 9 (2005): 31. [2] Andrew Fisher, “A Patriot for Whom? Wallace and Bruce: Scotland’s Uneasy Heroes,” //History Today// 39, no. 2 (1989): 18. [3] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” (2005): 35. [4] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” (2005): 32. [5] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” (2005): 32. [6] Ibid, 33. [7] National Archives of Scotland, “Lubeck Letter 1297,” //The Scottish Wars of Independence 1286- 1329// (1297).[] [8] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” (2005): 33. [9] John Balaban, “Blind Harry and “The Wallace”,” (1974): 245. [10] Andrew Fisher, “The Hunt for William Wallace,” (2005): 34. [11] Ibid, 35. [12] Charles W. Colby, “On William Wallace,” //Medieval Sourcebook//: //The Flores Historiarum//, (c. 1307). [] [13] John Jamieson, ed, //Wallace; or The Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace of Ellerslie by Henry the Minstrel// (Glasgow: Maurice Ogle & Co, 1869).