Sir+William+Wallace

Sir William Wallace

Statue of William Wallace at Aberdeen. This photo has permission to be used in public domain.

Biography
Little is known of William Wallace’s early life or family history before 1297. However, he is known to have been an educated Scottish noble and the son of a knight and minor landowner __ [1] __. At the time, Scotland was under the control of King Edward I of England. The people of Scotland deeply resented English rule for their implementing heavy taxes and ill-treatment of Scottish nobles. The population reacted violently towards their oppressors __ [2] __. However, the numerous rebel movements required unity. William Wallace rose from relative anonymity when he murdered the English high sheriff of Lanark in 1297 __ [3] __. Afterwards, he joined a number of the many revolts occurring across the country, gaining a reputation. He, and a man called Andrew Murray, to the north, became the two figureheads of the revolt. Over time, many joined Wallace’s cause due to his vigour, bravery, and success __ [4] __.

Map of Scottish/English Border. []

Wallace combined his force with Murray’s and met England’s larger force in the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The English generals decided to cross the river for a direct attack. However, the bridge itself was narrow and restricted access to only a small number of soldiers at a time __ [5] __. The English force was split on two sides when the Scots attacked, and were soon defeated. The English, with almost half of their army decimated, withdrew far to the south, leaving Stirling Castle and the Lowlands to Scotland __ [6] __. Andrew Murray, however, died in the battle. For his victory, Wallace was given the title ‘Guardian of Scotland’. Wallace then took the battle to England, invading as far south as Newcastle __ [7] __. However, the divided English nobility united under King Edward against this threat. In 1298, their forces met Wallace in the Battle of Falkirk __ [8] __. This time, the English archers tore up the lines of Scottish pikemen, allowing their horsemen to charge and break Wallace’s rebel army for good. Defeated, he fled into hiding in Scotland where he was successful in evading capture for a number of years. Letters exist explaining that in this time, Wallace made diplomatic overtures to the French Monarch, King Phillip IV, for assistance in the struggle for Scottish Independence, to little avail __ [9] __. In 1305, he was finally betrayed by a fellow Scotsman and handed to the English. Wallace was taken to London where he was shown off to the people and executed for treason __ [10] __.



The National Wallace Monument on a hiltop near Stirling, Scotland. © D. Duguid, but licensed for reuse by the Creative Commons Licence.

Legacy
William Wallace, a rebel who fought for Scottish independence from 1297-1305, is today among the region’s greatest heroes. Often referred to as ‘Brave Heart’, he is famous for the progress he made against English tyranny __ [11] __. He was defeated in battle, but is remembered as a figurehead of the ongoing struggle for the nation’s independence. Wallace has inspired much folklore over the 700 years that he has been a Scottish legend. He is remembered through works of literature such as Blind Harry’s //Wallace// and contemporary films such as Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart”. Wallace became a martyr for the freedom of Scotland, a figure who is still revered as a great hero to the modern day.