BBC - History - William Wallace z William Wallace © Wallace led the Scottish rebellion against Edward I and inflicted a famous defeat on the English army at Stirling Bridge. He is remembered as a patriot and national hero. William Wallace was born in the 1270s in Elderslie in Renfrewshire into a gentry family. Very little is known about his early years and there are significant periods of his life for which there are no reliable sources. In 1296, Edward I of England had taken advantage of a succession crisis in Scotland and imposed himself as ruler with an English administration. Within months, Scottish unrest was widespread. In May 1297, Wallace attacked the town of Lanark, killing the English sheriff and unrest quickly became full-blown rebellion. Men flocked to join Wallace and he began to drive the English out of Fife and Perthshire. In September 1297, Wallace defeated a much larger English force at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. This and subsequent military successes severely weakened the English hold on Scotland. Wallace then launched raids into England.

In late 1297 or early 1298 he was knighted and appointed 'guardian of the kingdom' in the name of John Balliol, the deposed king of Scotland. The shock of the defeat at Stirling rallied the English around Edward, who marched north with an army. Wallace's strategy was to avoid confrontation and gradually withdraw. He destroyed the countryside as he went, forcing Edward to march deeper and deeper into Scotland. In July 1298, the Scottish and English armies met near Falkirk, and the Scots were defeated. Wallace escaped and little is known of his movements, but at some stage he resigned the guardianship and was succeeded by Robert Bruce and John Comyn. Wallace then went abroad, notably to France, to seek support for the Scottish cause. He returned to Scotland in 1303. In his absence Robert Bruce had accepted a truce with Edward I and, in 1304, John Comyn came to terms with the English as well. Wallace was excluded from these terms and the English king offered a large sum of money to anyone who killed or captured him.

Wallace was seized in or near Glasgow in August 1305, and transported to London. He was charged and tried with treason, which he denied, saying he had never sworn allegiance to the English king. His execution was held on 23 August, where he was hung, drawn and quartered. His head was placed on London Bridge, and his limbs displayed in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth. Historical Figures: William Wallace | Historical Figures | History | Yesterday Channel > Historical Figures: William Wallace Historical Figures: William Wallace Hollywood is no stranger to fictionalising historical events. In 1995 actor/director Mel Gibson brought to life Scottish hero William Wallace in the film Braveheart, the story of one man taking on the might of the English. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, but how accurate was this tale of love, revenge and freedom? Tweet The Real William Wallace There is no doubt that the inspiration for Braveheart actually existed. Executed on 23rd August 1305 AD, Wallace was a knight and Scottish patriot who did lead a resistance against the English occupation of Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence. There still remains uncertain about the date and place of his birth.

Some say it was 1270, other historians believe it to be 1276. Likewise tradition has always held that he was born in Elderslie, near Johnstone in Renfrewshire, but recently it has been claimed that he came from the village of Ellerslie in Ayrshire. Blue Blood Traditionally Wallace has been depicted as the epitome of 'the common man' taking arms against an oppressive regime, in this instance that of English King Edward I, known as "Longshanks" on account of his impressive physical stature. This notion of lowering the status of Wallace was used especially when comparing him to his countryman and future king Robert The Bruce, who came from upper nobility and was depicted in the film as Wallace's brother in arms. In fact Wallace's family were minor nobles descending from "Richard Wallace the Welshman", a landowner who was an early member of the House of Stuart. Wallace was also therefore educated, allegedly being taught Latin by two uncles who had become priests. It makes more sense then that this relative nobility and education would allow Wallace to lead men into battle against the English. No Kilts!

This inaccurate status of commoner can be seen in the way Gibson dressed his version of Wallace. The film portrays Wallace and his fellow Lowland men as fighting on foot wearing kilts, whereas any historian will tell you that Lowlanders did not wear kilts. In fact, the military appearance of Scottish knights and feudal lords such as Wallace would have been about the same as their English counterparts. When it came to battle they would have also been on horseback, wearing chain mail stockings to protect the legs and a long mail shirt, over which they would sport a surcoat displaying their own coat of arms. William Wallace memorial plaque in London Was Wallace Braveheart? Perhaps the most obvious historical inaccuracy of Gibson's film is the fact that Wallace was never referred to as Braveheart! The term referred to Robert the Bruce and it stems from the fact that after his death his heart was carried on a crusade against the Moors by Sir James Douglas. Douglas himself was killed in 1330 in an ambush whilst carrying the heart and is said to have thrown the casket containing Bruce's heart ahead of him shouting "Onward braveheart, Douglas shall follow thee or die." Hostile relations?

The film clearly depicts England as the villain of the piece, with King Edward a scheming monarch prepared to murder his own family to get what he wants. In particular the film declares that Scotland was already under English occupation by 1280, even though we know that England first invaded Scotland in 1296, after the outbreak of the First War of Scottish Independence. For three generations prior to that the two countries had lived in peace. When it comes to hostile rivalry it's also worth pointing out that contrary to Braveheart, Wallace and Robert The Bruce weren't allies. They never actually met and were bitter enemies fighting on different sides. The reality is that Wallace was fiercely loyal to King John Balliol, who ascended to the throne of Scotland in a ceremony sanctioned by Edward Longshanks at on 30th November, 1292. Bruce on the other hand came from a rival clan to Balliol and was therefore was a direct competitor to the newly-crowned Scottish king. Seeing himself as equally entitled to the throne of Scotland he upheld his own different claim, which is why Robert the Bruce did not fight with Wallace at any point in history. Great Warrior?

Gibson based his film on The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie, by the 15th century minstrel, Blind Harry, which as you can probably tell by now does not stand up to historical scrutiny. Blind Harry's poem tells of alleged skirmishes against the English, but the fact of the matter is this: when it comes to Wallace's military activity, there is no concrete documentation of anything Wallace did prior to 1297. The first concrete evidence we have is that forces of Andrew de Moray and William Wallace defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on September 11th of that year. Like any great battle story, the winning side were heavily outnumbered and in the six months following Stirling Bridge, Wallace led a raid into northern England to show Edward that Scotland also had enough might not to be walked over. In Gibson's film, Wallace not only invades northern England but his forces capture the city of York. This is completely untrue as he simply did not possess the capability to take any fortified city. In fact, Wallace got nowhere near York!

Defeat and Death One thing the film got right was that Wallace was finally defeated at the Battle of Falkirk and was executed by order of Edward. The battle took place on 22nd July 1298, when the English army invaded Scotland on April 1st in retaliation after the embarrassment of Stirling Bridge. Wallace managed to evade capture by the English until 5th August 1305 when John de Menteith, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward, turned Wallace over to English soldiers near Glasgow. Wallace was transported to London and tried for treason and murder. At the trial Wallace maintained that John Balliol was officially his king. Wallace was declared guilty and on 23rd August Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered at Smithfield and his head was placed on a pike at London Bridge. The final lie of the film is that it suggests Wallace was the father of the future Edward III. The reality is that Edward's mother Isabella of France was ten at the time of Wallace's death and never met him! What is true is that regardless of the fictional accounts, William Wallace will always live on in the hearts and minds of Scots as a hero and noble figure of historical pride.

In this sense Wallace the symbol is arguably more important than Wallace the man! William Wallace Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Leaders William Wallace Biography William Wallace was a Scottish knight who was a central figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence. This biography of William Wallace provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline. Quick Facts Patriot, Revolutionary Fighter, Knight, De facto Ruler of Scotland Nationality Malcolm II Wallace, John Wallace Image Credit William Wallace was a Scottish knight who was a central figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Regarded as one of Scotlandâs greatest national heroes, he led the Scottish resistance forces during the early years of Scotlandâs struggle for independence from English rule. Wallace grew up during the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland which was marked by peace and economic stability. But, chaos regarding the inheritance of the throne ensued after the kingâs untimely death before John Balliol was named the king. However, King Edward I of England deposed and imprisoned the Scottish king and declared himself the ruler of Scotland. The citizens started resisting the rule of the English king and William Wallace gathered a group of men and burned the Scottish town of Lanark and killed its English sheriff.

He then recruited a bigger army and began attacking the English forces, emerging as one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. In this battle, Wallaceâs forces were greatly outnumbered by the English armies, yet he managed to achieve a resounding victory. Appointed the Guardian of Scotland, he fought the English with great valor till the very end when he was captured and executed brutally on charges of high treason. Childhood & Early Life William Wallace was born circa 1270 in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland, as a member of the lesser nobility. Not much is known about his parentage or place of birth. Some sources state that his father was Sir Malcolm of Elderslie while Williamâs own seal gives his fatherâs name as Alan Wallace. It is however known from certain other sources that he had two brothers called Malcolm and John.

There are records that claim that members of Wallaceâs family held estates at Riccarton, Tarbolton, and Auchincruive in Kyle, and Stenton in East Lothian, and were vassals of James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland. Wallace grew up during the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland which was a period of peace and economic stability. The king, however, died in a horse riding accident on 19 March 1286. The heir to the throne was Alexander's granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway, who was still a child. Thus the Scottish lords set up a government of guardians to rule on her behalf until she came of age. Four years later, Margaret fell ill on the voyage to Scotland and died in Orkney on 26 September 1290. This left Scotland without a direct heir to the throne and several families laid claim to the throne. A period of chaos ensued and it was feared that Scotland would enter into civil war. The Scottish nobility invited King Edward I of England to arbitrate. Edward first proclaimed himself the Lord Paramount of Scotland and insisted that all contenders recognize him.

Finally in November 1292, a feudal court was held in the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed and it was adjudged that John Balliol had the strongest claim in law to the throne and thus he was made the king. John, however, proved to be a weak king and gained the ignominious names of "Toom Tabard" or "Empty Coat". Making use of the opportunity, King Edward I stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1296 and went on to defeat the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar in East Lothian. He then forced John to abdicate the throne and took over the control of Scotland in his hands and declared himself ruler of Scotland. Military Campaigns Many of the Scottish citizens were unhappy with this development and people protested against the English rule sporadically. In May 1297, William Wallace gathered a group of around 30 men and burned the Scottish town of Lanark, killing William de Heselrig, the English High Sheriff of Lanark. He then joined William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas, and they carried out the raid of Scone.

At that time, several rebellions were taking place in Scotland, including the ones led by Andrew Moray in the North. Wallace and Moray, who each led separate rebellions in the beginning met and combined their forces. Together they led an army in September 1297 and faced English army under John de Warenne, earl of Surrey, at the Forth near Stirling. The English army, with 3,000 cavalry and 8,000 to 10,000 infantrymen vastly outnumbered the Scottish forces. However, the shrewd Scottish leader came up with a plan to outwit the English. To reach the Scottish forces, the English would have to first cross over to the north side of the river Forth using a narrow bridge. The bridge was so narrow that only a few men could cross it at a time. Keeping this detail in mind, Wallace and Moray placed the Scottish forces strategically, and let about half of the English soldiers cross over, giving the English the false impression that it was safe to cross over the bridge.

The English fell into this trap, and as soon as the latter half of the soldiers began crossing, the Scots attacked them quickly and killed them as soon as they crossed. One of Wallaceâs captains led a valiant charge that forced some of the English soldiers to retreat as others pushed forward on the bridge. The bridge gave way under the overwhelming weight of the English soldiers and many of them drowned in the river below. Thus Wallace and Moray were able to secure a resounding victory for Scotland. This victory over the English boosted the morale of the citizens involved in Scotlandâs struggle for independence. The humiliating defeat of the English forces ensured that Scotland was nearly free of occupying English armies for a while. After the battle, both Moray and Wallace were given the title of Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland on behalf of King John Balliol. The brave Moray however died of the wounds suffered on the battlefield in late 1297. Around November 1297, Wallace invaded northern England and ravaged Northumberland and Cumberland counties. He was known for his brutality towards the English and he reportedly skinned a dead English soldier and kept his skin as a trophy.

Towards the end of the year, Wallace was knighted in a ceremony, at the 'Kirk o' the Forest'. Wallaceâs victories over the English revealed a lot about his moral character. The opportunistic tactics employed by Wallace greatly departed from the contemporary views on chivalric warfare which were characterized by strength of arms and knightly combat. Following their defeat, the Englishâs contempt for Wallace grew manifold. Seething from his disgraceful defeat at the hands of the Scots, Edward was not someone to give up so easily and he ordered a second invasion of Scotland in April 1298. He reportedly had more than 25,000 foot soldiers, more than half of them Welsh, and roughly around 1500 horses under his command. The English armies stormed into Lothian, plundered the region and managed to recapture some castles. All this while Wallace failed to enter the battle. The Scots at first tried to shadow the English army, intending to avoid battle until the English were forced to withdraw their forces by themselves due to shortage of supplies and money. Wallace planned to attack the tired English forces after they were depleted of their resources.

Meanwhile, the Englishâs supply fleet was delayed and by the time they reached central Scotland, the forces were tired, frustrated, and demoralized. Riots erupted within the English army and had to be put down by Edwardâs cavalry. During this time, Edward received the news that Wallace and his men had taken up position near Falkirk, preparing to attack the English. The English proceeded to attack the scheming Scots and put the Scottish archers to flight. This time the English were in a strategically superior position and forced the Scottish cavalry to withdraw. Edwardâs men fought aggressively in the battle and crushed the Scottish resistance, killing several of their major warriors. Wallace somehow managed to escape alive, but his military reputation was ruined forever. Following this inglorious defeat, Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland. The details regarding Wallaceâs whereabouts over the next few years are obscure. Some sources suggest that he went to France to request King Philip IV to send French support for Scotlandâs rebellion. It is also said that that Wallace may have intended to travel to Rome, although it is not known if he did. By 1304 most of the Scottish leaders had submitted before Edward and had accepted him as their king.

Edward meanwhile continued to pursue Wallace relentlessly. Wallace was back in Scotland by 1304 and successfully evaded arrest for a while. He was finally arrested on 5 August 1305 and was taken to Westminster Hall, where he was tried for treason and for atrocities against civilians in war. Major Battles William Wallace, along with Andrew Moray led the Scottish forces in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 against the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, and Hugh de Cressingham. The Scots were able to defeat the English in spite of being vastly outnumbered and this victory proved to be an important milestone in Scotlandâs struggle for independence against English rule. The Battle of Falkirk was another major battle Wallace fought in. When the English army led by Edward stormed into Scotland, Wallace planned to shadow the English until their resources were depleted and then launch his attack. His plan, however, backfired and the English gained a strategic advantage in the battle and proceeded to defeat the Scots. Personal Life & Legacy It is not known for sure if William Wallace ever married or not though some sources state that he was married to a lady called Marion Braidfute.

After his arrest by the English, Wallace was put on trial for high treason and brutally executed on 23 August 1305. He was first stripped naked and dragged through the city at the heels of a horse. Then he was strangled by hanging, but released before he died so that further tortures could be inflicted upon him. His stomach was cut open; the bowels pulled out and burned before his eyes. Finally he was beheaded and chopped into four pieces. After his gruesome death, his head was dipped in tar and placed on a pike atop London Bridge. His supreme sacrifice for his country however was not in vain as Scotland was able to achieve independence a few years later. He is regarded a prominent national hero in Scotland and in 1869 the Wallace Monument was erected, very close to the site of his victory at Stirling Bridge.

Translate this page to Spanish, French, Hindi, Portuguese Pictures of William Wallace William Wallace | Deadliest Warrior Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Sir William Wallace (1272 or 1273- 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight with Welsh heritage and landowner who is known for leading a resistance during the Wars of Scottish Independence and is known today in Scotland as a patriot and national hero. Wallace's father and brother were killed by an English knight; which was one of the first things that enraged him. William Wallace began his fight for independence by killing the son of the English governor of Dundee, who had been bullying Wallace and his family. In 1291 or 1292, he killed the son of an English noble, named Selby, with a dirk. However, Wallace's most well-documented early combat occurred in 1297, when he killed William Heselrig, the English Sheriff of Lanark, supposedly to avenge the murder of Marion Braidfute, a young maiden Wallace had courted and wed. On September 11, 1297, Wallace's forces won the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish forces routed the English army by funneling them across a narrow bridge, which would collapse later in the battle, sending many English soldiers to a watery grave. After the battle, Wallace was knighted, possibly by Robert the Bruce (who later become King of Scots), and was named "Guardian of Scotland and Leader of its armies." In the months that followed, Wallace led a raid on Northern England. The following year, Wallace was defeated at the Battle of Falkirk, but managed to evade capture. After this, he left Scotland on a mission to court of King Philip IV of France to plead the case for assistance to the Scottish struggle for independence. William Wallace returned to Scotland in 1303, and was involved in a series of skirmishes over the next year. Wallace evaded capture until August 5, 1305, when John de Menteith (a Scottish knight loyal to England) turned him over to the English. He was transported to London, where he was convicted of treason.

On August 23, Wallace was stripped naked and dragged through the city behind a horse, then was hanged, drawn, and quartered, strangled by hanging but released while still alive, eviscerated and had his bowels burnt before him, and was finally beheaded while his body was cut into four parts. His head was preserved in tar and placed on a pike atop London Bridge, which was later destroyed. Between 1698–1700, Scotland attempted to colonize the Americas, starting with Darien Panama. The colonization was an expensive disaster, and led to the Acts of Union in 1707, where the bankrupt Scotland joined England as the United Kingdom in order to regain their power. On September 18, 2014, Scotland voted on whether or not to seek independence from the UK. The election favored staying unified, under the condition that the UK remained in the European Union. On June 23, 2016 the UK left the European Union in an event known as 'Brexit'. This move outraged Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the two regions are considering to restart their independence movements in response.

Weapons Armor: Chain mail , Leather Cuirass Joke Weapon: Shovel Final Strike: in 3 swings of his medium range weapon, he will cut (in order) the legs off, slice through the torso while removing the arms, and then decapitate his opponent with a loud war cry. This is the bloodiest final strike in the game. Simulated Battle Edit The battle begins in a valley with William Wallace armed with his Targe and Ball & Chain. He sees Shaka Zulu running at him and readies his Ball & Chain. He swings it around and throws it at Shaka Zulu, but Shaka rolls right under it. Shaka Zulu throws his Iwisa at Wallace- who blocks it with his Targe- and then pulls out another. William Wallace pulls out his War Hammer and begins to swings at Shaka Zulu. Shaka tries to counter with his Iwisa, and the two lock weapons. William Wallace thrusts the Targe and pierces into Shaka's leg. He pulls out the Targe and tries to finish him with the War Hammer, but Shaka rolls out of the way.

Shaka tries to strike William Wallace with his Iwisa, but Wallace blocks again with the Targe and knocks the Iwisa out of Shaka's hands. Shaka Zulu readies his Zulu Axe and starts jumping around. William Wallace runs at Shaka, who tries to hit him with his Axe. Wallace ducks under the Axe and blocks with his Targe. He swings his War Hammer, but Shaka Zulu blocks with his shield and kicks Wallace away. He pulls out his Iklwa and thrusts at William Wallace, but Wallace dodges and swings the War Hammer at Shaka's legs. Shaka falls over and rolls out of the way of Wallace's Targe. Shaka swings at the Targe, preventing William Wallace from picking it up. Wallace swings the War Hammer, but it gets stuck in Shaka Zulu's shield. Wallace pulls the shield from Shaka's hands and throws it and the Hammer away. Shaka Zulu rolls away and waits with his Ilkwa and Zulu Axe in hand for Wallace, who draws his Claymore. Wallace swings at Shaka's legs, but Shaka jumps over it. He screws up the landing, however, and falls to the floor.

William Wallace tries to swing at Shaka, but is blocked by the Axe. Shaka slashes Wallace's leg with his Iklwa, forcing Wallace back. He tries to hit Shaka with the Claymore, but Shaka rolls away and dodges. Shaka Zulu turns around and tries to run away. William Wallace throws his Dirk at Shaka, but Shaka deflects it with his Iklwa. Shaka starts to climb a hill, but stops to chew on some poisonous herbs. He sees Wallace running after him and continues to run up the hill. Shaka Zulu tries to spit the poison at Wallace as he approaches, but Wallace manages to turn his head away and prevent the poison from getting into his eyes. Wallace swings his Claymore at Shaka's Zulu Axe and knocks it out of his hands. Shaka then swings his Iklwa and slashes across Wallace's stomach. Wallace swings back in retaliation and slashes Shaka's back. Shaka manages to stab Wallace in his waist, forcing him to stumble back. Shaka Zulu charges at William Wallace, but Wallace regains his balance at the last second and points his Claymore upward.

Shaka Zulu jumps at Wallace, but accidentally impales himself on the sword. William Wallace pulls the sword and throws Shaka's dead body aside before giving a loud victory cry. Expert's Opinion Edit What handed Wallace victory was that the majority of his weapons were one hit- one kill especially the Scottish claymore (which could lop off three heads in a single stroke during the testing and which Shaka Zulu's ishlangu shield offered no protection against) which earned him 319 kills alone. Back for Blood Edit William Wallace was considered for the Back for Blood Ancient matchup considering his fearsome claymore as well as the targe and dirk combo, but was dismissed due to his lack of longe range capability (the ball and chain only got one kill in the sim) and due to the fact that chainmail, which is weak against piercing weapons, didn't really serve as armor. Trivia Scottish Monarchs - Kings and Queens of Scotland - William Wallace. (c.1272-1305) Background The stalwart figure of William Wallace bestrides the pages of Scottish history like a colossus.

The inspirational Scots patriot was the second of three sons of Malcolm Wallace, a landholder of Elderslie near Paisley and Margaret Crauford. William's birthdate is a matter of dispute all that can that can be said with certainty is that it occured around 1270 - 1276. He was educated by his uncle, who may have been a parson, at Dunipace, in Stirlingshire. His father had refused to pay homage to the English king, Edward I . Malcolm descended from Richard Wallace, of Welsh extraction, who had followed the Stewart family to Scotland in the twelfth century. The surname Wallace is purported to mean Welsh, or possibly 'foreigner'. Malcolm Wallace was killed at Loudon Hill in the latter months of 1291 by an English knight named Fenwick. William himself was declared an outlaw when he killed an Englishman named Selby, who had insulted him. He later killed two English soldiers in a fracas over poaching fish.

Following the extinction in the male line of the ruling House of Dunkeld, when Alexander III inadvertantly tumbled over a cliff on a stormy night in 1286 , and the death of his only grand-daughter, the six year old Margaret, the 'Maid of Norway', Scotland was left without a monarch with no clear successor and a number of contenders vied for the honour. The formidable King Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate and his choice fell upon John Balliol (1248-c.1315), who was set up as a puppet king, with himself pulling the strings. The slighted Bruces, who had been amongst the contenders, defiantly refused to pay homage to King John. The opportune Edward I had hoped to personally gain by his involvement in Scottish affairs and in 1293 he declared the treaty of Birgham void, rendering his puppet, King John, known as Tom Tabard (i.e. empty garment) with little actual power. Edward, incensed, marched into Scotland at the head of an army. Balliol was taken prisoner to England, English overlords were appointed to govern Scotland.

The Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish kings were traditionally crowned, was carried off and placed in Westminster Abbey, where Edward humiliatingly had it incorporated beneath the English throne. Rebellion against Edward I Wallace emerged from the shadows of obscurity to carry the torch of Scottish independence in May, 1297, when he rose against William Hazelrigg, the English sheriff of Clydesdale and slew him. He was a powerful man of sturdy physique , whose height was reported to be 6'7". No contemporary portraits exist although he was described in the Scotichronicon, dating from from the fourteenth century as " a tall man with the body of a giant, cheerful in appearance with agreeable features, broad-shouldered and big-boned, with belly in proportion and lengthy flanks, pleasing in appearance but with a wild look, broad in the hips, with strong arms and legs, a most spirited fighting-man, with all his limbs very strong and firm." The effect upon the subjugated Scots was electric and supporters flocked to Wallace's cause.

Heading a rebellion in the name of King John Balliol , he succeeded in driving the English out of Perth, Stirling and Lanarkshire and laid seige to the castles of Stirling and Dundee. Andrew Moray rose simultaneously in the north, from Avoch in the Black Isle, he took Inverness and Urquhart Castle by Loch Ness. Although Wallace gained the support of the Scottish clans, he never succeeded in gaining the loyalty of the nobles. Bringing new hope to a nation staring into the abyss, with infectious courage, he defeated the English under John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey at the Battle of Stirling Bridge . Warenne offered to negotiate, urging Wallace to accept the king's peace, this was proudly rebuffed 'Tell your people that we have not come here to gain peace, but are prepared for battle, to avenge and deliver our country. Let them come up when they like, and they will find us ready to meet them even to their beards.' Wallace gained victory over the English despite being less well equipped and far outnumbered, forces lead by Wallace and Andrew Moray used clever military tactics to rout the English, and clearly exhibited to the Scots nation that the English were not invincible.

Murray, however paid a heavy price, he was badly wounded and died as a result of his injuries two months later. After Stirling Bridge, Wallace was knighted, possibly by Robert the Bruce. Wallace was appointed Guardian of Scotland, to rule in the name of the captive King John. He evoked much love and reverence from the common people who saw him as their champion and protector against English oppression. He proceeded to ravage and pillage the Northern counties of England. On 22nd July, 1298, Wallace experienced the bitter taste of defeat at Battle of Falkirk by an English army led by Edward I in person, who was eager for revenge. The English longbow wreaked havoc among the Scottish ranks, Scots casualties were great and Wallace himself was forced to flee to the mountains. With unbending commitment to the cause of Scotland's independence, he continued a guerilla war until 1299, taking refuge in the Scottish mountains and forests, after which when he went to France in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain foreign aid. The guardianship of Scotland passed jointly to Robert the Bruce , the Bishop of St.

Andrews and John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, known as the 'Red Comyn' , the nephew of John Balliol and already an enemy of the Bruces. Bruce and Comyn quarreled frequently, Bruce was reluctant to fight to support Balliol's claim and eventually resigned his commision. Trial and Execution The spirited William Wallace, unbowed, returned to Scotland in 1303 and resumed guerilla attacks in his struggle against the English. On 5th August, 1305, in an attempt to meet up with Robert the Bruce, he was treacherously betrayed by Sir John de Menteith, a fellow Scot and captured by the English in a barn at Robroyston near Glasgow. Menteith had fought on the Scottish side in the Wars of Independence but had later sworn allegiance to and made his peace with Edward I. Edward rewarded him by appointing him sheriff and keeper of Dumbarton Castle. Wallace was taken captive to London and put on trial at Westminster Hall for treason against Edward I, although he had never sworn fealty to him.

Wallace was subjected to an appalling and barbaric death, he was dragged on a hurdle from Westminster to the Tower of London and on to the Elms at Smithfield, where he was hanged, drawn and emasculated, his entrails being burned before his eyes. His decapitated head was set upon a pike at London Bridge, while his quartered body was exposed at Newcastle, Berwick, Perth and Aberdeen. William Wallace remains a national hero amongst the Scottish people. The towering mock gothic Wallace Monument at Abbey Craig, a mile to the north east of Stirling was erected in his memory in 1869 by public subscription and overlooks the site of his famous victory at Stirling Bridge. It contains what is reputed to be his 5' 4" (162cm) long sword. The First Scottish War of Independence - All Empires The First Scottish War of Independence Category: Medieval Europe: Military History William Wallace The First War of Scottish Independence started in 1296 by the English invasion of Scotland. It would end as most wars do with a treaty. The reasons for the war started much earlier than that though. During the Gaelic invasions of the 5th Century C.E.

from Ireland, the native Picts of Scotland were conquered. These warlike people, though not unlike the native Picts, would have their clans commit border raids in England during the 13th Century. England could use this as a fact to justify an invasion, but that would just not be the case. The invasion would happen based on the fights over who would take the Scottish throne after King Alexander III died. When King Alexander III of Scotland died in 1286, he left his three-year old granddaughter as his heir. In 1290, the “Guardians of Scotland”, the controlling body of nobles, signed the treaty of Birgham, which would make change the history of Scotland. This would betroth Margaret to Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King Edward I (Edward “Longshanks”the hammer of the Scots) Margaret was in Norway at the time, and on her voyage back, died shortly after reaching the Orkney Islands. Her death would lead to a surprising total of thirteen noblemen that had legitimate claims to the Scottish Throne. One of whom was Robert the Bruce. Scotland had a group of auditors to decide whom would become king.

With so many claimants, Edward I agreed to act as the arbitrator. However, his motive was not to at all a peaceful motive. It was to gain a puppet king in Scotland so that soon enough Scotland would become an English territory. The agreement was that the king that Edward selected would agree to acknowledge Edward as his overlord. In the end, John Baliol, a descendant of King David I, would be elected on August 3, 1291. He would be crowned over a year later on November 30, 1292. Obviously, King John I was not a powerful Scottish king, but just a puppet of the English. Edward I now looked to Scotland as, possibly, a future state of England, if he could gain it. However, Baliol finally did stand up for Scotland. He would sign a treaty of alliance with France and Norway(though Norway did sign the treaty, they never once would uphold it throughout history), the Auld(Old) Alliance , and this would effect history for centuries. Under this agreement, if any of the three nations were invaded by a foreign country, the other two countries in the alliance would invade the aggressor.

One example of this the Hundred Years' War, during which many Scots went to France as either warriors or mercenaries to help the French combat the English invasion. Some would even stay there as mercenaries after the war. Edward I was outraged because he was currently at war with France, so he declared war and invaded Scotland. At the Battle of Dunbar, on April 27, 1296, a Scottish army of 40,000, outnumbering the English army of 12,000 three-to-one. The English forces were commanded by Earl John de Warenne. The Scottish did have a huge terrain advantage as they held the high ground. They would try to shock they English and they charged down from it. The Scots were not as well disciplined as the English, and when the well prepared English held, the surprised Scots ran and fled, as most contemporary armies would do. Now, Edward I claimed himself as the King of Scotland. This, however, would lead to rebellion. Andrew de Moray, a Scoto-Norman mercenary knight whom probably had the most military experience of anyone in Scotland, and William Wallace, a Scottish knight of the minor gentry, would both rebel against the English.

Andrew de Moray Andrew de Moray's movement would be in Northern Scotland, while Wallace's movement would be in the south. There are two legends to why Wallace rebelled against the English. One says that two English soldiers challenged Wallace at the marketplace about his catching of fish. A violent fight soon ensued, and both of the soldiers were killed. Another legend says that Wallace had murdered the Governor of Dundee's son because he had continually insulted Wallace's family. Either way, Wallace held a great hate for the English. He would later kill the English sheriff of Lanark, William Hesselrig, because the man had brutally killed his wife. Wallace would soon lead a revolt and gain a few victories. However, the nobles of Scotland would agree to a peace treaty with the English at Irvine. This hurt the movement for rebellion, as the people may not see it fit to go against the nobles' wishes. Now, William Wallace would move his forces to join Andrew Moray's forces at Stirling, where the famous Battle of Stirling Bridge would take place. Battle of Stirling Bridge The Battle of Stirling Bridge took place on September 11, 1297.

The Scottish forces, under Moray and Wallace, numbered around 10,000-20,000 men(though some nationalistic sources will say 40,000-60,000). The English were commanded by Earl John de Warenne the same man who, though outnumbered nearly three-to-one, had beaten the Scots in 1296 at the Battle of Dunbar. He had an army of about 60,000 men, made up of elite heavy cavalry, Welsh longbowmen, and heavy infantry. Though he had a great success at the Battle of Dunbar, Earl John de Warenne would not have the same result at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Andrew de Moray and William Wallace had chosen the battleground. They chose to not “fight like honorable gentlemen” and would force the English to cross Stirling Bridge onto boggy ground, where the Scottish army awaited them. The English were to confident in their cavalry, and that was what would help undo them.

Earl John had seen how the Scots had fled at Dunbar so quickly when they saw a disciplined English force that were defeating them, and Earl John may have thought that this same thing would happen at Stirling. His infantrymen had crossed the narrow, wooden bridge of Stirling, and were about to set up infantry lines. The Scottish forces were waiting on their flank, at Ochil Hills, and had a perfect view of their army. This was a perfect situation for an ambush, and the Scots capitalized on it. His men charged into battle into the English lines, and the English soldiers were stuck between the river and the Scottish spears. These troops stood no chance against the Scots, and were thus eliminated. Behind the infantry, the English cavalry was crossing the bridge. They were also no match for spears. Many of their horses would drown, and though many tried to escape, only one would. Many of their horses would drown, and though many tried to escape, only one would. The remaining English army would split into two and retreat. This victory seemed a perfect victory for the Scots, but, there was a bad side to it.

Andrew de Morray, the man who is given very little credit throughout history, would die from his wounds a week later. It was really his idea that the Scots fight at Stirling Bridge. William Wallace would get the honor as the Guardian of Scotland from the nobles of Scotland because of this battle later in 1298. Also, it is said in legend that during the battle, William Wallace had slaughtered hundreds of English soldiers at this battle with his six-foot sword. English propaganda would make Wallace into a monstrous barbarian by saying that he had brutally killed English monks for his own amusement. Andrew de Morray would have gotten the title of “Guardian of Scotland” too, if he would have not died a week later from his wounds. The Battle of Stirling Bridge would prove to be a great victory, but the only reason that the Scots had won is because they had not drawn up into disciplined lines against the English. The English longbowmen had not been used, and the Scots would see how great that their effect could be against their light infantry at the Battle of Falkirk. The victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge gave the Scots some breathing room. The English did not invade for a while.

However, the reason for this was that Edward was preoccupied with his war in France. In 1298, the French king Philip IV would sign a truce with the English. He was breaking the terms of theAuld Alliance , which would have forced him to have war with the English. Edward now went back to England to prepare an army to invade Scotland. His army was huge, possibly of 90,000 men, and Edward I himself would command his troops at Stirling. The Scots, however, had a small army of 10,000 men. This army was made up of about 9,000 infantry and 1,000 longbowmen and cavalry. They would engage at Falkirk. The Scottish spearmen would be set up in four schiltrons, or circles of spearmen, which are very similar to the British infantry squares used at the Battle of Waterloo. Schiltrons were invented by the Scots many years earlier, and were not always the best weapon against cavalry. They were especially bad against arrow fire. The Welsh longbowmen would cause much havoc in their ranks. Once the arrow barrage was over, the English knights charged.

Many got around on the left and right flanks, and caused much havoc in the schiltrons. Before this point, the Scottish noble cavalry, that had been held in reserve had already fled the battle. This could possibly be due to the fact that Wallace had planned for them to make a suicide charge into the English ranks. The English did not only charge their cavalry though. The Irish mercenaries and Welsh longbowmen would be ordered to help the charge. However, the Welsh would refuse to. Still, the Irish mercenaries would perform well and charge into the center of the Scottish army. In the end, the Scottish army would be severely beaten. In all, nearly 9,000 Scots died. However, William Wallace would survive the battle. His position as the Guardian of Scotland would be taken away due to this loss. Robert the Bruce and John Coryn would take his place. It is possible that Andrew de Morray would have planned the battle out better. He may have made the English cross a bridge, or take some advantage of terrain. This is only speculation though. It is probable that the Scottish would have still lost to such a huge army no matter what commander they would have been under.

William Wallace would not take part in any other military campaign for the next few years. John Baliol was sent to Italy for imprisonment by the Pope. William Wallace would travel to France to seek aid. It may be possible that William Wallace did go to Italy. The English would later siege Stirling Castle in 1304. This battle was minor, as the Scottish garrison would surrender. However, it was the last major stronghold left in Scotland. The nobles would then sign a truce with Edward. It seemed that the wars would end, as William Wallace would be captured by English knights near Glasgow. However, at this same period in time, Robert the Bruce had made a secret alliance with another noblemen, William Lamberton, to try to get Robert on the throne. Wallace would be tried and found guilty of treason to his true king, Edward I, though he had never once sworn allegiance to him. His allegiance was to the absent king John Baliol. William Wallace would then be brutally executed on August 23, 1305. His head would be displayed atop a pike on London Bridge, and his limbs would be sent to Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth.

As happens many times in history, the death of a leader can become the death of a martyr. Rebellion would soon happen again in Scotland. Robert the Bruce was planning a rebellion to get himself on the throne of Scotland. He had killed his main rival, John Coryn, because John had broken a promise and told King Edward of Robert the Bruce's plans. The Pope would then excommunicate Robert the Bruce for this murder. Robert would soon be crowned by the nobles as the King of Scotland and gained about 5,000 troops to face the English at the Battle of Methven. His troops outnumbered the 3,000 English, but due to a surprise night raid, very few Scots would survive the battle. Robert the Bruce was ejected from the Scottish mainlands and went to the Western Isles where he would plan to return. In 1307, he did just that and returned back to Scotland and won many battles, which increased his army's size. Edward I would die in the very same year, and this would give Robert the Bruce much strength. His campaigns for the next seven years would free much of northern Scotland. His forces would march on Stirling castle.

The besiegers lacked siege equipment, and thus, would not be able to take a castle. The governor of the castle would send a letter calling for relief to King Edward II, and a relief force was sent. The relief force numbered some 25,000 men. It included 2,500 heavy cavalry and 2,000 Welsh longbowmen. The Scottish army of 9,000 men would meet this army at the historical battle of Bannockburn.

Question: Where did Scottish patriot William Wallace lead soldiers to a defeat of the English in 1297?
Answer: Battle of Stirling Bridge