William Wallace Totally Explained

Sir William Wallace (La. Villemus Valensis) (c. 1272/76 – August 23, 1305) was a knight and Scottish patriot, who led a resistance against the English occupation of Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Wallace was the inspiration for the poem, The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie, by the 15th century minstrel, Blind Harry. The 1995 film Braveheart is based on the poem.

Background

Wallace's birthdate and birthplace are disputed. While some suggest Wallace was born around 1270, the 16th century work, History of William Wallace and Scottish Affairs, claims 1276 as his year of birth. The general consensus is that he was born in that decade but precisely when is something which may never be known. Traditionally his birthplace is claimed to be Elderslie, near Johnstone in Renfrewshire. However recently it has been claimed that he came from the village of Ellerslie in Ayrshire.
   In support of the Ellerslie origins some proposed that William's traditional father—known as Malcolm Wallace until recently when David Wallace's seal was found — David Wallace of Low Fell, a knight and vassal to James the Steward, actually came from Riccarton, Ayrshire, near Loudoun. To the contrary, the Elderslie origins are defended with the arguments that Ellerslie is a former mining village, known only from the 19th century, whereas Elderslie is known from earlier. Wallace's first action was at Lanark, which is about east of Elderslie and Ellerslie. Afterward he moved into Ayrshire to join some Scottish nobles who were fighting the English at Irvine.
   Tradition often describes Wallace as "a common person" in contrast to his countryman, Robert the Bruce, who came from the upper nobility. In fact Wallace's family were minor nobles (parish gentry) descending from Richard Wallace the Welshman (the name Wallace may mean "Welsh", or possibly 'foreigner') a landowner under an early member of the House of Stuart, which later 1296 as "crown tenant of Ayrshire" and concludes "'Sir' William Wallace was a younger son of Alan Wallace, a crown tenant in Ayrshire". Wallace was allegedly educated in Latin by two uncles who had become priests. Blind Harry doesn't mention Wallace's departure from Scotland or that Wallace had combat experience prior to 1297, probably because he didn't have any. The 'war' in which, Harry says, Wallace senior was killed, didn't actually take place. England and Scotland were at peace for three generations before Edward I's invasion of 1296.
   At the time of Wallace's birth, King Alexander III had reigned for over 20 years. His rule had seen a period of peace and economic stability, and he'd successfully fended off continuing English claims to sovereignty. In 1286, Alexander died after falling from his horse. None of his children survived him. The Scottish lords declared Alexander's four-year-old granddaughter, Margaret (called "the Maid of Norway"), Queen. Due to her young age, the Scottish lords set up an interim government to administer Scotland until Margaret came of age. King Edward I of England (popularly known as "Longshanks," among other names) took advantage of the instability by arranging the Treaty of Birgham with the lords, betrothing Margaret to his son, Edward, on the understanding that Scotland would preserve its status as a separate kingdom. Margaret, however, fell ill and died at only seven years of age (1290) on her way from her native Norway to Scotland. A number of claimants to the Scottish throne came forward almost immediately.
   With Scotland threatening to descend into a dynastic war, the "leading men" of the realm invited Edward's arbitration - as a powerful neighbour and significant jurist he could hardly be ignored. Before the process could begin, he insisted, despite his word to the contrary, that all of the contenders recognize him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. After some initial resistance, all, including John Balliol and Robert Bruce, the chief contenders, accepted this precondition. Finally, in early November 1292, at a great feudal court held in the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed, judgment was given in favour of John Balliol having the strongest claim in law. Formal announcement of the judgment was given by Edward on 17 November.
   Although the outcome of the Great Cause had been both fair and legal, Edward proceeded to use the political concessions he'd gained to undermine the independence of Scotland and to make King John's position difficult. Balliol broke his promise and renounced his homage in March 1296 and by the end of the month Edward stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then-Scottish border town. He slaughtered almost all of his opponents who resided there, even if they fled to their homes. In April, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) in Lothian and by July Edward had forced Balliol to abdicate at Kincardine Castle. Edward then instructed his officers to receive formal homage from some 1800 Scottish nobles (many of the rest being prisoners of war at that time), having previously removed the Stone of Destiny, the Scottish coronation stone, from Scone Palace, and taken it to London.

Military career

Wallace's exploits begin

Blind Harry invented a tale that Wallace's father was killed along with his brother John in a skirmish at Loudoun Hill in 1291 by the notorious Lambies, who came from the Clan Lamont.
   According to local Ayrshire legend, two English soldiers challenged Wallace in the Lanark marketplace regarding his catching of fish. According to various historians, including John Strawhorn, author of The History of Irvine, the legend has Wallace fishing on the River Irvine. He had been staying with his uncle in Riccarton. A group of English soldiers approached, whereupon the leader of the band came forward and demanded the entire catch. Even after Wallace offered half of his fish, the English refused such diplomacy and threatened him with death if he refused. Wallace allegedly floored the approaching soldier with his fishing rod and took up the assailant's sword. He set upon the entire team of English soldiers with stereotypical success. The argument had escalated into a brawl and two English soldiers were killed. Blind Harry places this incident along the River Irvine with five soldiers being killed. The authorities issued a warrant for his arrest shortly thereafter. According to a plaque outside St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of Dundee, however, William Wallace began his war for independence by killing the son of the English governor of Dundee after he'd made a habit of bullying Wallace and his family. This story perhaps has more weight because it's speculated that Wallace may have attended what is now the High School of Dundee, and spent some of his time growing up in the nearby village of Kilspindie.
   Wallace's activities before 1297 are completely undocumented, but Harry states that Wallace was under the protection of his uncle Ronald Crawford, Sheriff of Ayrshire. He used this relationship to his advantage and there are unconfirmed reports of his early career as a petty criminal. In the period from 1296-1297 Wallace was involved in several actions where the English invariably lost.
   Wallace allegedly slew and dismembered William Heselrig, the English Sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297, purportedly to avenge the death of Marion Braidfute of Lamington — the young maiden Wallace courted and married in Blind Harry's tale. Soon, he achieved victory in skirmishes at Loudoun Hill (near Darvel, Ayrshire) and Ayr; he also fought alongside Sir William Douglas the Hardy at Scone, routing the English justiciar, William Ormesby. Towns such as Aberdeen, Perth, Glasgow, Scone, Dundee, and all lands north of the Firth of Forth were freed.
   In 1296/97, he was allegedly involved in an event which would later come to be known as Wallace's Larder. He is said to have lured the English occupiers of Ardrossan Castle out of their holding and into the town whereupon he set upon them one at a time. After successfully retaking the castle, Wallace had the bodies of the English thrown into a tunnel which can still be seen today.
   See Wallace's Larder for images.
   Supporters of the growing revolt suffered a major blow when Scottish nobles were forced to come to terms with the English at Irvine in July. In August, Wallace left Selkirk Forest with his followers to join Andrew Moray at Stirling. Moray began another uprising, and their forces combined at Stirling, where they prepared to meet the English in battle.
   According to Harry, these hit and run tactics eventually led King Edward to address the problem by executing most of the Council of Barons in the Barns of Ayr (June 1297), with a similar event in Renfrewshire - although these events are of questionable veracity. Ronald Crawford was apparently first to be hanged, sending Wallace, who had arrived at the location late after running an errand for his uncle, into action and killing the entire English garrison in Ayr, locking the doors as the garrison slept and firing the structures. Wallace and his men retired to Selkirk Forest for safety. When word reached the Crawford family that Ronald had been killed, Ronald's son, William, joined Wallace in the forest.
   As Wallace's ranks swelled, information obtained by John Graham prompted Wallace to move his force from Selkirk Forest to the Highlands, though there's no historical evidence to suggest that Wallace ever left the Lowland areas of Scotland other than his visit to France and his trip to the scaffold in London.

The Battle of Stirling Bridge

On 11 September, 1297, Wallace won the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish forces led by Wallace and Andrew Moray routed the English army. The Earl of Surrey's professional army of 3,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry met disaster as they crossed over to the north side of the river. The narrowness of the bridge prevented many soldiers from crossing together (possibly as few as three men abreast), so while the English soldiers crossed, the Scots held back until half of them had passed and then killed the English as quickly as they could cross.
   A pivotal charge, led by one of Wallace's captains, caused some of the English soldiers to retreat as others pushed forward, and under the overwhelming weight, the bridge collapsed and many English soldiers drowned. Harry claims that the bridge was rigged to collapse by the action of a man hidden beneath the bridge. The Scots won a significant victory which hugely boosted the confidence of their army. Hugh Cressingham, Edward's treasurer in Scotland, died in the fighting. Cressingham's skin was allegedly tanned and used to make trophy belts and sporrans by the Scots. William Crawford led 400 Scottish heavy cavalry to complete the action by running the English out of Scotland. It is widely believed that Moray died of wounds suffered on the battlefield sometime in the winter of 1297-98, but an inquisition into the affairs of his uncle, Sir William Moray of Bothwell, held at Berwick in late November 1300, records he was "slain at Stirling against the king."
   Upon his return from the Battle of Stirling Bridge, Wallace was knighted along with his second-in-command John Graham and his third-in-command William Crawford, possibly by Robert the Bruce, and Wallace was named "Guardian of Scotland and Leader of its armies".
   In the six months following Stirling Bridge, Wallace led a raid into northern England. His intent was to take the battle to English soil to demonstrate to Edward that Scotland also had the power to inflict the same sort of damage south of the border. Naturally, Edward was infuriated but he refused to be intimidated.

The Battle of Falkirk

A year later, Wallace lost the Battle of Falkirk. On 1 April, 1298, the English invaded Scotland at Roxburgh. They plundered Lothian and regained some castles, but had failed to bring Wallace to combat. The Scots adopted a scorched-earth policy in their own country, and English quartermasters' failure to prepare for the expedition left morale and food low, but Edward's search for Wallace wouldn't end at Falkirk.
   Wallace arranged his spearmen in four "schiltrons" — circular, hedgehog formations surrounded by a defensive wall of wooden stakes. The English gained the upper hand, however, attacking first with cavalry, and breaking up the Scottish archers. The Scottish knights withdrew, and Edward's men began to attack the schiltrons. It remains unclear whether the infantry firing bolts, arrows and stones at the spearmen proved the deciding factor, although it's very likely that it was the arrows of Edward's bowmen.
   Either way, gaps in the schiltrons soon appeared, and the English exploited these to crush the remaining resistance. The Scots lost many men. Wallace escaped, though his military reputation suffered badly. John Graham was killed and William Crawford became Wallace's second. According to one account, during his flight Wallace fought and killed Brian de Jay, master of the English Templars in a thicket at Callendar.
   By September 1298, Wallace had decided to resign as Guardian of Scotland in favour of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and John Comyn of Badenoch, ex-King John Balliol's brother-in-law. Bruce became reconciled with King Edward in 1302, while Wallace spurned such moves towards peace.
   According to Harry, Wallace left with William Crawford in late 1298 on a mission to the court of Philip le Bel King of France to plead the case for assistance in the Scottish struggle for independence. On their trip down the English coast, the small convoy ran into the infamous pirate Richard Longoville, also known as the Red Reiver for his red sails and ruthless raids. Hiding in the hold of the ship while Crawford and a small contingent of men sailed, Wallace surprised the pirates as they boarded the ship. Longoville was captured and taken to Paris where the Scots convinced Phillip to grant amnesty so that Longoville could prey on English ships. This last story is one of many recorded by Blind Harry for which there's no evidence. Harry also invented a major action against Edward I at Biggar, which, though often cited, never actually occurred.
   Modern tradition asserts that he served with the Garde Écossaise in France - despite the fact that the Guards wouldn't be formed for more than 100 years - in two battles with the English which history hasn't recorded and made a side trip to Rome to plead for Scotland, which, similarly, was never recorded. In 1303, Squire Guthrie was sent to France to ask Wallace and his men to return to Scotland, which they did that same year. They slipped in under the cover of darkness to recover on the farm of William Crawford, near Elcho Wood. Having heard rumors of Wallace's appearance in the area, the English moved in on the farm. A chase ensued and the band of men slipped away after being surrounded in Elcho Wood. Here, Wallace took the life of one of his men that he suspected of disloyalty, in order to divert the English from the trail.

Wallace's capture and execution

Wallace evaded capture by the English until 5 August 1305 when John de Menteith, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward, turned Wallace over to English soldiers at Robroyston near Glasgow. Wallace was transported to London and tried for treason and the execution of civilians and prisoners at Westminster Hall where he was crowned with a garland of oak to suggest that he was the king of outlaws. He responded to the treason charge, "I couldn't be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject." With this, Wallace asserted that the absent John Balliol was officially his king. Wallace was declared guilty.
   Following the trial, on 23 August 1305, Wallace was taken from the hall, stripped naked and dragged through the city at the heels of a horse to the Elms at Smithfield. He was hanged, drawn and quartered — strangled by hanging but released while still alive, emasculated, eviscerated and his bowels burnt before him, beheaded, then cut into four parts. His preserved head was placed on a pike atop London Bridge. It was later joined by the heads of his brothers, John, and Simon Fraser. His limbs were displayed, separately, in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Aberdeen.
   A plaque stands in a wall of St. Bartholomew's Hospital near the site of Wallace's execution at Smithfield. Scottish patriots and other interested people frequently visit the site and flowers often appear there.
   The Wallace Sword, which supposedly belonged to Wallace, although some parts are at least 160 years later in origin, was held for many years in Loudoun Castle and is now in the Wallace National Monument near Stirling.

Portrayal in fiction

Comprehensive and historically accurate information was written about Wallace, but many stories are based on the wandering 15th century minstrel Blind Harry's epic poem, "The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie", written around 1470. Historians either reject almost all of the parts of Blind Harry's tale, or dismiss the entire composition. Although Blind Harry wrote from oral tradition describing events 170 years earlier, giving rise to alterations of fact, Harry's isn't in any sense an authoritative description of Wallace's exploits. Indeed, hardly any of Harry's work is supported by circumstantial evidence including names from land charters, the Ragman Roll, and religious and public office holders and their archives. While not all details are consistent, the general flow is consistent with contemporary histories. Several modern writers note that the Bishop of St. Andrew's did commission a friar to write a first-hand account of Wallace's exploits, but the existence, let alone the disposition of this manuscript isn't known.
   Blind Harry's poem Barns of Ayr, for example, describes a mythical incident when three hundred and sixty Scottish nobles, led by Wallace’s uncle, Ronald Crawford, were summoned by the English to a conference in Spring of 1297. As each passed through a narrow entry, a rope was dropped around his neck and he was hanged. It is speculated that Blind Harry misread a line from an earlier poem about Robert the Bruce, which tells how certain Scottish nobles were hanged "in ar" (a legal term meaning "by a circuit court"). There is no evidence that Harry ever read the earlier poem; however, it would be most surprising if he'd not, since The Bruce (by John Barbour) was certainly the most famous Scottish book of the time. (There is some uncertainty about how Blind Harry could read anything, if his name is apt.) The incident as described by Blind Harry does appear in the 1995 film Braveheart with even less accuracy, placing the event in the childhood of Wallace and ignoring the murder of his uncle Crawford. Nevertheless, Ronald Crawford did die at this time and his son replaced him as Sheriff of Ayrshire, giving some credence to the story.
   In the early 19th century, Walter Scott wrote of Wallace in Exploits and Death of William Wallace, the "Hero of Scotland", and Jane Porter penned a romantic version of the Wallace legend in The Scottish Chiefs in 1810. G.A. Henty wrote a novel in 1885 about this time period titled In Freedom's Cause. Henty, a producer of Boys Own fiction who wrote for that magazine, portrays the life of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, The Black Douglas, and others, while dovetailing the novel with historical fiction. Nigel Tranter wrote a historical novel titled The Wallace, published in 1975, which is said by academics to be more accurate than its literary predecessors.
   Perhaps the best known account of the life of William Wallace is the 1995 film Braveheart, directed by and starring the actor Mel Gibson, written by Randall Wallace, and filmed in both Scotland and Ireland. This film was a commercial and critical success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. While the film is allegedly based on historic events, it contains numerous historical errors. The most prominent factual error is the suggestion that Wallace sired Edward III, someone born seven years after his death, through a romance with Isabella of France, a ten year old child at the time of his death whom he never met. Additionally, the nickname "braveheart" originally referred to Robert the Bruce, not Wallace. Furthermore, William Wallace and, future king, Robert Bruce never actually met and were fighting effectively on different sides. Wallace was fiercely loyal to King John Balliol while Robert Bruce upheld his own claim to the Scottish throne.
   In March of 1998 Iron Maiden released the album Virtual XI which contained the 8:59 epic track "The Clansman", loosely based on the life of William Wallace. Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris states that the song was inspired by the films Braveheart and Rob Roy, starting first as two separate songs before they were melded into one.
   A Wallace character has featured in a number of computer games including Age of Empires II andMedieval 2 Kingdoms.

Bibliography

Brown, Chris. William Wallace. The True Story of Braveheart. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd, 2005. ISBN 0-7524-3432-2.
Clater-Roszak, Christine. "Sir William Wallace ignited a flame." Military History 14 (1997): 12–15. .
Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. London: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1973, 519-20.
Harris, Nathaniel. Heritage of Scotland: A Cultural History of Scotland & Its People. London: Hamlyn, 2000. ISBN 0-600-59834-9..
MacLean, Fitzroy. Scotland: A Concise History. London: Thames & Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0-500-27706-0.
Morton, Graeme. William Wallace. London: Sutton, 2004. ISBN 0-7509-3523-5.
Reese, Peter. William Wallace: A Biography. Edinburgh: Canongate, 1998. ISBN 0-86241-607-8.
Loudoun, Darren John. Scotlands Brave. Sydney: Paragon Books, 2007.
Scott, Sir Walter. "Exploits and death of William Wallace, the 'Hero of Scotland'."
Stead, Michael J., and Alan Young. In the Footsteps of William Wallace. London: Sutton, 2002.
Tranter, Nigel. The Wallace: The Compelling 13th century Story of William Wallace. McArthur & Co., 1997. ISBN 0-3402-1237-3.
Wallace, Margaret. William Wallace: Champion of Scotland. Musselborough: Goblinshead, 1999. ISBN 1-899874-19-4.

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