FREEDOM! The Epic Life of William Wallace

On the 23rd of August, 1305, Scotland's greatest freedom fighter, William Wallace, was tried for treason in a kangaroo court in London. He was prohibited from speaking in his own defence and was only present to hear the charges against him and his punishment. Wallace did manage to interject that he was not a traitor as he had never sworn allegiance to the English King Edward I, although this made no difference to his fate. He was given one of the most brutal death sentences in history, as Edward tried to make an example out of the iconic Scottish figure. Yet how did Wallace find himself in this position? To answer this question, we need to rewind 35 years. Wallace was born in either Renfrewshire or Ayrshire around 1270 AD, into a family of some position in society. Although little is known about Wallace's early life, a seal from 1297 depicts him as an archer and the son of Alan Wallace, who owned land in Ayrshire. By the time Wallace was in his twenties, the tensions between Scotland and England had reached breaking point. In 1296, Edward exploited a succession crisis in Scotland which had dated all the way back to the death of King Alexander III of Scotland in 1286 by invading his northern neighbour and English officials in charge of Scotland. John Balliol, who had been King of Scots since 1292, ironically after Edward had chosen him to rule Scotland in 1292, was then overthrown and imprisoned by Edward in 1296, after he defied the wishes of the English King, sparking the First Scottish War of Independence. Wallace reveals himself to history again in May 1297, when he led an uprising in the Scottish town of Lanark, murdering the English Sheriff of Lanark, William Heselrig. This was potentially an act of revenge against Heselrig's mistreatment of Wallace's lover, although other historians argue that this was merely part of a wider Scottish rebellion against English rule. Regardless of the reason, Wallace's actions at Lanark gained him supporters and allies, with Wallace going on to lead successful campaigns against English rule in Fife and Perthshire. Wallace's most successful victory came a few months later, however, at Stirling Bridge, when he joined forces with Andrew Murray, also known as Andrew du Maurier, who had led campaigns in the north against English forces. Before the battle even began, Wallace and Murray demonstrated their strategic prowess by placing their army on a hill called the Abbey Craig, north of the River Forth, where Wallace's monument stands today. This left the approaching English army only one point at which to cross the river, Stirling Bridge, which was so narrow that only two horsemen could cross side by side. On the 11th of September 1297, the English army began to slowly cross the bridge. After around half the army had crossed, Wallace and Murray deployed their forces, which decimated the English army on the north side of the river, whilst the rest of the English army stood helplessly watching from the other side of the river. Some accounts suggest that part of the bridge even collapsed at some point during the battle from the weight of the army, forcing many English soldiers to drown in the river in an attempt to escape the onslaught. It was a decisive victory for the Scots, although not without its costs. Murray was severely wounded in the battle and died a few months later. Wallace was recognised for his achievements, however, and was appointed Guardian of Scotland shortly after the battle. Following the death of Alexander III in 1286, Scotland had turned to Guardians as a political solution to the lack of a unifying king, with Guardians controlling government affairs. During his time as Guardian, Wallace led Scottish campaigns into northern England. In response to the attacks and the growing autonomy of Scotland, Edward marched a massive army north. Wallace, who was reluctant to meet the English force in a pitched battle, gradually withdrew deeper into Scotland, employing a Scotsdelf policy by destroying the land as he went. Wallace's Scotsdelf policy almost worked, as by the Edward was considering retreating back into England, as his army was starving and in disarray due to fragmented supply lines. Edward's retreat was stopped only by the news from two traitorous Scottish heralds that Wallace's army was only around 20 miles ahead. After a swift march north, the two armies met at Falkirk on the 22nd of July 1298. The Battle of Falkirk is one of the most famous Scottish defeats during the First War of Independence, as the English cavalry overwhelmed the Scots, forcing Wallace to flee with a small group of men when defeat was obvious. Shortly after the defeat at Falkirk, Wallace resigned his guardianship and travelled initially to France to drum up support for the cause of Scottish independence and for the restoration of John Balliol as king. The French, however, needed Edward's support to squash an uprising in Flanders, and offered Wallace little support. The King of France, Philip IV, initially arrested Wallace and offered to transfer him back to Edward in London. Edward refused, however, only wishing that Wallace be kept in France, and over the next few years, Wallace appears to have built up a relationship with Philip, with the French king even referring to the Scot in one letter as our beloved William Lou Waller of Scotland. In fact, part of a letter from Philip to his officials in the Vatican that mentions Wallace by name was found in the Tower of London in the 1830s, although the exact nature of the letter is unclear. It is thought that Wallace planned to travel to after his spell in France, but whether he reached his destination is unknown. Wallace is thought to have returned to Scotland in 1303, at a time when the Scottish nobility were signing agreements with the English king. By 1304, the vast majority of Scottish nobles had agreed to a truce with England. According to English sources, Wallace was twice offered to submit to the English king during this period, but Wallace always refused. In 1304, Wallace was declared an outlaw by the St Andrew's Parliament, meaning he could be executed on the spot. Edward was now determined to capture Wallace, hoping to turn the Scots against their former guardian by offering bribes and rewards for anyone who turned him in. In early August 1305, Edward's strategy had worked, as the keeper of Dumbarton Castle, John Menteith, had captured Wallace, who was subsequently transferred to London. The first part of Wallace's death sentence consisted of him being dragged behind horses for more than four miles in front of jubilant crowds. He was then slowly hanged, but deliberately not killed, as he was cut down and first disemboweled, then castrated. Next, his internal organs were burned. Finally, Wallace was beheaded and quartered. His head was displayed on London Bridge, and his limbs were sent to Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth. Despite such a brutal death, however, his legacy lives on today. Edward's desire to make an example out of Wallace never worked particularly well. Scotland rose again shortly after Wallace's death and dealt a blow to England at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. For more modern audiences, the brutal death sentence given to Wallace only adds to the almost unbelievable Hollywood story. 715 years after Wallace was executed, he remains a symbol of freedom around the world.