William Wallace: The Hero Who Defied England | Heroes Of Scotland | Battlefields Of History

Sir William Wallace Patriot the national hero of Scotland he had fought valiantly for the freedom of his country but he now found himself on trial for his life the charge high treason you stand here accused of the most hideous crime of treason against the realm of his most gracious Majesty King Edward how do you ple how do you ple man speak speak I never swore filty to Edward you bring me here for an act of judicial murder [Music] [Applause] the land came to be fired with a spirit of Independence knowing what he did he did not as bondsman in service to some you L but it's Freeman nothing marching and fighting and dying for their own sakes homes our nation the man who follow William Wallace choose to do so oh Edward's men fight well but they take up arms upon instruction to fight for a pride most C by their Master we are not soldiers yet we fight for a prize far greater than any crown or pretty bble at Edward might dream off we fight for [Applause] freedom I never [Music] [Applause] everyone I God [Music] [Music] ever [Music] e [Music] [Music] politicians and pists have argued that Wallace's story and the story of Scotland's struggle for Independence are one and the same if so then both Tales can be said to commence on a Windswept Cliff path some 10 years before William Wallace emerges as a principal player in the history of Scotland when Alexander her King was deed that Scotland leid and lo and Le away with sons of Ale and breed of wine and wax of gaming and Glee on the night of the 19th of March 12 86 Alexander III the last of Scotland's Celtic Kings rode from Edinburgh to join his wife at King Horn 5 his horse stumbling the great man was thrown falling to his death over the Steep Cliff face his body was found on the Rocks the following morning Scotland had prospered during Alexander's mostly peaceful Reign his line that of Malcolm Canmore and St Margaret was less fortunate his only surviving Heir Margaret the maid of Norway 3 years old at the time of her succession died without ever setting foot on Scottish soil with the passing of the House of Canmore it was not long before the Scots Nobles began squabbling over the crown all in all there were 13 competitors for the Scots Throne fearing Civil War the Guardians of Scotland invited Edward first of England to preside over an inquiry as to which of the scotch Nobles had the strongest claim he chose John Bal son-in-law to Edward dewen Earl of su one of his most trusted Generals in return for his support the English king demanded Allegiance and custody of the most important Scottish castles many such concessions were granted enthroned at scoon on St Andrew's day 1292 Bol soon found his Southern neighbors continual demands and interventions intolerable when the English king demanded the service of scotch troops to help wage war in France the community of the realm compelled baleo to abrigate his allegiance to Edward advocating in turn a renewal of the old alliance with France Edward's response was Swift and severe he commanded that Sur lead an army of invasion against his Royal son-in-law at that time Scotland had two armies a feudal force of land owners obliged to provide a knight and a handful of followers for any conflict and the Army proper consisting of any adult males with the strength to take up Army neither had taken the field since Alexander's victory at the Battle of Lars some 30 years passed the English on the other hand had just successfully conquered Wales it was to prove a great mismatch the feudal Army was routed at dunba and John bael was forced to flee in July 1296 he surrendered to Edward's forces at starro and stripped of his Royal Insignia was imprisoned within the Tower of London imposing direct Rule and Taxation Edward now claimed outright overlordship over Scotland demanding that each Scots Noble and landowner swear an oath of allegiance to the English crown each in turn was required to add his name to a declaration acknowledging his right to rule a document guaranteeing obedience to Edward and to Su the newly proclaimed governor of Scotland it was to become known to later generations by the scornful title the ragman's role those that refused to sign found their lands titles and even their lives forfeit one such man was William Wallace born in 1270 the Second Son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elders Le rener William did not emerge from obscurity until the age of 27 for many of the details of his early life we are dependent on the work of Henry or blind Harry the minstral although Harry wrote his great ballad nearly two centuries after the death of Wallace he claimed as his authority a contemporary Latin work by John Blair s sadly this account has not survived the passing of Ages blind Harry therefore is the best source we have concerning the life of William [Music] Wallace blind Harry's epic poem The Wallace Associates the young Williams early years with dunde and AER he is said to have trained for the priesthood in dande but as the poem is not a primary source we do need to treat it with some caution [Music] some facts are more certain in May 1297 leading a small band of men Wallace burned lanard who killed the English Sheriff his R according to Legend he did so either to avenge the death of his wife or the wife of one of his comrades now with the price on his head Wallace retreated to the comparative safety of the atric forest there to plan a Guerilla campaign against s's officers and those loyal to Sir Hugo deesing him Edward's Treasurer in Scotland news of his Revolt spread quickly from all over the land we came to him fired with a spirit to Independence sure in the knowledge that what we did we did not as bondsmen in service to some feudal masterer but as free man marching and fighting and dying for ourselves our families our nation I followed the Wallace I but no as a vassel I followed proud William because I chose to do so we must have made a pretty sight a drag bag army or half staed Farmers Tanners Hammerman and the like hardly a soldier Among Us Governor sur's men laughed when we first took arms against them how could so feeble a force pose only threat to the might or the overlord they didn't he laugh long Edward Long shank's men were good soldiers I but they fought only because they were told to fight we fought for a PR far greater than only crown or pretty B the English turned might doing we fought for her [Applause] Freedom cheered by his example more and more ordinary men put down the tools of their trades and joined the resistance this was conflict through Choice rather than feudal obligation for by a People's [Applause] Army as Wallace fought in the South so did Andrew deur in the North like Wallace Murray had refused to sign the ragman's role and suffered the consequences of their Rebellion their victories were few and bought with their dearest blood but against all expectations the rebels endured a thorn in the side of the English king Su determined to put an end to the rebels once and for all in August 1297 the English army set out from baric led by Sir Richard Lundy sir Hugo de cressingham and at their head Governor Sur himself 10,000 fot soldiers 500 Cavalry s was sure that he could easily brush aside any resistance he might chance upon on the 10th of September the English army set up camp on the South Bank of the river fourth the rebels outnumbered 5 to1 Reed themselves at top Sterling's Abby Craig Under The Joint command of Wallace and deur this posed something of a problem to the west of Sterling the fourth was bounded by Pete bogs and to the east the waters flowed too wide and too fast to be crossed without boats there was of course a Ford some miles Downstream but deesing him reluctant to waste further time and the King's coin and confident of success insisted that the English force would cross via the Sterling Bridge a rickety wooden structure so narrow that only two Horsemen could cross a breast of one another a fatal error a stone broke the next morning we took our positions on the Rock watching as the English Cavalry began their slow march across the narrow walkway suddenly they stopped dead in their tracks turned slowly about and set off back the way they came the air l Sor it seems had overslept and sent word that the battle was not to start without him in time they resumed their Crossing with de cressingham now riding at their head we watched and waited as the first Horsemen began to Al light on the North [Applause] [Music] Bank many of us pleaded with our leaders to give the order to advance to let us fall upon the enemy before we were outnumbered Wallace stood his ground be patient he said or all may be lost more came spreading out below us their armor glinting in the sunlight only when the enemy was Split in Two By The River was the command given to attack and only then did we see why proud William had urged us to B our time for their arms in great numbers the English were trapped we us SP down on them from above and the bog pinning them in on either side they had nowhere to go but back the way they came across the bridge many tonged on their heels driving headlong into the still advancing forces of lundi and Su more and more piled onto the wooden walkway the bridge growing an under the great weight suddenly its supports gave way plunging its burden into the Waters of the fourth those English Knights who had remained upon the North Bank were forced into the bog or slaughtered where they stood Su was forced to watch from the other side it is said that de cressingham whose taxes had stripped the shirs from the backs of many a poor Scot was one of the first to fall Wallace with ironic savagery had the skin FedEd from his body and had it decorate the Baldrick of his sword English losses were enormous their host retreating southwards Scottish losses were few although deur was fatally wounded dying some two months after the battle now hailed as the people's Champion Wallace went on to reclaim baric and read the ter territories of North umberland in March of 1298 he was made guardian of the realm in the name of the deposed King John Bal he attempted to muster military and financial support from the continent particularly from Rome and the German cities of the htic league asking their assistance in the liberation of Scotland but none came and time was running out for Wallace [Music] Edward made plans to reoccupy his Troublesome Northern lands and establish himself once and for all as the Hammer of the [Music] Scots in the spring of 1298 Edward himself LED his army northwards to meet with Wallace's host at fuk on the 11th of July the small Cavalry Force available to him under the command of Sir John keman proved ineffective and the Scot Spears men were forced to Bear the brunt of the conflict their packed ranks made an easy target for the English longbo and the Scots Army dispersed under a hail of Aros as Fierce as that which would later be loosed at [Music] aenor defeated his country again overrun by Edward forces Wallace resigned his position as guardian and early in 1299 fled for France by doing so he hoped to enlist support for his cause in Scotland but it was to no avail with Wallace gone in the years which followed more and more of the Scots Nobles seemed prepared to accept the authority of the English Overlord former Rebels such as John Coman negotiated good terms with England and served on Edward's Scottish Council appointed to manage the land not the Kingdom so Wallace's decision to return to his homeland in 1303 was a risky Venture from the start for many months he lived the life of a fugitive attempting to rekindle support for the Rebellion until in 1305 he was finally betrayed and captured by Sir John de menth Sheriff of Darton at robroyston there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that this was the work of Robert the Bruce men a Scot had originally opposed Edward but after imprisonment in 1296 threw in his lot with the Invader and was appointed keeper of Dumbarton Castle and erl of Lennox dispatched as a prisoner to London Sir William Wallace was detained at Westminster Hall there to be tried on a charge of high treason Willam Wallace Elders Scotland you stand here accused of the most hideous crime of treason against the realm of his most gracious Majesty King Edward how do you plead how do you plead man speak speak I never swore filty to Edward you bring me here for an act of judicial [Applause] [Music] [Applause] murder all over the land they came to me fired with a spirit of Independence knowing what they did they did not as bondsmen in service to some you Lord but it's Freeman marching and fighting and dying for their own sakes homes our nation the man who follow William Wallace choose to do so Edwards men fight well they take up arms upon instruction to fight for a prize most crave by their Master we are not soldiers yet we fight for a prize far greater than any crown for pretty bble at Edward might dream off we fight for [Applause] freedom I [Applause] [Music] [Applause] never God ever alas Scotland To Whom Shall thou complain alas for pain what shall the now restrain alas thy help is fastly broke to ground thy best chieftain in breath bands as [Music] bound throughout the proceedings he refused to acknowledge the authority of the court or of the English law or the right of the English to rule in Scotland how then could he a patriot be guilty of treasonist acts against an Invader you cry me traitor on what account Sirah I am nothing more or less than an honest Scott what is my crime that I will not submit myself to the domination of Edward Long Shanks of Edward's Ministers of Edward's law can it be accounted treason for an honest man to tack up arms against an Invader one who would strive to deprive him of his land and his Liberty those things above all others which no honest man will lose but with his [Music] life alas thou has now lost thy guide of Life alas was I'll defend thee in thy re my gracious guide th greatest Governor alas s near is coming his fatal hour on the 23rd of August 1305 William Wallace of Elders Le was publicly hanged drawn and quartered his limbs sent for display to Newcastle Beric Perth and Sterling as an example to other presumptuous Rebels W shall the defend why shall the now make free alas in war why shall thy helper be and an example was served though not ironically enough in the way intended by Edward Long Shanks although Wallace has been superseded in the eyes of posterity by the more successful Robert Bruce grandson of the competitor of the same name there seems no doubt that he was an inspiration to the latter nor that his judicial Mur provided the cause of Scottish independence with the heroic martyr it so needed to Galvanize popular support his Spirit endured in the sonorous wording of the Declaration of our broth sealed by the Scots nobility nearly 15 years after Wallace's execution as long as there shall but 100 of us remain alive we will never consent to subject ourselves to the domination of the English for it is not Glory it is not riches neither is it honor but it is Liberty alone that we fight and contend for which no honest man will lose but with his life it is a peculiar irony that one of the principal signatories to this document should be Sir John demon teeth Earl of lenx the man to deliver Wallace into the hands of his [Music] [Music] executioners Throne of Scotland is empty Bruce there are many claimants mine is the strongest patience Bruce I have no desire for the throne see the stone of Destiny Scotland's Destiny in your [Music] hands and JS [Music] WS [Music] Scott s we well as BL Scott swam Bruce has often L welcome to your glory bedy Victory now's the day and knows the see the front but [Music] see approach proud Edwards B chains and [Music] slavery why will be a traitor na walk and fell a c world's gravey bases be a slave let him turn and flee are for Scotland's King and law Freedom sword will strongly draw Freeman stand or Freeman fall let him on WE [Music] Me by oppressions W and pains by your sons and cile chains we will drain our dearest veins but they shall be free lay the proud usurers low Tyrant fall in every foe Liber T and every blow let us [Music] do Scott swam Bruce has ofen L welcome to your gory [Music] bedy Victory now's the day and now's the hour see the front battle L see approach proud Edward's power chains and slavery the thing about taking a role like this is that it carries quite a heavy responsibility that for an actor it's not just another job particularly if you have a feel for this sort of thing which I do um empathy if you will I don't see myself as a freedom fighter by any means but when it's your national hero it's quite easily quite easy to become emotionally involved in a piece like this you have to give it gravitas it's not just another fooy we acting job they have to bring as much Integrity to a piece as this I've spent a long time working on this and I want it to work not just for myself that wherever this program goes hopefully all over the world it will'll have done Justice to the memory of William Wallace I bought this Shield the Bruce shield from the film The Bruce and uh it's been a great experience playing part in the film as an exra I've done a walk with the 1745 jackob btes which was all for charity as well but Wallace he's the man for me the the hero of Scotland I beat you Edward it was Victory I drove your forces back to where they came from I was a hero to my people the flowing Curr of the river forth gradually washed away the blood and the stench of your countrymen but I had made my Mark I was appointed guardian of Scotland and my power increased it grew as the unquenchable desire amongst my people grew the desire to be free the desire to be free to sweep aside your iron unjust rule to free Scotland from turny and it will continue to grow that was uh it's from a piece called W's heel it's just a short extract from a fairly lengthy monologue uh based around fictitiously obviously about Wall's time in prison uh it's been played in a few places at air dund Street Theater really uh find that does reach an awful lot of people from all over the world and it's a piece which a lot of people can relate to I mean people from Over the all over the world can relate to Wallace as the man that he was and everybody has it when the piece is performed you do get some fairly emotional responses from some people uh hasn't been unknown for some to actually you know have the the tear in the eye sort of thing it's it's a very very good piece to play it's it's quite emotional as I said it's it's powerful it's you know very very really get into it once it really gets started uh it's the thing about Wallace himself you know Wallace the man it's all he was he was a man he wasn't going out to try and be you know this huge King he wasn't looking look for personal power it was more he was looking for Scotland he was wanting Scotland to be free he was wanting himself to be free uh I think a lot of people can you know acate with that especially nowadays uh there's so much of you so many power struggles going on uh people can look at this piece and look at what's going on they can really identify with it I think I people all over the world have their own Heroes it's the same in every society there's always somebody uh in England you know that's it's Robin Hood is this big you know not so much Working Class Hero he's he's the person hero the ordinary man in the street hero Scotland there are a few people who are looked upon like that Robert the Bruce has looked upon like that Robert Burns has looked upon like that myself at the end of the day there is only really one big man in Scotland that for me it has to be M well the war the war story um is one where there's not a great deal of hard information on William bis um most of the information that we do know about him comes from blind Harry's history which was written in the 15th century and it was written at a time when the popular um culture was moving against the Nobles and in favor of the peasants and the idea that Wallace had read led a peasant Revolt not strictly true of course blind Harry told us that Wallace was a Fearless youth with a fair face light brown hair a bold eye and a strong arm and of course that's entirely subjective whether that has anything to do with the way Wallace may have looked um he certainly quotes Wallace as saying England has done as great harms to us we may not pass andely likely leave it thus um in other words the blind Harry's Wallace was very much a selfless Patriot and of course it it's a time a remote time when patriotism was something that uh was not generally um ascribed to anybody except great Nobles and Kings um so it was a kind of idea of a common persons a peasants leader um and a national Patriot that that was is portrayed and of course this now for us in a time when patriotism means so much else and such a modern confusion of of loyalties that this is a this is a great mystique and and something we can look back on and think that yes Wallace was a patriot in a time before patriotism almost William Wallace was first heard of in the early summer of 1297 um when he uh was involved in an incident which resulted in um the slaying of an English Soldier and then went on to um to kill the sh of lanarch this is an incident that's confused with other incidents of very similar nature um he was reputed to have studied at the seminary in dandi and to have been involved in a fraa with the son of the English Overlord Selby and to have slain him and an almost exactly identical type situation then of course there's the fishing trip near air where he was involved in the dispute with English soldiers again an insult was registered uh a fight resulted in the death of an English Soldier so three very similar incidents all seem to have happened in the same summer of 1297 in 1298 a year later there was the Battle of ferk where Wallace had to to go into hiding and that was the end of his brief time on the national stage um just over a year um then nothing as more has heard of him until 1305 when he was uh he was executed at tyburn so basically he's a hero who had a very brief time on National stage uh at a time when there was also other Heroes such as Andrew De Murray and even Robert Young Robert Bruce himself um unlike them he had um perhaps the virtue of dying early and dying in such a horrible manner Andrew deore of course died shortly after the battle of Sterling Bridge otherwise he might have acquired the national status that Wallace has and Robert the Bruce of course was seen to be more fighting for his own crown and dynastic Ambitions and so was perhaps more suied as a national hero most of the information on William Wallace does come from blind Harry's uh poem epic poem The Wallace which was written in the 15th century now this was clearly an attempt to cast Wallace as a secular Saint it's a it's a marur as as a popular peasants leader who became a martyr um now this is he in fact described Wallace he has a a Fearless youth with a fair face bright brown hair a bold eye and a strong arm and now whether that buils any relation at all to the real wars is is very difficult to tell but it shows you the lack of information that there genuine information that is that exists on Wallace and therefore that in itself creates a Mystique from which he can emerge clearly as a as a stereotype National Liberator figure um of course in Wales just a few years before Wallace there had been a popular leader there the well a griffi uh the Wallace story of course also being brief has the the Merit of being almost like a fable um it has everything in it it has the the selfless patriotism of Wallace himself who was fighting for no very clear personal ambitions of his own um purely out of national pride and desire to um to reinstall Scotland as an independent nation uh from from Edward I first um he also um has the the the tragedy of having been betrayed by one of his own kind sir John man teeth and when the loaf on the table was turned around the other way was turned upside down to indicate that the servant had successfully managed to steal Wallace's sword as he lay asleep in a cave nearby and then there's the bloodthirsty end uh as a traitor um which is so U provoked future waves of nationalist resentment the fact that he could be described as a traitor um when he had never taken homage in any sort to Edward I first unlike um King John Bal or and Robert the Bruce uh and many of the Nobles who subsequently led the second phase of the war of independence who in fact did pay homage to Edward the first so he he has a clear unsullied image as a national Patriot and as someone who was striving to free his country for with without any personal thoughts of reward or whatever for himself in my own way it's taking part in this program produces uh the sense that you know you feel as if you're there and you're fighting for the freedom all over again [Music] [Music] [Music] for [Music] [Music]