(Sir) William Wallace was a Scottish knight who was one of the leaders of the Wars of Scottish Independence. Mel Gibson’s epic film of 1995, Braveheart, while somewhat rhapsodic from an historical point of view, contributed to a renewed interest in this warrior hero. In 1286, King Alexander III of Scotland died after a fall from his horse. There being no heirs of age, the governing of Scotland was claimed by no fewer than thirteen nobles, leaving a wide open space for Edward I of England to march into. There was a great deal of civil unrest in the country, with many Scots pledging allegiance to Edward. Not our William! He and his like-minded buddies fought fiercely for Scottish independence, no doubt fired by his outrage at his own father’s death in a skirmish with the English. Wallace is said to have stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall, making him a veritable giant of his times. His prowess at the bow and sword and his skills as an equestrian added to the mythology that grew up around him. His brilliance was as a strategist, and he and his men won a huge victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, when they managed to trick so many English cavalry and footmen onto the bridge that it collapsed under them. Sir William Wallace was the man of the hour. Things did not go so well at the later Battle of Falkirk, and Wallace handed over the reins as “Guardian of Scotland†to Sir Robert Bruce, while he approached France for help. Edward I had a price on his head, and Wallace was ultimately betrayed by a Scottish knight. He was captured, accused of treason and most cruelly hanged, drawn and quartered. To his end he went proudly, never flinching and proclaiming his loyalty to a Scotland for Scots forever.
