![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() They easily slaughtered the men who had already crossed. When the English forces were cut in half - divided by the narrow bridge, which would have taken the army hours to cross - the Scots pounced. The Scots lay in wait as the English began to make their way over the Stirling Bridge, a narrow stone overpass that served as the only way to cross the river. And on September 11, 1297, they faced off against the English together at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.ĭuring this battle, Wallace and Murray relied on their superior knowledge of the terrain to win the day. Wallace and Murray’s combined efforts succeeded in liberating most of Scotland. A young Scotsman named Andrew Murray - who is not mentioned in Braveheart - had formed his own powerful army. In September 1297, it served as the background for a Scottish victory against the English.Īs William Wallace and his men fought the English in the south of the country - at Scone, Ancrum, and Dundee - a separate rebellion had begun in the north. And the men in Scotland who were “oppressed by the burden of servitude under the intolerable rule of English domination” rushed to Wallace’s side “like a swarm of bees.” Scotland Strikes Back At England So, even if Wallace had no military experience, it seems that he at least looked like he could become a mighty warrior. Centuries later, Wallace was described by Walter Brower - who wrote a history of Scotland in the 14th century - as “a tall man with the body of a giant, cheerful in appearance with agreeable features, broad-shouldered and big-boned… 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.” In Blind Harry’s telling, Wallace is seven feet tall. But legend also describes Wallace as a very tall man - who likely stood out during a time when the average male height was on the shorter side. He may have even once fought for the King of England, instead of against him, as a mercenary soldier. What made Wallace such an inspiring leader? It’s certainly possible that he had prior military experience. Many young Scottish men were inspired by Wallace’s actions - and quickly flocked to his side to fight under his banner. Instead, it was the assassination of an English High Sheriff in May 1297. Wikimedia Commons King Edward I of England invaded Scotland in 1296 and assumed power.īut Wallace’s first act of rebellion was not, as Braveheart suggests, defending the honor of his wife. To the horror of many Scots - including Wallace - he invaded the country and imposed himself as Scotland’s ruler. The English king, Edward I, took advantage of the instability. Scotland burst into a Game-of-Thrones-type jostle for power and the country threatened to teeter toward civil war. ![]() And then the heir, his granddaughter, died unexpectedly while she was en route to claim the throne. The Scottish King Alexander III died unexpectedly in 1286. The burning issue of Wallace’s day had to do with succession. So, if thirst for revenge didn’t set Wallace on his fatal course, then what did? To put it simply, politics. And some scholars have even questioned whether his wife actually existed. They were most likely not mowed down by the English. However, it seems that Braveheart took great liberties in describing the deaths of his father, brother, and even his wife. William Wallace was likely born between 12, the younger son of a Scottish landowner and knight. Wikimedia Commons William Wallace riding into battle. ![]()
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