STORM SIR WILLIAM WALLACE Sir William Wallace (
Elderslie . Ca.
1270 -
1305) was a Scottish patriot who led his countrymen to rebellion against the occupation of Scotland
by
English, under the
Wars Scottish Independence , Wallace also fought against King Edward I of England
.
The popular view consolidated Wallace often considered as a "people person", in contrast with compatriot Robert the Bruce (Robert I of Scotland
), who was of noble lineage. Wallace's family was descended from Richard Wallace (Richard the
Welsh), a landowner who lived under the early Stuart
family members, then the royal family in its own right. Wallace was born in Elderslie
in
Renfrewshire (near
Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
) around 1270, which made him even during the years of the brightest young staff, including the
1297 and 1305
.
Youth:
There are few sources of information on contemporary youth Wallace, and place much reliance on the report of
Blind Harry, written around 1470
, about two centuries after the birth of Wallace. He tells us that he was born in 'Ayrshire
his father was Sir Malcolm Wallace of Riccarton, and had two brothers, Malcolm and John.
William received his education with two uncles who were priests, and then enjoyed a higher than average culture of the time, knew both the French
the Latin
.
Blind Harry does not mention the fact that he never left the country, or who had had no military experience before 1297
. A recording of August 1296
simply refers to a thief, a William the Waleys in Perth.
Scotland at the time of Wallace:
Contrary to popular belief, John Balliol
he is entitled to the Scottish throne. However, was deemed necessary that an independent arbitrator was called in Scotland, so that no case of bias could save him move. With a wild gesture, invited the Scots
Edward I of England to decide the succession to the Scottish throne.
Instead of arriving as an independent arbitrator, he went to the Anglo-Scottish border with a large army and announced that a supreme leader, who came to settle a dispute in a vassal state, forcing each potential king to pay him homage. After hearing all claims, Edward chose John Balliol as king of what he described as the vassal state of Scotland. In March 1296
, Balliol renounced homage to Edward, and by the end of the month Edward stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed
, sacking the border town and a lot of blood shedding. In April, he defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar
in Lothian, and by July had forced Balliol to abdicate at Kincardine Castle
.
Edward went to Berwick in August to receive formal homage from some 2,000 leaders in Scotland, having previously removed the
Stone of Destiny from Scone Palace
, royal residence of Scottish kings. Scotland came to be under effective British rule.
begins firms Wallace:
The following year, 1297
, saw the beginning of the ascent of Wallace. According to local Ayrshire legend, Wallace was stopped by two British soldiers who had fished for fish. The debate is spreading to a real fight, with the result that Wallace killed the soldiers. A warrant for his arrest was issued shortly thereafter. True or false story, it is clear that Wallace had a long-standing hatred of the British, based in part on his father's death at their hands in 1291. Wallace retaliated by further loss of his father by winning battles at Loudoun Hill (near Darvel, Ayrshire) and Ayr.
In May, he fought with Sir William Douglas in Scone
, putting to flight the judicial English. The supporters of the increasingly popular revolt suffered a major blow when Scottish nobles in July dropped to terms with England, in Irvine, and in August, Wallace left his base in Selkirk forest
to join the army of Andrew
de Moray at Stirling
. Moray had kicked off another uprising, Stirling and their combined forces are prepared to meet the English in battle.
The Battle of Stirling Bridge :
L '
11 September 1297 saw a decisive victory for Wallace and the Scots at Stirling Bridge
. Despite being a large outnumbered, the Scottish forces
led by Andrew de Moray (an important noble, as eldest son), and with Wallace as their captain, routed the English army. The professional army of the Earl of Surrey
, 300-strong cavalry and 10,000 infantry met disaster as they crossed the river from the north. The bridge was too narrow because many troops could cross together (probably no more than three men side by side), so while crossing the English, the Scots waited for them and killed them as they passed.
British soldiers began to retreat while their comrades from behind pushing forward, and under too much weight, the bridge collapsed, making it drown many. Unbeknownst to the British army fell into a panic, part of the Scottish forces had forded the river further upstream. With the British army divided on both banks of the river, the two Scottish forces at the two halves of the English army to the River. It was a landslide victory and a huge confidence boost for the Scottish army.
Hugh Cressingham , the treasurer of Edward in Scotland, was killed during the battle.
After the victory, Wallace was knighted and
Guardian of Scotland 13 March 1298. Unfortunately, de Moray was severely wounded in battle and died three months later. Their alliance had proved successful, but now Wallace was alone and battles even greater to be addressed.
The Battle of Falkirk
One year later, however, the situation was reversed. On June 15
1298 the English had invaded Scotland at Roxburgh
. Sacked the
Lothian and regained some castles, but were unable to field at Wallace. The Scots had adopted a policy of scorched earth
and the mistakes made by those who had to provide supplies to the British left with little food and morals, but research by Edward Wallace would end at Falkirk
.
Wallace had placed his spearmen in four
schiltrons - circular formations in loop, surrounded by a defensive wall of wooden posts. The British gained an advantage, however, attacking first with cavalry
, and wreaking havoc on the Scottish archers. The Scottish knights fled, and Edward's men began to attack the schiltrons. It is unclear whether the decisive factor was the launch of darts, arrows and stones from the infantry or a cavalry attack from behind.
However, soon appeared in the openings schiltrons and the English exploited these to silence the remaining resistance. The Scots lost many men, but Wallace escaped, though his pride and military reputation were badly damaged it.
By the end of September 1298 Wallace decided to transfer the title of Guardian to
Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick
, and
John Comyn of Badenoch
, the brother of former King John Balliol. Bruce became reconciled with Edward in 1302
, while Wallace rejected these moves towards peace. He spent some 'time in France
, in an apparent diplomatic mission.
capture and execution of Wallace:
Sir William managed to evade capture by the British until May
1305, when Sir John de Menteith
, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward I of England
, caught him near Glasgow
. After a summary trial
, the English authorities executed him atrociously, the
August 23 1305, at Smithfield
(
London), reserved for traitors in the traditional way: he was hanged and quartered and then
. His head was impaled on a pointed pole and placed on London Bridge. The British government published his limbs in a horrific manner
Newcastle, Berwick
,
Edinburgh and Perth
.
The tombstone of photography (right) is located on a wall of St Bartholomew's Hospital
close to the execution of Wallace, in Smithfield. The Scottish patriots and other interested people frequently visit this place and will lay flowers.
Cinema [
edit] The
the film Braveheart
1995 - Fearless Heart (Braveheart) by Mel Gibson
, winner of five Oscars
, including one as best film "offers a very fictionalized account of the life of William Wallace, played by Gibson himself.
The film ends with the sentence: In the year of the Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland and hungry sovverchiati many challenges in the field of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought as Scotland. And they earned their freedom.
"Everyone dies, but not all truly live."
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