Latest / The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History / The Wars of Independence: William Wallace and the Hammer of the Scots
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've covered a lot of ground in this series — Bruce, Comyn, Bannockburn, the Jacobites — but there's one figure we haven't really touched on yet. Someone who's practically a myth, but also very real. I'm talking about William Wallace. Luna: Oh, right — Braveheart. But how much of that story is actually true? Lucas: That's exactly the question. The movie took enormous liberties. But the real Wallace is arguably more interesting. Let's set the scene: after Alexander III died in 1286, Scotland had a succession crisis. His granddaughter, the Maid of Norway, died on the way to Scotland in 1290. So you had thirteen claimants to the throne, and Edward I of England was invited to arbitrate. He chose John Balliol, but also extracted a lot of concessions. Luna: So Edward basically made himself overlord of Scotland. Lucas: Exactly. And when Balliol tried to push back, Edward invaded in 1296. He sacked Berwick — a massacre, really — then defeated the Scots at Dunbar, forced Balliol to abdicate, and took the Stone of Destiny from Scone to Westminster. For a year, Scotland was effectively a province of England. That's when Wallace stepped up. Luna: What do we know about his early life? Lucas: Not a huge amount. He was from a minor knightly family, probably born in the 1270s in Elderslie, Renfrewshire. He had some military training, but he wasn't a noble. In May 1297, he killed the English sheriff of Lanark, William de Heselrig, supposedly in revenge for the death of his wife, Marion Braidfute. That's the first recorded act of rebellion. Then he joined forces with Andrew Murray, who had raised an army in the north. Luna: And together they won Stirling Bridge. Lucas: Yes, on September 11, 1297. The English army, led by John de Warenne and Hugh de Cressingham, had a huge advantage in heavy cavalry and archers. But Wallace and Murray chose the battlefield carefully — a narrow bridge over the River Forth near Stirling Castle. They let half the English army cross, then attacked. The English were trapped on the marshy ground, and their cavalry couldn't maneuver. Cressingham was killed and his skin allegedly flayed and used as a trophy. Luna: Wait, his skin? That's brutal. Lucas: It's one of those stories that may be exaggerated, but it's recorded by the English chronicler Walter of Guisborough. After Stirling Bridge, Wallace was knighted and named Guardian of Scotland. He invaded northern England, raiding as far south as Newcastle. But his time as guardian was short. Andrew Murray died of wounds from the battle, leaving Wallace as sole leader. And then Edward I himself came north with a massive army. Luna: Falkirk, 1298. Lucas: Right. At Falkirk, Wallace arranged his infantry in four schiltrons — tight circles of spearmen, like a porcupine. It was a tactic that had worked against cavalry before. But Edward brought Welsh longbowmen, and they could shoot from a distance. The arrows rained down, breaking the schiltrons apart, and then the cavalry charged. Wallace escaped, but his reputation was shattered. He resigned as guardian and went to France, possibly seeking support from Philip IV. He may have fought for the French against the English in Flanders. Luna: So he was essentially an outlaw for the next few years. Lucas: Yes. He returned to Scotland in 1303 or 1304, but the resistance was crumbling. Most of the nobles had submitted to Edward. Wallace kept up guerrilla warfare, but he was betrayed by a Scottish knight, John de Menteith, at Robroyston near Glasgow in August 1305. He was taken to London, tried for treason — though Edward argued that as a rebel, he wasn't a true traitor — and executed. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered. His head was displayed on London Bridge, his limbs sent to Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth. Luna: That's horrifying. But his legacy lived on. Lucas: Absolutely. Within a few years, Robert the Bruce would pick up the mantle. And the memory of Wallace — the commoner who stood up to the king of England — became a powerful symbol. The Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 specifically mentions 'the liberty which no honest man loses but with his life.' That's probably a reference to Wallace. Later, in the 15th century, Blind Harry's poem 'The Wallace' turned him into a folk hero. That poem was a huge influence on the movie. But the real Wallace was more complex — a ruthless guerrilla leader who used terror, but also a brilliant tactician who gave Scotland hope when it had none. Luna: It's amazing that one person could have that much impact, even after their death. Lucas: It is. And it's a reminder that history isn't just about kings and nobles. Wallace was an unlikely hero — a knight of modest means, not a magnate. His story resonated then and still does today. There's a reason his statue is at the entrance to Edinburgh Castle. He represents something enduring about Scottish identity: defiance against overwhelming odds. Luna: I never realized how much of the Braveheart story was actually myth until now. Thanks for clearing that up. Lucas: My pleasure. There's always more to uncover. Next time, we might look at the aftermath — how Robert the Bruce built on Wallace's legacy to win Scotland's independence.