William Wallace

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William Wallace

  According to the respected historian, Sir Arthur Bryant, Wallace was a genius of military strategy. His invention of the schiltron made it possible for the first time ever for a heavily armoured cavalry charge to be defeated by infantry at the Battle of Stirling.

Sir William Wallace, the most popular national hero of Scotland, was born about 1270. While studying at Dundee, so tradition reports, he killed a young Englishman in revenge of an insult, and was outlawed.

He gathered around him a band of desperate men whom he led in attacks on the English. His followers and his successes increased until the English king recognized it as an insurrection, and sent an army against the insurgents, when most of the nobles deserted Wallace. He fled to the north and soon collected another army and drove the English from Scotland, and was chosen guardian of Scotland in 1297.

The English renewed the contest and the Scottish nobles again deserting, Wallace was defeated at the battle of Falkirk, 1298, and a price put upon his head.

He was captured and executed as a traitor, Aug. 22,1305, though he denied the accusation of treachery, saying he could not be a traitor to the king of England as he had never been his subject. See Early Days of Wallace, by Bute; Life by Carrick. 

Wallace is also remarkable for being the first of a new generation of commoner-heroes who arose in Europe to overthrow the feudal system. Following his execution in 1305, his fame spread across the continent, inspiring others to rise up against their oppressors. William Tell was one of them.

If you saw the 1995 movie featuring Mel Gibson you saw how much heroism the character of William Wallace displayed.  Mel Gibson wore three hats for this film, producer; director and star.