William Wallace
Sir William Wallace (c.1270 – 23 August, 1305) was a Scottish knight who led a resistance to the English occupation of Scotland during significant periods of the Wars of Scottish Independence. William was the inspiration for the historical novel The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie written by the 15th century minstrel Blind Harry. The novel is responsible for much of the legend encompassing the history of William Wallace.
Origins
Tradition often describes Wallace as "one of the common people," in contrast to his countryman, Robert the Bruce, who came from the upper nobility. More likely, Wallace's family were minor gentry, descending from Richard Wallace the Welshman, a landowner under an early member of the House of Stuart, which later became the Royal House of Scotland.
While some suggest Wallace was born around 1270, the 16th century work History of William Wallace and Scottish Affairs claims 1276 as his year of birth.
Due to the lack of conclusive evidence, Wallace's birthdate and birthplace are disputed. Traditionally, the birthplace of William Wallace is claimed to be Elderslie, near Paisley in Renfrewshire; although it has been suggested that his birthplace was closer to Ellerslie, an alternative name for Riccarton, near Hurlford and Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. In support of the Ellerslie origins, some proposed that William's traditional father, Alan Wallace of Elderslie (was known as Malcolm Wallace until recently when they rediscovered William Wallace's seal), a knight and vassal to James the Steward, actually came from Riccarton, Ayrshire, from nearby Loudoun. There are also strong family connections to Craigie Castle, southeast of Kilmarnock. Some of Wallace's earliest actions were in Ayrshire, and local tradition has the dispute with English soldiers over fish not in Lanark but west of Riccarton at a site known as the "Bickering Bush".
To the contrary, the Elderslie origins are defended with the arguments that Ellerslie is a former mining village known only from the 19th century, whereas Elderslie is known from earlier. Wallace's first action was at Lanark, which is near neither Elderslie nor Ellerslie, and afterward he moved into Ayrshire to join some Scottish nobles who were fighting the English at Irvine.
The 1999 rediscovery of William Wallace's seal further enshrouds Wallace's early history in mystery. While tradition claims Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie as the father of three sons, Malcolm, John, and William Wallace, the seal identifies William as the son of Alan Wallace of Ayrshire, who appears in the Ragman Roll of 1296 as "crown tenant of Ayrshire". Dr. Fiona Watson in "A Report into Sir William Wallace's connections with Ayrshire", published in March 1999, reassesses the early life of William Wallace and concludes, "Sir William Wallace was a younger son of Alan Wallace, a crown tenant in Ayrshire". Historian Andrew Fisher, author of William Wallace (2002), writes, "If the Alan of the Ragman Roll was indeed the patriot's father, then the current argument in favour of an Ayrshire rather than a Renfrewshire origin for Wallace can be settled".
Wallace was educated in French and Latin by two uncles who had become priests. Blind Harry does not mention Wallace's departure from Scotland or that Wallace had combat experience prior to 1297. A record from August 1296 references "a thief, one William le Waleys" in Perth.
Scotland in Wallace's time
At the time of Wallace's birth, King Alexander III had reigned for over twenty years. His rule had seen a period of peace and economic stability, and he had successfully fended off continuing English claims to suzerainty. In 1286, Alexander died after falling from his horse; none of his children survived him. The Scottish lords declared Alexander's four year-old granddaughter, Margaret (called "the Maid of Norway"), Queen. Due to her age, they set up an interim government to administer Scotland until she came of age. King Edward I took advantage of the potential instability by arranging the Treaty of Birgham with the lords, betrothing Margaret to his son, Edward, on the understanding that Scotland would preserve its status as a separate nation. But Margaret fell ill and died at only eight years old (1290) on her way from her native Norway to Scotland. A number of claimants to the Scottish throne came forward almost immediately.
With Scotland threatening to descend into a dynastic war, the leading men of the realm invited Edward's arbitration. Before the process could begin, he insisted that all of the contendors recognize him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. After some initial resistance, all, including John Balliol and Robert Bruce, the chief contendors, accepted this precondition. Finally, in early November 1292, at a great feudal court held in the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed, judgment was given in favour of John Balliol, having the strongest claim in law. Formal announcement of the judgment was given by Edward on 17 November.
Although the outcome of the Great Cause had been both fair and legal, Edward proceeded to use the political concessions he had gained to undermine the independence of Scotland, and to make King John's position intolerable. Goaded beyond endurance, Balliol renounced his homage in March 1296, and by the end of the month Edward had stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then Scottish border town with much bloodshed. He slaughtered almost everyone who resided there, even if they fled to the churches. In April, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) in Lothian, and by July Edward had forced Balliol to abdicate at Kincardine Castle. Edward went to Berwick in August to receive formal homage from some 2,000 Scottish nobles (see Ragman Roll), having previously removed the Stone of Destiny from Scone Palace, the stone on which all of the Kings of Scots had been crowned.
Wallace's exploits begin
According to local Ayrshire legend, two English soldiers challenged Wallace in the Lanark marketplace regarding his catching of fish. The argument escalated into a brawl in which the two soldiers were killed. The authorities issued a warrant for his arrest shortly thereafter. According to a plaque outside St Paul's Cathedral in the City of Dundee however, William Wallace began his war for independence by murdering the son of the English governor of Dundee after he had made a constant habit of bullying him and his family. This story perhaps has more weight because Wallace attended what is now the High School of Dundee, and spent some of his time growing up in the nearby village of Kilspindie.
Wallace murdered Sir William Heselrig, the English Sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297, and dismembered his corpse, supposedly to avenge the death of Marion Braidfute of Lamington — the young maiden Wallace allegedly courted and married in Blind Harry's tale. No evidence exists to corroborate this detail. Soon, he achieved victory in battles at Loudoun Hill (near Darvel, Ayrshire) and Ayr; he also fought alongside Sir William Douglas in Scone, routing the English justiciar, William Ormesby. Supporters of the growing revolt suffered a major blow when Scottish nobles agreed to terms with the English at Irvine in July. In August, Wallace left Selkirk Forest to join Andrew Moray's army at Stirling. Moray began another uprising, and their forces combined at Stirling, where they prepared to meet the English in battle.
Guerrilla Warfare
William Wallace led his troops in the style of guerrilla warfare before Stirling and after Falkirk; it is even said Stirling itself was an ambush. It is unknown what Wallace was doing between 1294 and 1296. It is said he snuck into Lanark and killed the sheriff to avenge Marion Buderfly (his wife according to Blind Harry). This would be an ambush. Around 40 or so of his supporters went with him. Thanks to his tactics, towns such as, Aberdeen, Perth Glasgow, Scone,Dundeevand all land north of the Forth were freed.
The Battle of Stirling Bridge
On 11 September, 1297, Wallace achieved victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish forces led by Wallace and Andrew Moray (a more prominent noble, being a first son), routed the English army. The Earl of Surrey's professional army of 300 cavalry and 10,000 infantry met disaster as they crossed over to the north side of the river. The narrowness of the bridge prevented many soldiers from crossing together (possibly as few as three men abreast), so while the English soldiers crossed, the Scots held back until half of them had passed and then killed the English as quickly as they could cross.
A pivotal charge was led by Hamish Campbell, Wallace's long time companion and one of his captains. English soldiers started to retreat as others pushed forward, and under the overwhelming weight, the bridge collapsed and many English soldiers drowned. The Scots won a significant victory which hugely boosted the confidence of their army. Hugh Cressingham, Edward's treasurer in Scotland, died in the fighting. Moray died of wounds suffered on the battlefield three months after the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Upon his return from the Battle of Stirling Bridge, Wallace was knighted, possibly by Robert the Bruce, and Wallace was named "Guardian of Scotland and Leader of its armies", now Sir William Wallace.
The Battle of Falkirk
A year later the military tables turned at the Battle of Falkirk. On 1 April, 1298, the English had invaded Scotland at Roxburgh. They plundered Lothian and regained some castles, but had failed to bring Wallace to combat. The Scots had adopted a scorched-earth policy, and English suppliers' mistakes had left morale and food low, but Edward's search for Wallace would end at Falkirk.
Wallace had arranged his spearmen in four "schiltrons" — circular, hedgehog formations surrounded by a defensive wall of wooden stakes. The English gained the upper hand, however, attacking first with cavalry, and wreaking havoc through the Scottish archers. The Scottish knights fled, and Edward's men began to attack the schiltrons. It remains unclear whether the infantry throwing bolts, arrows and stones at the spearmen proved the deciding factor, although it is very likely that it was the arrows of Edward's bowmen.
Either way, gaps in the schiltrons soon appeared, and the English exploited these to crush the remaining resistance. The Scots lost many men, but Wallace escaped, though his military reputation suffered badly. According to one account, during his flight Wallace fought and killed Brian de Jay, master of the English Templars in a thicket at Callendar.
By September 1298, Wallace had decided to resign as Guardian of Scotland in favour of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and John Comyn of Badenoch, ex-King John Balliol's brother-in-law. Bruce became reconciled with King Edward in 1302, while Wallace spurned such moves towards peace. He spent some time in France on a presumed diplomatic mission, although the true reason is unknown.
Wallace's capture and execution
Sir William evaded capture by the English until 5 August, 1305, when Sir John de Menteith, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward, turned Wallace over to English soldiers at Robroyston, near Glasgow. Wallace was transported to London and tried for treason at Westminster Hall where he was crowned with a garland of oak to suggest that he was the king of outlaws. He responded to the charge, "I could not be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject." The absent John Balliol was officially his king; however, Wallace was declared guilty.
On 23 August, 1305, following the trial Wallace was removed from the courtroom, stripped naked and dragged at the heels of a horse to Smithfield Market. He was drawn and quartered, strangled by hanging but released near death, emasculated, eviscerated, beheaded, then divided into four parts (the four horrors) at the Elms in Smithfield. His head was placed on a pike atop London Bridge, which was later joined by the heads of his brother, John, and Sir Simon Fraser. His limbs were displayed, separately, in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Aberdeen.
The plaque in the photograph (left) stands in a wall of St. Bartholomew's Hospital near the site of Wallace's execution at Smithfield. Scottish patriots and other interested people frequently visit the site, and flowers often appear there.
A sword which supposedly belonged to Wallace was held for many years in Dumbarton Castle, and is now in the Wallace National Monument near Stirling. However, examination of the sword by experts has concluded that its design belongs to a period a few centuries after Wallace.
Portrayal in fiction
An insignificant amount of comprehensive and historically accurate information was written about Wallace. Many stories, however, are based on the wandering 15th century minstrel Blind Harry's epic poem, "The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie", written around 1470. Historians disagree with parts of Blind Harry's tale, or dismiss the entire composition.
Blind Harry's poem "Barns of Ayr", for example, describes the incident when three hundred and sixty Scottish nobles, led by Wallace’s uncle, Sir Ranald Crawford, were summoned by the English to a conference. As each passed through a narrow entry, a rope was dropped around his neck, and he was hanged. In fact, this incident did not occur. Blind Harry misread a line from an earlier poem about Robert the Bruce, which tells how certain Scottish nobles were hanged "in ar" (a legal term meaning "by a circuit court"). The incident, more or less as described by Blind Harry, does however appear in the film Braveheart.
In the early 19th century, Sir Walter Scott wrote of Wallace in Exploits and Death of William Wallace, the "Hero of Scotland"', and Jane Porter penned a romantic version of the Wallace legend in The Scottish Chiefs in 1810.
G.A. Henty wrote a novel in 1885 about this time period titled In Freedom's Cause. Henty, a producer of Boys Own fiction who wrote for that magazine, portrays the life of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, The Black Douglas, and others, while dovetailing the novel with historical fiction.
Nigel Tranter authored an intended fiction titled The Wallace, published in 1975, which is said by academics to be more accurate than its literary predecessors.
Perhaps the best known account of the life of William Wallace is the 1995 film, Braveheart, directed by and starring Mel Gibson and written by Randall Wallace. This film has been criticized for its considerable historical inaccuracies, but was a commercial and critical success, winning five Academy Awards.
The game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings contains several of Wallace's battles in its Campaign mode, including the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
700th anniversary of Wallace's execution
In 2005, the 700th anniversary of Wallace's execution, his sword became the most popular feature of an exhibition in New York during the celebrations of Tartan Week. This marked the first time the sword, weighing 6 pounds (2.5 kilograms) and measuring five feet and four inches, was removed from Scotland.
Historian David R Ross walked 450 miles from Robroyston in Glasgow, Scotland to London to mark the anniversary of Wallace's capture and execution. A symbolic funeral was then held at the site of Wallace's execution in Smithfield, London with an empty coffin. While the event hosted 300 attendees, more than 900 people unsuccessfully applied for tickets to the event — a testament to Wallace's enduring legacy.
Bibliography
- Brown, Chris. William Wallace. The True Story of Braveheart. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd, 2005. ISBN 0752434322.
- Clater-Roszak, Christine. "Sir William Wallace ignited a flame." Military History 14 (1997): 12–15.
- Fisher, Andrew. William Wallace. Edinburgh: Birlinn, 2002. ISBN 0859765571.
- Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. London: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1973, 519-20.
- Harris, Nathaniel. Heritage of Scotland: A Cultural History of Scotland & Its People. London: Hamlyn, 2000. ISBN 0600598349.
- MacKay, James A. William Wallace: Brave Heart. Mainstream: 1996. ISBN 185158823X.
- MacLean, Fitzroy. Scotland: A Concise History. London: Thames & Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0500277060.
- Morton, Graeme. William Wallace. London: Sutton, 2004. ISBN 0750935235.
- Reese, Peter. William Wallace: A Biography. Edinburgh: Canongate, 1998. ISBN 0862416078.
- Ross, David R. On the Trail of William Wallace. Edinburgh: Luath, 1999. ISBN 0946487472.
- Scott, Sir Walter. "Exploits and death of William Wallace, the 'Hero of Scotland'."
- Stead, Michael J., and Alan Young. In the Footsteps of William Wallace. London: Sutton, 2002.
- Tranter, Nigel. The Wallace. London: Trafalgar Square, 1996. ISBN 0340212373. [most recent] Original 1975 by Hodder and Stoughton ?ISBN, Common edition is Coronet's 1989 ISBN 0340212373.
- Wallace, Margaret. William Wallace: Champion of Scotland. Musselborough: Goblinshead, 1999. ISBN 1899874194.