βοΈ William Wallace: The Real Braveheart

Through the chapters of history, there is hard to find such a person who embodies the image of the rebellion and sacrifice as William Wallace a simple man was able to become the symbol of the Scottish war on gaining independence. And worthy a movie like Braveheart, the actual Wallace was not just a movie hero. He was an aggressive leader, a tactician and a man who loved his country with utmost love and affection.
It happened at a moment when England was trying to rule Scotland in tyranny and Wallace revolt became the torch of patriotism. His tale of warfare, treachery and heroism keeps on motivating peoples to fight in taking down freedom in various countries. This blog is an experiment to discover the life, the legacy and the legend of the real Braveheart.
πΆ 1. Humble Beginnings, Great Destiny
William Wallace was born circa 1270 probably in Elderslie, Renfrewshire. Not much is known about his early adolescence, except that he was not a nobleman at the moment of his birth. He was brought up in the climate of increasingly viable Scottish unrest as King Edward I of England sought to seize power following the death of King of Scotland without an heir.
Wallace was learned and a good fighter but in his earlier days he used to know the injustice of occupation early in his life. The English brought rough legislation and took away property creating tension and anger among Scots. Wallace was not the only one who could not keep quiet any more. He was not a player of ambition his climb to fame was because of the voice of liberty.
π‘οΈ 2. The Spark of Rebellion
It is said that it was a sheriff of England who wronged Wallace and he killed the English sheriff and this was the start of the rebellion of Wallace. Be it revenge or rebellion, the move started a chain of battles between the men of Wallace and the English. In no time his personal defiance grew into planned rebellion.
Wallace formed a group of warriors or fighters who were farmers, blacksmiths and revolutionists and wrought guerrilla type of assaults to the English. His bravado and tactical ideas transformed these patched together bands of fighters into an effective one. He demonstrated that liberty could be fought over whatever a person: he would not have noble titles or royal blood.
βοΈ 3. The Battle of Stirling Bridge
The crowning glory of Wallace was his triumph by defeating English army, by commanding an insignificant army, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 as his partner was named Andrew Moray. They used the narrow bridge together with the surrounding depression to lure the enemies and defeat them.
It was an excellent military move and the triumph excited the Scotch. Wallace became a national hero and within a short time was named Guardian of Scotland, approximately the military commander of the land. It was the first time that there was any hope - that Scotland was to be free was not a dream any more, but a prospect.
π‘οΈ 4. The Guardian of Scotland
Wallace as Guardian acted in the name of the King John Balliol who was exiled and He pushed to achieve independence of Scotland by use of military power and Diplomacy. He tried to strike alliance with France and other European forces as he still resisted against England.
But difficulties were enormous. Scotland was internally divided and Wallace had external threats and a form of political betrayal. Old nobles in Scotland, either in the dread of English retribution or in the hope of reward, deserted the cause, or joined in his down-fall. Wallace stood his ground, not fighting as an individual, but on behalf of people.
π₯ 5. The Battle of Falkirk β A Bitter Defeat
Also in 1298, King Edward I led an invasion himself, to overpower the uprising. At Falkirk battle, Wallace was outnumbered. English longbowsmen and at a cavalry proved to be too powerful, and Scots faced a horrible defeat.
Wallace was able to survive but gave up his office as Guardian because he could not face being a loyalist. He ceased being the leader of the movement but still stayed behind the scenes and toured his way around Europe to find support of the cause. He was symbolized as the person who was not ready to accept the English rule despite giving up.
π΅οΈ 6. The Betrayal and Capture
Years went by when Wallace escaped in an attempt to being captured but instead, to counter rebellion. However, in 1305 he was captured by another Scot, Sir John Menteith and sold to the English. It was the most atrocious bit of bad luck- not English, only, but his own people had brought him to be handed over to the foe.
He was shipped to London in chains and he was charged with treason. To this retort so characteristic of Wallace he replied: I could not be a traitor, because I owe him no homage." These were words that spoke the sorrow of a people, Scotland had never voluntarily put herself under the rule of Edward, and Wallace himself never recognised the allegation that he had betrayed a foreign monarch.
π©Έ 7. A Martyr's Death
On August 23, 1305 Wallace was executed brutally. He was hanged, drawn and quartered, that being the most grotesque form of punishment accorded to traitors. His members were carried to divers cities, to show warning. However, his death inspired the fire instead of calming it down.
He passed away in a noble human way without pleading to forgive him. The execution of Wallace made a martyr out of him and gave his name the rallying cry. Robert the Bruce soon followed suit and eventually Scotland won the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Wallace had never lived to see independence but he had opened the way.
π΄ββ οΈ 8. Legend vs. Reality
Most of our information about Wallace is based upon the later writers such as Blind Harry, who added legend and myth to fill out what he did not know. He has become a world superstar due to the film Braveheart, which was historical in nature. But still more than there were the myths, the real life of Wallace was a story of extraordinary courage.
Neither was he without faults - he was a warlike man, not a saint. But he symbolized something eternal: the strength of personal bravery before the irresistible despotism. His name as well as his story cannot be forgotten.
πΊοΈ 9. Legacy Across Centuries
William Wallace is commemorated today by monuments, statues and poems all over Scotland. In his honour, and to erect a monument, the Wallace Monument in Stirling tower was built, and the school teaches children his story as an example of patriotism. His face, whether real or imagined has become synonymous of the Scottish identity.
The plight of Wallace is very much transnational. He has inspired not only freedom fighters, writers, and revolutionaries of Ireland to India. He is telling us that freedom is no gift, it is achieved at a great expense, as a rule.
ποΈ 10. The Spirit of Wallace
William Wallace might have lived in the 13th century, however, his ghost lives. When the world is filled with cruelty and power still attempts to hold the weak in place, his example is to remember that even the least powerful voice is able to pull down even an empire. He was not only fighting Scotland, he was fighting so that all people had a chance to take control of their own destiny, say what they felt was true and not live in fear.
This is a question posed by the life of Wallace by asking the question; what is the price of freedom? He did not reply on words, but on deeds, and thereby became the immortal Braveheart.