Profile of William Wallace

"There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom."

Name: Sir William Wallace of Elerslie.

Date of Birth: 1272 Ellerslie Scotland.

Date of Death: 23 August 1305 Smithfield London, England.

Cause of Death: Executed, drawn and quatered.

Siblings: None recorded.

Parents: Alan Wallace (Father) and his mothers identity is unconfirmed, but may be Margaret.

CrawfordOccupation: Landowner, later a fighter and commander in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

Early life of William Wallace

Little is known about William’s early life
Sir William's Wallace’s birth date is unknown but some sources detect that it is around the year of 1272. He was the second son of out of the three children Malcolm and John, fathered by Sir Malcolm Wallace Laird of Elderslie in Renfrewshire.

He was the son of a knight and minor landowner. Wallace was well educated as his was taught by his two uncles who were priests, teaching French and Latin. He liked playing activities such as martial arts, horsemanship and swordsmanship. In 1297 he married Marian Braidfoot, but was then murdered by an English sheriff because of William's attack on the English.

John Balliol who was one of the contenders for the throne after the death of King AlexanderIII had a right to be the King in the Scottish throne. The Scots brought Edward I to decide who was for the throne, so there would be no bias comments. King Edward came with his army at the Anglo-Scottish border; with all the candidates paying respect to him as he arrived stating that he was there to settle the conflict.

After hearing everyone's perspectives he announced John Balliol to be King. On March 1296 he again payed respect to Edward and at the end of the month he had kicked out the border of Berwick-upon-Tweed. On April 1296 in Lothian he conquered the Scots at the battle of Dunbar, and in July John was forced to resign at Kincardine Castle. After Edward removed the Stone of Destiny from Scone Palace in August he went to Berwick to get respect from the Scottish leaders.


In 1297, William's loathing against the English began as they have killed his father in 1291. He first signs of the importance of fighting back began with two English soldiers battling over a fish Wallace caught, which he killed in the end, but suffered the consequences of being arrested. By seeking avenge from his father's death he won the battles at Loudoun Hill and Ayr and fought with Sir William Douglas in Scone.

Battle at Stirling Bridge

The Battle at Stirling Bridge was the first war of Scottish independance. It was on the 11th of September 1297 that William Wallace defeated English forces near Stirling, on the river forth. There were 40,000 lightly armed soldiers and 180 horses, however rather then sending his men two miles up stream King Edward went across Stirling Bridge.

Though despite King Edward's strategical planning Wallace send his men across to attack after a decent amount of men had crossed the bridge. Most of the men were killed by the Scotts.

King Edward believed it would end the revolt and Wallace himself, as a result the battle was won before at the Battle of Dunbar.

At the Stirling Bridge Battle Wallace gained control in the north end of the bridge and hence allowed his easy victory. The English lost approximatley 6,000 soldiers.

The Victory of William Wallace lead to his title of Guardian of Scotland however the glory was breif asa he was defeated in 1298 at the Battle of Falkirk.

Battle of Falkirk

The Battle of Falkirk was fought during the First War of Scottish Independence (1296-1328).
WHEN: July 22, 1298
WHERE: Falkirk, Stirlingshire
WHO: English troops under Edward I vs. Scots under William Wallace
ScotlandSir William Wallace, 7,000 menEnglandKing Edward I, approximately 14,000 men

The battle of Farlkirk: Marching north in 1298, Edward sought avenge, as the English defeat at Sterling Bridge the year before. Badly outnumbered, Wallace conducted a scorched earth campaign and repeatedly retreated north with the goal of starving Edward's army.

As well as reaching Edinburgh, Edward's situation was dire and he considered a retreat to England. Hoping to follow the English as they retreated, Wallace advanced to Falkirk, approximately 13 miles from the English camps, when hearing this, Edward opted to give battle. On July 22, the English advanced and attacked the Scottish position. As the English Knightsapproa ched, Wallace's men assumed enclosed, defensive formations known as schiltrons, with their spears pointing outward.

After the attacks by his knights and infantry were beaten off by the Scots, Edward ordered his archers to open fire on the schiltrons. As the schiltrons were motionless, the arrows took a heavy toll. With the Scottish ranks weak, Edwards launched another attack which drove the Scots from the field. The Battle of Falkirk was victory for Edward , with both sides losing approximately 2,000 men. While the English won the battle, they were unable to continue their conquest of Scotland due to the scorched earth tactics employed by Wallace before the battle. With his army starving, Edward withdrew south.

Wallace's Betrayal & Execution

Wallace was betrayed as he rode out from Glasgow for what he believed would be a private meeting with Robert the Bruce. However he was seized by the English army and his life layed in the hands of King Edward I.

Wallace's trial was on the 23rd of August, however the need for a trial was not necessary as it was evident that King Edward would pursue his aim of execution against William Wallace. However Edward did not want Wallace to recieve a trial as he wanted to secure his grip on Scotland and make sure Wallace's reputation was destroyed, though Wallace did recieve a trial in the end anyhow.

His punishment was extremley gruesome and disturbing as he was beheaded and dragged through the streets. He was then hanged but cut down before he was dead, this was seen as the rightful punishment for murder and robbery. Wallace's body was haked into four quarters for penalty of treason and was beheaded as a symbol of Wallace's status as an outlaw. His head was stuck on a pipe and sent to decorate London Bridge!

Two months later Robert the Bruce, was claimed the King of Scotland and it was said that he realised William Wallace's death had been wrong and felt guilty for betraying William.

King Edward I - Profile

Name: Edward I, also known as Edward Longshanks.

Gender: Male.

Nationality: English.

Occupation: Royalty.

Date of Birth: On the night of 17 June 1239. To parents HenryIII of Winchester and Eleanor of Provence.

Place of birth: In the palace of Winchester London.

Date and place of death: 7th July 1307 at the age of 68 in Burgh-by-sands, Cumbria.

Place of burial: Westminister Abbey, London.

Appearance:
·Tall man at 1.88 m
·Long arms and legs, hence that's where 'Longshanks' was derived form
·Black curly hair
·Complex dark skin
·'Fiery angry' eyes
·Spoke with a pronounced lisp.
·Strong build.

Martial Status: Married to second cousin Eleanor of Castile on November 1st 1254, however after her death remarried to Marguerite of France in 1282- 1317.

Reign: November 20th 1272 at thirty three years of age, Edward's father died maki

ng him King. In 1274 he carried out a country survey on crown lands and right as well as updating

the past laws. King Edward gave power to John Ballioil as he thought he was fit to be king. The Scots fought back because of Edward's impact and he lead his army into Scotland. He fought his way for Scotland to join England and for him to rule over it, Sir William Wallace created a rebllious group agaisnt Edward. He lead the group over the battle of Stirling Bridge winning over the English men and burning everyting in the way of the army because of Edward's interferance. Edward assembled his army fought over Wallace's amry at the battle of Falkirk. In 1305 Wallace was sent to London for execution. In 1306, another Robert the Bruce rebelled agaisnt Edward and was crowned King. Edward lend another amry to punish them but he did not succeed and he became ill.

Braveheart

“Mel Gibson, the director and the lead actor with Braveheart, accounts the life and times of medieval Scottish patriot William Wallace and, to a lesser degree, Robert the Bruce's struggle to unify his nation against its English oppressors.

The story begins with young Wallace, whose father and brother have been killed fighting the English, being taken into the custody of his uncle, a nationalist and pre-Renaissance renaissance man. He returns twenty years later, a man educated both in the classics and in the art of war. There he finds his childhood sweetheart Murron and the two quickly fall in love. There are murmurs of revolt against the English throughout the village, but Wallace remains aloof, wishing simply to tend to his crops and live in peace.

However, when his love is killed by English soldiers the day after their secret marriage he springs into action and single-handedly slays an entire platoon of foot soldiers. The other villagers join him in destroying the English garrison, and thus begin the revolt against the English in what will eventually become full-fledged war. Wallace eventually leads his fellow Scots in a series of bloody battles that prove a serious threat to English domination and, along the way, has a hushed affair with the Princess of Wales before his imminent demise.” Summary By Starpulse.com