| Notes |
- wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace
Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland
(Second Interregnum)
In office
1297–1298
Preceded by John Balliol (as King of the Scots)
Succeeded by
Robert the Bruce
John Comyn
Personal details
Born c. 1270
Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Kingdom of Scotland
Died 23 August 1305 (aged c. 35)
Smithfield, London, Kingdom of England
Cause of death Hanged, drawn and quartered
Resting place London, in an unmarked grave
Spouse Marion Braidfute[1] (disputed)
Children None recorded
Occupation Military leader
Military service
Allegiance Kingdom of Scotland
Years of service 1297–1305
Rank Commander
Battles/wars
First War of Scottish Independence
Action at Lanark
Raid on Scone
Battle of Stirling Bridge
Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Happrew
Sir William Wallace Guardian of Scotland (1270-1305) born c. 1270 Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Kingdom of Scotland and died 23 August 1305 (age c. 35) Smithfield, London, Kingdom of England.
William Wallace (Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Uallas, pronounced [ˈɯʎam ˈuəl̪ˠəs̪]; Norman French: William le Waleys was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.
Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. He was appointed Guardian of Scotland and served until his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. In August 1305, Wallace was captured in Robroyston near Glasgow and handed over to King Edward I of England, who had him hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason and crimes against English civilians.
Since his death, Wallace has obtained a legendary status beyond his homeland. He is the protagonist of Blind Harry’s 15th century epic poem ‘The Wallace’ and the subject of literary works by Jane Porter and Sir Walter Scott and of the Academy Award winning film Braveheart. The film portrayed William in the Mel Gibson movie leading a rebel army against Edward I (Longshanks) of England and defeating him at the Battle of Stirling Bridge (no bridge shown in the movie) in September 1297.
He was knighted in March 1298 most likely by Sir Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick and future King of Scotland. In addition Wallace was made “Guardian” of Scotland and Commander-in-Chief of its armies. These honors are evidence Wallace was no commoner, but a man with excellent connections within established Scottish society. William Wallace was a member of the lesser nobility, but little is definitely known of his family history or even his parentage. William’s own seal, found on a letter sent to the Hanse city of Lübeck in 1297, gives his father’s name as Alan Wallace. This Alan Wallace may be the same as the one listed in the 1296 Ragman Rolls as a crown tenant in Ayrshire, but there is no additional confirmation. Others have speculated this Alan held Ellerslie, near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and if true the estate could be a possible birthplace for William, though there is no record of Wallaces holding the estate in the mid 13th century.
When Wallace was growing up, King Alexander III ruled Scotland. His reign had seen a period of peace and economic stability. On 19 March 1286 however, Alexander died after falling from his horse. The heir to the throne was Alexander’s granddaughter Margaret the Maid of Norway. As she was still a child and in Norway, the Scottish lords set up a government of guardians. Margaret fell ill on the voyage to Scotland and died in Orkney in late September 1290. The lack of a clear heir led to a period known as the “Great Cause”, with a total of thirteen contenders laying claim to the throne. The most credible claims were John Balliol and Robert Bruce, grandfather of the future king Robert the Bruce.
With Scotland threatening to descend into civil war, King Edward I of England was invited in by the Scottish nobility to arbitrate. Before the process could begin, he insisted that all of the contenders recognize him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. In early November 1292, at a great feudal court held in the castle at Berwick upon Tweed, judgment was given in favor of John Balliol having the strongest claim in law based on being senior in genealogical primogeniture even though not in proximity of blood.
Edward proceeded to take steps to progressively undermine John’s authority, treating Scotland as a feudal vassal state, demanding homage be paid towards himself and military support in his war against France even summoning King John Balliol to stand before the English court as a common plaintiff. The Scots soon tired of their deeply compromised king and the direction of affairs was allegedly taken out of his hands by the leading men of the kingdom, who appointed a Council of Twelve in practice, a new panel of Guardians at Stirling in July 1295. They went on to conclude a treaty of mutual assistance with France known in later years as the Auld Alliance.
In retaliation for Scotland’s treaty with France, Edward I invaded, storming Berwick upon Tweed and commencing the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Scots were defeated at Dunbar and the English took Dunbar Castle on 27 April 1296. Edward forced John to abdicate, which he did at Stracathro near Montrose on 10 July 1296. Here the arms of Scotland were formally torn from John’s surcoat, giving him the abiding name of “Toom Tabard” (empty coat). By July Edward had instructed his officers to receive formal homage from some 1,800 Scottish nobles (many of the rest being prisoners of war at that time).
Some historians believe Wallace must have had some earlier military experience in order to lead a successful military campaign in 1297. Campaigns like Edward I of England’s wars in Wales might have provided a good opportunity for a younger son of a landholder to become a mercenary soldier. Wallace’s personal seal bears the archer’s insignia, so he may have fought as an archer in Edward’s army. Walter Bower’s mid 15th century Scotichronicon, states that Wallace was “a tall man with the body of a giant ... with lengthy flanks ... broad in the hips, with strong arms and legs ... with all his limbs very strong and firm”.
The first act definitely known to have been carried out by Wallace was his killing of William de Heselrig, the English High Sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297. He then joined with William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas and they carried out the raid of Scone. This was one of several rebellions taking place across Scotland, including those of several Scottish nobles and Andrew Moray in the north.
The uprising suffered a blow when the nobles submitted to the English at Irvine in July. Wallace and Moray were not involved and continued their rebellions. Wallace used the Ettrick Forest as a base for raiding and attacked Wishart’s palace at Ancrum. Wallace and Moray met and joined their forces, possibly at the siege of Dundee in early September.
On 11 September 1297, an army jointly led by Wallace and Andrew Moray won the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish army routed the English army. John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey’s feudal army of 3,000 cavalry and 8,000 to 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. The infantry were sent on first, followed by heavy cavalry. The Scots’ schiltron formations forced the infantry back into the advancing cavalry. A pivotal charge, led by one of Wallace’s captains, caused some of the English soldiers to retreat as others pushed forward and under the overwhelming weight, the bridge collapsed, and many English soldiers drowned. Thus the Scots won a significant victory, boosting the confidence of their army. Hugh de Cressingham, Edward’s treasurer in Scotland, died in the fighting and it is reputed that his body was subsequently flayed and the skin cut into small pieces as tokens of the victory. The Lanercost Chronicle records that Wallace had “a broad strip [of Cressingham’s skin] ... taken from the head to the heel, to make therewith a baldrick for his sword”. After the battle, Moray and Wallace assumed the title of Guardians of the Kingdom of Scotland on behalf of King John Balliol. Moray died of wounds suffered on the battlefield sometime in late 1297.
Wallace soon mounted an invasion of northern England, crossing into Northumberland. The Scots army followed the English army fleeing south. Caught between two armies, hundreds of refugees fled to safety behind the walls of Newcastle. The Scots laid waste a swathe of countryside before turning west into Cumberland and pillaging all the way to Cockermouth, before Wallace led his men back into Northumberland and fired 700 villages. Wallace then returned from England laden with booty.
In a ceremony at the ‘Kirk o’ the Forest’ (Selkirk) towards the end of the year Wallace was knighted. This would have been carried out by one of three Scottish earls Carrick, Strathearn or Lennox. By September 1298 Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland in favor of Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick and future king and John Comyn, King John Balliol’s nephew. By 1304 Wallace was back in Scotland and involved in skirmishes at Happrew and Earnside.
Wallace’s trial in Westminster Hall. Painting by Daniel Maclise. Wallace evaded capture by the English until 5 August 1305, when John de Menteith, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward, turned Wallace over to English soldiers at Robroyston, near Glasgow a site commemorated by a small monument in the form of a Celtic cross. Letters of safe conduct from Haakon V of Norway, Philip IV of France and John Balliol, along with other documents, were found in Wallace’s possession and delivered to Edward by John de Segrave.
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1270 - 1305 (35 years)
