William Wallace

Sir William Wallace (died 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who emerged as a key figure in the First War of Scottish Independence. Together with Andrew Moray, he led a Scottish force to victory over an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. Following this success, he was made Guardian of Scotland, a role he held until his forces were defeated at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. In August 1305, Wallace was taken prisoner at Robroyston, near Glasgow, and turned over to King Edward I of England. Edward had him executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering for high treason and for crimes committed against English civilians. After his death, Wallace became a legendary figure far beyond Scotland. He is the central character in Blind Harry’s 15th-century epic poem *The Wallace*, and appears in works by Jane Porter and Sir Walter Scott, as well as the Academy Award-winning film *Braveheart*.

Wallace came from the lesser nobility, though little is known for certain about his family or parentage. A personal seal found on a letter he sent to the Hanseatic city of Lübeck in 1297 names his father as Alan Wallace. This Alan may be the same person listed as a crown tenant in Ayrshire in the 1296 Ragman Rolls, but this is not confirmed. Some have suggested that Alan held the estate of Ellerslie, near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, which could have been William’s birthplace, though no records show the Wallace family owning that land in the mid-13th century. Blind Harry’s poem instead gives William’s father as a Sir Malcolm of Elderslie in Renfrewshire, also offering a possible birthplace. There is no contemporary evidence linking Wallace to either location, though both areas had ties to the wider Wallace family. Early records show family members holding estates at Riccarton, Tarbolton, Auchincruive in Kyle, and Stenton in East Lothian. They were vassals of James Stewart, the 5th High Steward of Scotland, since their lands fell within his territory. Sources mention Wallace’s brothers Malcolm and John, but the relationship with John lacks verifiable evidence. The origin of the Wallace surname, linked to southwest Scotland, is also uncertain. It comes from the Old English *wǣlisċ*, meaning “foreigner” or “Welsh.” All Wallaces in the Clyde area may have been medieval immigrants from Wales, but since the term also referred to the Cumbric-speaking kingdom of Strathclyde, the name likely indicated people seen as “Welsh” due to their Cumbric language.

During Wallace’s youth, King Alexander III ruled Scotland in a period of peace and economic stability. Alexander died on 19 March 1286 after falling from his horse. His heir was his granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway, who was still a child and living in Norway. Scottish lords set up a government of guardians to rule in her absence. Margaret fell ill during her voyage to Scotland and died in Orkney in late September 1290. With no clear heir, a period called the “Great Cause” began, as thirteen contenders claimed the throne. The strongest claims came from John Balliol and Robert Bruce, grandfather of the future king Robert the Bruce. To avoid civil war, the Scottish nobility invited King Edward I of England to arbitrate. Before starting, Edward insisted all contenders recognize him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. In early November 1292, at a feudal court in Berwick-upon-Tweed, judgment favored John Balliol, based on genealogical primogeniture. Edward then worked to undermine Balliol’s authority, treating Scotland as a vassal state, demanding homage and military support for his war against France, and even summoning Balliol to appear before the English court as a common plaintiff. The Scots grew tired of their compromised king, and leading men took control, appointing a Council of Twelve—effectively a new panel of Guardians—at Stirling in July 1295. They also made a mutual defense treaty with France, later known as the Auld Alliance. In response, Edward I invaded, storming Berwick-upon-Tweed and starting the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Scots were defeated at Dunbar, and Dunbar Castle fell on 27 April 1296. Edward forced Balliol to abdicate at Stracathro near Montrose on 10 July 1296, where Scotland’s arms were torn from his surcoat, earning him the nickname “Toom Tabard” (empty coat). By July, Edward had ordered his officers to receive homage from about 1,800 Scottish nobles, many of whom were prisoners of war.

Some historians believe Wallace must have had prior military experience to lead a successful campaign in 1297. Edward I’s wars in Wales might have offered a younger son of a landholder a chance to serve as a mercenary. Wallace’s personal seal shows an archer’s insignia, suggesting he may have fought as an archer in Edward’s army. Walter Bower’s mid-15th-century *Scotichronicon* describes Wallace as “a tall man with the body of a giant … with lengthy flan” (the text cuts off here in the source).