BRAVEHEART
The Story of William Wallace during the
reign
of Edward I of England
SIR WILLIAM WALLACE
• Born 1270 near Renfrew, Scotland;
• Died Aug. 23rd, 1305, in London
Wallace was:
• A National Hero
– Leader of Scottish resistance forces during
the long, and ultimately successful,
struggle to free Scotland from English rule.
In 1296
• Edward I of England:
– Deposed Scottish king (John Balliol)
– Declared self King/Ruler of Scotland
The Resistance Begins
• May 1297
– Wallace and a band of 30 some men
burned Lanark and killed its English
sheriff.
– Wallace then organized an army of
commoners and small landowners and
attacked the English garrisons between
the Rivers Forth and Tay.
Sept. 11, 1297
• English response, led by the Earl of
Surrey, John de Warenne
• THE BATTLE OF STIRLING
– Wallace and his forces were greatly
outnumbered, but Surrey had to cross a
bridge before reaching the Scottish
positions…the English were
slaughtered as they crossed the river.
Stirling Castle
• Captured by Wallace after the
overwhelming victory at Stirling
– AND, for the moment, Scotland was nearly
free of occupying forces from England.
OCTOBER 1297
• Wallace invades northern England,
specifically York, and ravaged the
counties of Northumberland and
Cumberland.
December 1297
• Wallace returns to Scotland:
– Knighted
– Named guardian of the kingdom
– However, many of the nobles lent him
support only grudgingly
– Also, Wallace was yet to confront
Edward I
Edward I
• Returns to England from the campaigns
in France in March 1298.
– July 3rd
• Invades Scotland
– July 22nd
• Confronts Wallace at Falkirk
BATTLE OF FALKIRK
• Wallace’s spearmen were defeated by
archers and cavalry from England.
– Wallace received help from forces opposed to
Edward I, but was ultimately overwhelmed by
English forces after half-hearted help from
Scottish nobles.
– Battle RUINED Wallace’s military
reputation
December 1298
• Wallace resigns guardianship of
Scotland
• Succeeded by Robert de Bruce (later
King Robert I)
– THEN…WALLACE DISAPPEARS…..
Autumn 1299-Summer
1304
• Wallace whereabouts unknown… some
ideas were:
– He was in France in 1299
– Acted as a solitary guerrilla leader in
Scotland
– But his true activities are unknown…
Scottish submission
• Most of the Scottish nobles submitted to
Edward I in 1304.
– Felt that it was their only way to co-exist
with the dominant English ruler.
Aug. 5, 1305
• Wallace is captured and arrested near
Glasgow, Scotland.
• He was taken to London, and
condemned as a traitor to the king, even
though, as he maintained, he had never
sworn allegiance to Edward.
Wallace’s End
• He was:
– Hanged
– Disemboweled
– Beheaded
– Quartered
In 1306
• Robert de Bruce
– Begins a new rebellion
– Wins Independence for Scotland in 1314.
Edward I of England
• Son of Henry III
• King during a period of rising national
consciousness in England (1272-1307)
Edward I achievements
• Strengthened the crown and Parliament against
the old feudal nobility
• Subdued Wales, destroying its autonomy
• Sought (albeit unsuccessfully) the conquest of
Scotland.
• Reign noted particularly for administrative
efficiency and legal reform.
• Introduced series of statutes to strengthen
crown and feudal hierarchy
• Defined and emendated English law
Edward’s Scottish
Relationship
• Relations were amicable and the border
had been remarkably peaceful for
nearly 100 years before the reign of
Edward I.
– He inaugurated more than 250 years of
bitter hatred, savage warfare, and bloody
border forays.
CHARACTERS IN THE
MOVIE
Need to know these in order to understand what
happens throughout the production
William’s family
• Sir Malcolm Wallace, his father
– A small landowner in Renfrew.
• John Wallace, his brother
• Argyle Wallace, his uncle
– Rich patron who took him on a pilgrimage
to Rome
CAMPBELL’S
• Hemish Campbell- William’s best
friend from his youth
• Campbell- father of Hemish
McClannough’s
• Murron McClannough- Wallace’s
childhood love and his wife
• McClannough- Murron’s father
Robert de Bruce
• The 17th Bruce, later the guardian of
Scotland
• His father- 16th Bruce- kept in hiding
from the nobles due to appearance
Scottish Nobles
• Craig- the bald guy in the movie
• Mournay- dark hair, looks like he
belongs in a Genesis music video
• Lochland- tall, skinny, blondish skullet
The English Group
• Edward I- the “Longshanks”
• Prince Edward, later Edward II, the
fourth son of Edward I
• Phillip- character of Piers Gaveston,
supposed lover of Edward II
• Princess Isabelle- princess of France
• Escort to the princess
Stephen
• The Irishman
– He is the comic relief of the tale