William Wallace
Best known as: knight and outlaw who fought for Scottish independence
Occupation: Military leader
Nationality: Scottish
Religion: Catholic
Born: c. 1272 in Elderslie, Scotland
Died: August 23, 1305 in London, England (executed)
Short biography:
William Wallace is one of Scotland's greatest heroes, helping to win his country's freedom from English rule. Relatively little is known about his life, but all accounts agree that he was tall, strong, patriotic, and brave. When he was young, the death of the Scottish king, who had no surviving children, led to a dispute for the throne, resulting in King Edward I of England declaring himself the ruler of Scotland. According to various accounts, Wallace grew to hate the English because they killed his father, brother, and/or wife. He became an outlaw in 1291 or 1292 when he killed an Englishman who was bullying him. By 1297 he had gained a following and started a rebellion against England, winning several minor battles. His greatest victory was the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, where Wallace and his supporters defeated a much larger English army. After this, he was knighted and became Guardian of Scotland. Wallace then decided to invade Northern England but suffered a major defeat in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. He continued to fight against the English until he was betrayed and captured. He was found guilty of treason, even though he had never pledged loyalty to King Edward, and was executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering. After his death, Robert the Bruce became king of Scotland, and Scotland won its independence.
Wife: Marion Braidfute
Parents: Father is either Malcolm or Alan Wallace, mother unknown
Brothers: Malcolm and John
Enemies: Edward I
Fun facts:
- Mel Gibson's movie Braveheart (1995) is based on his life
- He was named #48 in a BBC poll about the 100 Greatest Britons
