William Wallace was born in 1272, supposedly in the village of Ellerslie in Ayrshire.
He is most famous for being a Scottish patriot, leading a resistance during the Wars of Scottish Independence, however, he was also a knight, and a landowner as well.
He defeated an English army at Stirling, Scotland, together with Andrew de Moray. He then became the de facto head of Scotland.
Although tradition dictates that Wallace was a commoner, it has been modernly discovered that William was, in fact, born to minor nobles, parish gentry.
His two uncles, who were priests, educated William Wallace in Latin. He recieved much education from the Church, while his brother and father were running from the English.
The turmoil between Scotland and England did not take place until Edward (the Longshanks) invaded Scotland in 1296.
Prior to William Wallace, King Alexander the third had lead Scotland for around 20 years, peacefully and with economic stability also.
In 1286, Alexander died, due to a fall from his horse.
Since Alexander III had no children to survive him, Margaret, the "Maid of Norway", the King's four year old granddaughter, was declared Queen.
Since she was not yet ready to take on the role of queen herself, the lords set up an interim government to govern Scotland, until Margaret was the right age.
The King of England, taking advantage of the precarious Scotland, arranged a treaty in which Margaret was betrothed to his son, Edward.
However, Margaret died at the age of seven on her way from her home country Norway to Scotland. Thereafter, multiple claims to the throne came forth.
Scotland was in chaos, as the situation was threatening to develop into a dynastic war.
Many Scottish Aristocratic "Guardians" plotted against one another, allying themselves with Longshanks, or going against him, when it suited their needs. William's father was killed in a fight with English troops around 1290. This most likely contributed to Wallace's lifelong desire to fight against the English. The weak nobles did little to maintain the law and protect the Scottish from the English atrocities.
The Battle at Stirling Bridge
Circa September, the year of 1297, William Wallace's army fought the English at Stirling. At that time, he had an army of around five thousand men and about a hundred knights. The English had about fifty-thousand foot soldiers, and one thousand heavy cavalry knights, and four thousand archers. When the English army arrived near the Bridge of Stirling, about half of the English army crossed the bridge while he waited. Thereafter, some of his men hiding below the bridge destroyed the supports of the bridge. Therefore, the bridge fell, killing many that were on the bridge, and dividing the English armies. Panic then took over and they fled, to the English borders. Although outnumbered, his army was able to defeat the English army at Stirling bridge. Due to his success, he was knighted and chosen the Guardian of Scotland, which, at the time was the de facto head of Scotland.
William Wallace's Death
In the year 1305, he was executed, by the usual punishment in the era for treason, that is to say, Hanged, drawn and quartered.
Meaning that the traitor was dragged to the place of execution, hanged by the neck, almost to the point of death, but just before, and disembowelled while still alive. His entrails were burned before his eyes, he was beheaded and his body was cut into four parts. His various parts were displayed in various locations.
Edward most likely believed that with Wallace's capture and execution, he had at last broken the Scots' hope. Actually, it was the opposite.
By executing Wallace in such an uncivilized manner, Edward had unintentionally fueled the Scottish determination to be free from the English.
