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When Wallace was a boy
the English King Edward I claimed to be the Overlord of Scotland
and he captured and imprisoned the Scottish King John in the Tower
of London.
In 1297 Wallace was at a market place where the English soldiers
were keeping an eye on the Scottish people. To annoy the English
the Scots played a little game of wagging their fingers behind
their backs. They pretended that English people had a tail hidden
under their clothes. This was enough to send the soldiers angrily
forward to break up the crowd.
Wallace got into a fight with one of the soldiers. He drew his
long sword and the soldier fell back. He had to flee and was
helped by a woman in the town. Wallace vanished but the Sheriff of
Lanark arrested the woman who had rescued Wallace and had her put
to death. The townspeople were horrified but could do nothing to
prevent it.
When Wallace heard of what had happened he returned and killed the
sheriff that very night. He was now an outlaw but the Scots
protected him. The powerful bishop of Glasgow supported him for
Wallace was no common outlaw. He wanted to see the English driven
out of Scotland and to bring back the Scottish King.
The name of William Wallace had reached London and King Edward I,
who believed that Scotland was firmly under his control, now
learned that from all over the country, men were hurrying to join
Wallace. One of these was a young nobleman, Robert the Bruce, the
Earl of Carrich in Ayrshire - but the day when Bruce would become
King Robert and finish the task that Wallace had begun was still
far off.
King Edward of England was not a man to give up. He sent his army
to Scotland and the two armies met at Stirling Bridge. It was a
great victory for William Wallace. The English army had armoured
knights on horsebacks and Wallace had only foot soldiers.
When the battle began Wallace’s men were on one side of the
narrow bridge over the River Forth, the English were on the other.
To reach the Scots, the English force had to cross the bridge.
Wallace waited for half of them to cross, and then he ordered his
men to attack. In a short time they had won. Never before had men
fighting on their feet overthrown knights in armour.
Wallace led his army into Northern England. They destroyed towns
and took back great quantities of plunder to Scotland. During all
this time King Edward was away in France, fighting in another war.
England was strong enough and rich enough to fight the French and
the Scots at the same time, but Edward now decided it was time to
deal with Scotland himself.
Wallace had a plan. It almost worked. He knew that there was not
enough food in the countryside for Edward’s army to live on. He
wanted to wait until the men were so tired and hungry that they
would have to turn around and go home. Then he would attack. But
Edward still had Scottish helpers.
They found out where Wallace had placed his army. The English
attacked and there was a long hard battle at Falkirk. In the end
Edward won the day. Many Scots were killed and Wallace had to hide
in the forest.
Wallace did not give up his fight for freedom. He went to France,
where some of the lords and bishops of Scotland were living to
discuss with them what should be done next. He also went to Rome
to see the Pope. Scotland had managed to get the Pope on her side
and it was hoped that he would be able to persuade Edward to leave
Scotland and allow King John to return.
When Wallace returned to Scotland he again became a commander, not
of a full-size army but of a small swift-moving band that could
attack and disappear into the forest.
King Edward continued to make the Scots submit to him. With
another great army Edward marched up and down the country,
capturing every castle that was held by the Scots until only
Stirling Castle remained.
At last Stirling Castle surrendered. Edward was the master of
Scotland, but his victory was not quite complete. One more thing
would make it so - the capture of William Wallace.
In August 1305 Wallace was captured. He was taken to London and
three weeks later he was brought to trial at Westminster Hall. He
was accused of treason against King Edward. Wallace answered that
he was a loyal subject of the King of the Scots. Wallace was
brutally executed on 23rd August. He was hanged, drawn and
quartered and his dismembered body was sent to the four corners of
Britain to serve as a warning to others.
But the Scots were not defeated. Less than a
year later Robert Bruce, who had first supported Wallace then
changed sides to help Edward once again defied the power of
Edward. He was crowned king of Scots and for seven years he fought
the English until the battle of Bannockburn ensured Scotland’s
independence.
William Wallace will not be forgotten as long as
Scotland exists.
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