In 1305 Scottish hero William Wallace was Hung, Drawn and Quartered for treason.
On the 6th of July 1249 Scottish King Alexander II died leaving his 8 year-old son as King Alexander III. Scotland was a turbulent time during the reign of Alexander II with Norwegian influence on many tribes of Scotland the country was in divided. During the Early years of Alexander III’s reign the various leaders fought for dominance. In 1251 ten year old Alexander married Princess Margaret, the daughter of King Henry III of England, and Henry attempted to make his young son–in-law pay homage to the English throne thus gaining influence over Scotland but the young King refused and in 1262, now aged 21, Alexander united Scotland and formally proclaimed his authority to the Norwegian King Haakon. Haakon denied the claim and sent an invasion force to Scotland. On the 2nd of October 1263 the Battle of Largs raged between the two kingdoms but it was largely indecisive with both sides fleeing. But when King Haakon died on the 15th of December 1263, Alexander III claimed many of the former Norwegian islands that lay of the Scottish coast. Alexander and Margaret had three children but all three died young as to did Margaret leaving Alexander alone with no heir. On the 19th of March 1286 Alexander III also died leaving the Scottish throne in contention. The closest relative was Margaret Maid of Norway but in 1290 she too died without any heirs.
Many Lords turned to Alexander’s English brother-in-law King Edward I of England to help judge the contenders to the Scottish throne and he judged that John Balliol, who was the great-great-great grandson of King David I of Scotland was the rightful heir. On the 17th of November 1292 Balliol was pronounced King of Scotland.
But Edward wanted the new king to pay homage to the English Crown as well as support from Scotland with his war with France. The Scottish lords formed the council of twelve at Stirling in July 1295, and Scotlands King John signed a treaty with King Philip IV of France in 1295.
On the 26th of March 1296 Scottish forces led by King John invaded England and attacked Carlisle Castle. Robert Bruce successfully held the castle and forced a retreat of the Scottish forces. King Edward was furious and ordered Robert de Clifford to lead an army to sack the City of Berwick in response. King Edward (also known as Edward Longshanks due to his height) was a seasoned military commander. He had fought in the 9th Crusade and when someone attempted to assassinate him he pulled the poisoned dagger, Edward took out the dagger and fought off the would-be-assassin. He was angered by what he saw as a betrayal by the Scottish nobles in siding with the French and further outraged by the attempted invasion and sacking of Carlisle. He ordered Clifford to make an example in Berwick, leaving no-one alive.
On the 30th of March 1296 the English forces reached Berwick and followed their orders precisely brutally killing all the inhabitants be it man, women or child. It is believed that 10,000 Scotsman were killed during the sacking of Berwick and this is considered the start of the 1st Scottish War of Independence.
King Edward Had reached Berwick in early April and while his men were strengthening the defences of the city, the Scottish King John sent a message to Edward renouncing homage to King Edward. Edward was once again outraged and wanted to face King John in person, saying simply "O' foolish knave! What folly he commits. If he will not come to us we will go to him". With that King Edward sent his men north to the Castle at Dunbar hoping to draw King John and his forces into battle. News was sent from Dunbar to King John of the approaching forces in the hope that he would send help. John did indeed send help to Dunbar but he did not lead the forces. On the 27th of April 1296 the English met with the Scottish forces in the Battle of Dunbar and make quick work of defeating them. More than a hundred knights and lords were sent to England and imprisoned. After that most of the Scottish defences surrendered without a fight and King John Fled north. The English King also headed north in pursuit but growing weary he sent word to John requesting peace upon his surrender. King John met with King Edward on the 2nd of July 1296 where he surrendered. King John was made to end the treaty with France and was publically forced to abdicate as King of Scotland. This involved him having his Royal robes ripped from his body which gave him the nickname of John Empty Coat. He was then sent to the Tower of London where he was imprisoned.
In 1297 the people of Scotland had began to revolt against the English control of Scotland. The Scottish people were taxed and many of the men forcibly conscripted into the army to fight the ongoing English war with France. Andrew De Moray had begun one such revolt in the Province of Moray with much success. He led a force of Scotsman against every English outpost in the area and defeated them all. Another Scottish hero that would soon become legend was William Wallace. William Wallace was the son of a Landowner, Alan Wallace, and is believed to have been from Welch descent (Wallace or le Waleys meaning from Wales). He was well educated and could speak Latin, as well as having some military training, learning to use the longbow at a young age. Wallace’s first notable act of defiance was in May 1297 when he killed Sir William Haselrig who was the English Sheriff in Lanark. When news of his defiance spread he quickly became a national hero and stories of a seven foot giant of a man, the slayer of the English Sheriff were known all across Scotland. He soon had a huge following of Scotsman all willing to die for their freedom. The forces of Moray and Wallace joined and on the 11th of September 1297 they met the much greater English forces led by John de Warenne in the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
The English forces were sent across the bridge to meet the awaiting Scotsman on the other side. When huge numbers had crossed the Scottish forces began their attack and after defeating those forces they picked off many more as they crossed in smaller numbers (two or three men to a line). When the English sent forth their cavalry forces the Scots used a pike formation which forced the cavalry back on the advancing infantry and the weight of the men caused the Bridge to collapse and many of the English and Welch men to drown. Thousands more could only watch across the river as their comrades were massacred on the other side of the River. One such comrade was Hugh de Cressingham who was flayed in front of them. His skin was taken by the Scottish as souvenirs of their victory and William Wallace is said to have taken a piece of skin that ran from head to foot from which he made a sheath for his Sword.
Moray died in November that year from the injuries he sustained while Wallace went on to lead some unsuccessful raids in England. King Edward was in France at the time but left the battlefield and travelled north to Scotland in order to meet with Wallace in battle. On the 22nd of July 1298 the forces of England and Scotland met in the Battle of Falkirk. The English defeated the forces under Wallace and he was forced to flee. He was later captured on the 5th of August 1305 by Scottish night John de Menteith. He was tried and sentenced to death by the English practice of Hung Drawn and Quatered on the 23rd of August 1305.
The most famous account of Wallace’s life was in the film “Braveheart” but this film is a highly inaccurate and romantic account of the true story.
