William Wallace Notes for Advanced Higher History SQA, worked on by notable Scottish Historians and perfect for understanding topic of Scottish Medieval History. Clearly Structured for easy reading!
Aspects;
Early career and emergence as a military leader in the rising
• Wallace’s military contribution
• Wallace’s contribution as Guardian and diplomatic contribution
• Nature of Wallace’s capture & execution
( • Historiographical issues!! Blind Harry; exaggeration/failure to fully
recognise contribution of others....)
LOA- Wallace was indeed a hero, however he had his faults and wasn’t as
much of a hero as we deem him to be despite his determined resistance
against the english which won the country both good and ills.
Traditional view – he was a legendary man who patriotically fought for
Scotland’s independence, a national treasure.
Revisionist view – He did indeed fight for the nations independence but he
was more of a myth than a man.
Background/context
-William Wallace was the famous patriotic leader of Scotland during the first
phase of the wars of independence.
-Historians disagree about Wallace’s birthday with traditional historians
arguing he was born in 1267, and some revisionist historians arguing he was
rather born in 1260 instead.
-Historians also have differing views about where he was born, with some
traditional historians arguing he was born in Eldershire in Renfrewshire, and
some revisionists arguing he was born in Derwent Park in Kilmarnock.
-There is also disagreement about his father with some historians believing he
was the second son of Sir Malcolm Wallace who was a minor knight from
Elderslie, and others believing he was the son of Allan Wallace, a ‘crown
tenant’ from Ayrshire.
-Historians also disagree about his social standing and status, his
traditionalists arguing he was merely a ‘common man’ or one of the ‘middling
folk’, but revisionists argue that if he was the son of Sir Malcolm then he
must’ve been a minor noble.
-Research on the seal of the Lubec letter suggests Wallace was an archer, and
his father Alan, and he may have been one of two in the Ragman roll.
-A brother Malcolm is referred to as a tenant landholder, and so was probably
Wallace.
, -Neither appeared on Rahman Roll and were probably significant figure to have
been register as refusing homage to Edward I.
-Fiona Watson suggests the Wallace’s might have been tenants in royal lands
Health warning
Most of the story of the life of William Wallace come from the 15th century poem
written by Blind Harry. Little is known about him, although people think he was
a soldier before he wrote the poem. Although he wrote the poem 170 years after
the death of Wallace, Harry claims it was based off on an older book written in
Latin by a boyhood friend of Wallace, John Blair. However this story is full of
exaggerations and inaccuracies. Some points to be considered are;
-claims that Edward killed Scottish nobles in 1280, with Wallace’s father
amongst them. THIS IS NOT TRUE
-claims that Wallace rebelled after his wife was killed, BUT THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE HE WAS EVER MARRIED,
-claims he led an army to the outskirts of London. THIS HASN’T BEEN
CONFIRMED.
-it claims that Wallace was sedcuced by Edwards French wife, Isabella. THIS
HASN’T BEEN CONFIRMED.
The film Braveheart is also based off of Blind Harry’s poetry, not real life.
Andrew Murray
— The son of the respected Andrew de Moray, justiciar of northern
Scotland.
— Both of them fought at the Battle of Dunbar, where they were captured
along with the majority of the nobility.
— He was taken to Chester castle to be imprisoned, but he managed to
escape by May 1297 had returned to his familial lands and raised a
rebellion that culminated in the removal of all English Garrisons north of
the River Tay.
-Hugh Cressingham had ordered the nobles of the north east, notably the
Earl of Buchan and other leading comyns , to hunt down Andrew and his
followers.
-while buchan took his men and chased Andrew for a while , his efforts were
somewhat lacklustre.
-By August Murray had marched to Dundee, where they joined forces with
Wallace in the siege of the town.
-He was wounded at Stirling Bridge, and is said to have died from his
wounds afterwards.
-However, after the battle he was made joint Guardian along with Wallace
-They were referred to as joint commanders of the army of Scotland.
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