William Wallace: The Life and Legacy of the Scottish Freedom Fighter

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures.*Includes excerpts from Blind Harry's epic poem about the life of William Wallace.*Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading.*Includes a table of contents. “A false usurper sinks in every foeAnd liberty returns with every blow.” – Blind Harry William Wallace is one of the most famous freedom fighters in history, and over 700 years after his death he is still remembered as Scotland’s beloved hero. But while the movie Braveheart helped make him a household name, and he is commemorated across Scotland as a natural leader and a loyal son of his homeland, he is also “the most mysterious of the leaders of the Scottish resistance to Edward I.” This is because, paradoxically, the very famous soldier is also one of the least well known. In fact, the mystery surrounding Wallace is figuring out precisely, or even vaguely, who he was. Where did this champion of Scottish independence come from? Who was his family? What did he do before emerging from obscurity with the brutal murder of William Heselrig, the English sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297? So little evidence on Wallace’s life exists that answering even the most basic questions about him can be a challenge.That said, as one scholar perceptively notes, “the facts are not the reason why he is remembered as a meaningful historical actor.” For the admirers Wallace has accumulated over the centuries, the idealized version of what he stood for - weak over strong, justice over injustice, the will of the people over the might of the powerful - is infinitely more important than the historical man himself. Similarly, his English detractors have also focused on image over substance through the years, depicting Wallace as a heartless brute, a cruel traitor, and a blood-hungry outlaw. Whether he’s depicted as an icon of Scottish resistance or a symbol of disloyalty and treachery, William Wallace is as much an idea as he was an actual figure of the Scottish Wars of Independence. How does one study someone about whom so little is actually known and whose idealized (or vilified) image has overshadowed his actions? Piecing together the story of William Wallace’s life is an exercise in asking more questions than can be answered, and often in looking at just as much conjecture as proof. While acknowledging that many aspects of his life will remain obscure, William The Life and Legacy of the Scottish Freedom Fighter attempts to separate fact from fiction while looking at the life and fighting of the man who inspired Braveheart. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about William Wallace like you never have before, in no time at all.

Genres: History, Scotland

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2014

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

So unfortunate that we don't know much about him, especially the years in which he was in hiding, out of Edward's grasp. This history is so much more intense when you experience the landscape for yourself. I've stood at the entrance to Stirling and looked out across the river, the banks now connected by a stone arch bridge, to the Wallace monument on the next hill. So beautiful. The book is decent enough but Wallace remains one of those elusive figures that we will simply never get to know beyond superficial information.

[donald brigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Fact from fiction best Wallace book i read, Wallace was a brutal man but man of his times,not for a snow flake generation

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

Short and to the point, lots of excellence information and history. Great book to start research on William Wallace and what he tried to do for Scotland.

[Marcos Kopschitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good overview on the person and his achievements. I like the approach of a look at the historical context, and I learned other interesting facts about British history while reading about William Wallace. Not so well known out of the English-speaking world, at least until Braveheart movie, Wallace comes out more well known, facts and legend balanced. I would highlight references to Blind Harry's text, the Stone of Scone, Wallace's connections with European states and the battles.

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short introduction keeps briefly to facts about Wallace, but it has the virtue of following recent scholarship and therefore isn't repeating old beliefs about Wallace which have been disproven by more modern research. The audiobook version is read in fairly dull narration and there are a few repeated lines, indicating to me that the sound engineering behind this book was handled with little care or interest.

[JP · Rating 3 out of 5]

This brief history dispels the movie story without belittling it. It explains the origins of what we do know and how much we still don't.