William Wallace

Most people know of Sir William Wallace from movies, the most popular movie is Brave Heart. The title of the movie already gives you an idea of what type of man William Wallace was. William, was a valiant warrior and a die hard patriot for Scotland. He lead and trained the Scottish armies and went on a quest to unite Scotland and drive the English back to England.

William was a very skilled warrior and a mountain of a man, and Wallace's fellow warriors idolized him and looked up to him and saw him as their leader because of his enormous hatred for the leader of the English campaign, Edward Longshanks. Edward was the king of England at that time and was a brilliant tactitioner on the battle feild. Edward was Williams sworn enemy because when William was a boy, Edward slaughted many people from his village and his father.

William grew up hating the English because of constant raids on his village. When he grew up he would ride on his horse from village to village gathering men to stand up and fight the English. Because of William's powerful words most men were willing to join and fight with William against the English.

The English army being trained and all, disregarded the Scottish force as nothing more than a bunch of skirt-wearing farmers with pitch-forks but their opinions changed quite dramatically. The Scotts soon started raiding English forts and collected precious armor, weapons, gold and other items. The time came that Sir William army had to face the full strength of the English, it was a do or die for William's army and Scotland.

The odds were 10:1 and the fate of Scotland rested on William"s shoulders. It was one of the biggest battles in history. Sir William was struck down in the heat of the battle and the Scotts were overwhelmed by the numbers of English and had to retreat. The English had captured William and took him to England and put him on trial in front of the city. Some of William's bravest and faithful men came to try and help William and get him back to Scotland. The English gave William a choice, bow down and pledge his allegiance to King Edward and England, and he would live, but if he refused, he would die a horrible death. They started to torture him but he would not give in because of his patriotism and his loyalty to Scotland. He died from the torture and even though William was dead he still lived on in his fellow warriors' hearts. In the end, Scotland was free of the English.