William Wallace Legend

The legend of William Wallace is a prominent one, but there is much speculation over who the man behind the legend was. The name William Wallace belongs to a man who is considered a national hero in Scotland; he is known for his bravery, strength and influence in the Scottish wars for independence. Most information on William Wallace comes from Blind Harry, a monk who wrote a lengthy poem that recounted the life of Wallace 's life 172 years after he was executed. (Murison, Falconer, Fisher, Andrew, Morton, Graeme, infobase.com) Whether Blind Harry’s information is correct, or if embellishments were added to his tale, is not known. (Blackwood and Sons). That is why though William Wallace is a very widely known man, recognizable by merely

William Wallace is a symbol of patriotism and courage in Scotland, though most of his fights were fueled by anger and hatred towards the English. Lanark was burned to the ground because earlier that day, his love interest was murdered. His actions in battle were often thought of as brutal, but many are believed to be legend. When in Lanark its been said that he used the skin of englishman to make a scabbard for his claymore and an english noble from the battle of stirling bridge was used for sword handles. William Wallace was a greatly feared man by English troops for he was known as a brutal heartless knight who didn 't seem to believe in mercy. All of this pure anger and hatred for the English likely came from one of four deaths. Wallace 's father was said to be killed in a skirmish with English soldiers, Wallace murdered a noble Englishman before joining the resistance and he was then constantly hunted as an outlaw by the english, his love interest Marion was murdered by englishman, and his uncle was murdered in retaliation to Wallace 's actions against Edward I. Though seen as a hero with a brutal death, he may have been one of the cruelest and darkest characters in Scotland

William Wallace is thought of as a symbol of the strength, patriotism, and bravery of the people of Scotland, but when further research is done, all the legends and stories of his brutal work in battle, he seems more villain than hero. None of those stories of his brutality and heartlessness are proved or founded on fact. With that said, his influence in the scottish wars for independence, are undeniable. His military career was terminated as quickly as it began, but he fought for the freedom of his country, and that can be proven. So while legends are often skewed over the years and different views are told on said legends, William Wallace still remains a national hero in the eyes of Scots and those who know of his actions. The man behind the legend has many brutal tales told of him, his death included, but based on facts, he seems to be almost every bit of the man that his