Scotland William Wallace

William Wallace was now a fugitive in his own country, there were very many who would help him remain free but as Edward piled on the pressure, offering great rewards to which ever man found Wallace, his time was fast running out.

Plagued in his battles by traitors, Wallace was to meet with one more before his death.

One of the Scottish nobles, Sir John Menteith had planted spies in Wallace's followers.

When his spy reported that Wallace was in Glasgow, Menteith gathered his men and made their way there.

Under the cover of darkness they captured William Wallace while he slept then using the less well-known routes, in fear of reprisal from Wallace's supporters, they took him to Carlisle onto English soil.

There he was handed over to the English and began a journey to London that was to take some 6 weeks from his capture in Glasgow.
Once on English soil it was safe for his captors to take their time, use well-known routes to display William Wallace to all they passed as an example and as a mockery.
Did they really think Wallace cared what the English thought of him?

He arrived in London on the evening on 22nd August 1305. The following morning he was taken to Westminster to be tried.

A farce of a trial, the outcome was known from before Wallace was even captured.

He stood accused of treason to a King he had never sworn any loyalty to.

He was found guilty and was taken outside, tied to the tails of a pair of horses and dragged through the streets to reach the place where he was to meet his death.
A very public affair, with crowds flocking to see this man die.

William Wallace met his death in the most barbaric of fashions. He was hanged then cut down while still alive.

Tied to the block where he would be drawn and quartered, his genitals were cut off and burnt before his eyes.
Each time William Wallace would pass out from pain his torturers would pause till he was revived with cold water.

He was disembowelled, his rib cage was split open to show his still beating but weeping heart and only then he was allowed to die, his head severed from his body by an axe man.

His head was piked over London Bridge and the 4 quarters of his body sent to Berwick, Perth Stirling and Newcastle.

Edward had his revenge but still Edward made the mistake of thinking this would change the views of the Scottish people.
Yes it did change them but not in the way Edward wished. What Edward had done that day on 23rd August 1305 was to give Scotland a martyr to look to every time their freedom was in doubt.

2005, the 700th anniversary of the death of one of the greatest men Scotland ever knew.

William Wallace who gave his life for the Freedom of Scotland.

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