William Wallace

William Wallace is considered to be “Scotland’s greatest hero” (McHale). In order to appreciate the true value of freedom one must understand the hardships and trials people faced in order to obtain that freedom. William Wallace was a freedom fighter. He went through many trials and tribulations during his life. William Wallace’s family came from Wales. William was not even Scottish (Fish). Yet he had the strength and courage to stand up for what he thought was right.

William Wallace was born in a little town called Elerslie, in Scotland, around January 1272. “He was the second of three sons to Sir Malcolm Wallace” (Waters). His mother taught him his basic education, until he was six to seven years of age (Chung). At this time and age, the second male son of a family was obligated, by tradition, to obtain education by a clergy member of a monastery, and eventually become a clergy member himself. It is unknown, by historians, how William averted this tradition (Ewart).

During this time the English king, Edward Plantagenet I, also called Edward de Longshanks (McHale), was taking over Scotland. The king of England issued all the people of Scotland to pay homage to him. Sir Malcolm Wallace was entirely against this. He made this widely known. He eventually became titled as an outlaw by King Edward, and was on the run from the English along with his oldest son Malcolm. Sir Reginald de Crauford, William’s grandfather, administered the homage to be paid to Edward I and noticed that his son-in-law’s name did not appear on the list that he compiled (Chung). He sent his daughter and grandsons to Cambuskenneth Abbey in Dunipace to live with Sir Malcolm’s younger brother who was a cleric there. This is where William received the remainder of his education. “His uncle instilled in him moral maxims compactly framed in Latin, and referred frequently to the great classic authors” (McHale). At the monastery he learned the passion and love of liberty he so frequently displayed as an adult.

By the time William completed his education his father died. Sir Malcolm was murdered by an English knight, named Fenwick. The news of William’s father’s death spread quickly. A few months after, William was branded an outlaw, because he killed a man taunting him of his father’s death. This started whole slew of killings and Wallace’s rebellion against the English.

Williams Wallace first appears in history early in 1297.