William Wallace
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Wallace was a knight from Scotland who fought the King of England (Edward I) in the Middle Ages. He was born around 1270, and executed by the English on 23 August 1305. Scotland had been occupied by England, and Wallace led resistance to the occupation. A book called The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie was written by a minstrel named Blind Harry in the 15th century. The book is written more like a story than a true version of his life, and has led to much of the legends around William Wallace. The film Braveheart is based on the novel.
[edit] Uncertain start
[edit] Birth
Exactly where and when Wallace was born is not very clear. Some people say he was born about 1272, but a book printed in the 16th century called History of William Wallace and Scottish Affairs says he was born in 1276. Tradition says he was born in Elderslie, near Paisley in Renfrewshire. There are links with Ayrshire as well, and it is not clear whether Wallace first fought the English in Ayrshire or Lanark.
[edit] Family
Tradition sees Wallace as a "common", normal person. Robert the Bruce, who also fought the English, was seen as being more noble.