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"Braveheart" - An Anonymous Exchange of Views

I have a debate with a friend who says that the film, "BRAVEHEART" bears no resemblance to the real story of William Wallace, and I have maintained that about 40% of the film is accurate. Who is correct here?

Very little is known about William Wallace, in fact the only real information we have about him is the horrific way in which he was executed (very much the standard for the times). The story in the film has some measure of accuracy but is for the most part a work of fantacy. The costumes are for the most part accurate, the living conditions are also well portrayed, the battle scenes are true to our understanding and Edward I was the hard man he is portrayed as. However, the events portrayed in thefilm are for the most part very much a figment of the script writers immagination. You are both right, the film does bear some resemblance to the times of Wallace, but it is also true that the facts about wallace are too scant to tell any kind of 'real' story.

This is certainly true. So much is wrong with the film historically, that it amazes me how it ever got to be filmed! It seems that the scriptwriter confused the story of the Scottish rebellion with the events surrounding the overthrow of Edward II in 1327. At this time, Edward II's queen seems to have had an affair with Roger(?) Mortimer who successfully rebelled agianst the king.

However, at the time of the Scottish rebellion (1297) in which Wallace played a role, Edward II was only around 13 years old and certainly could not have had a serious role on Edward I's war council as portrayed in the film. Furthermore, Edward's bride-to-be, the princess of France, was only about 5 years old that same year and so could not truly have been so enamoured with William Wallace as the film indicated.

The role of the other Scottish rebel leaders was also shamefully disregarded in the film as if Wallace alone could be Scotland's 'saviour'. Even the battles were not accurately depicted (though the presentation of the hand to hand combat seemed realistic enough).

Then there were strange inventions such as the sacking of York (!) and silly notions such as the Irish skirmishers joining the Scottish rebels in jovial camaraderie against the English forces. Medieval Irish records (such as the Pipe Rolls) indicate that the Irish played a not insignificant role in fighting the Scots in the 1290s. Furthermore, Gaelic Irish troops fought for Anglo-Norman lords against those of other Gaelic (and Anglo-Norman) lords at this time and over the next two centuries. There was little real sense of nationality (let alone pan-Celticism) in the minds of most Irish people in the middle ages.

But really, one could go on and on. "Braveheart" was a brilliant opportunity to inform the public about Scotland's (and England's) history. Instead, it will possibly become an important source of misinformation that may be difficult to eradicate for many years to come.

Miscellany:

For a balanced view of the Wallace story, incorporating details of the history and archaeology of the time, may I reccomend Wallace, Renfrewshire and the Wars of Independence, Derek Alexander and Alan Steel, 1997, Renfrewshire Local History Forum ISBN 0 9529 1951 6. Copies are available from D.Alexander, Centre for Field Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Old High School, 12 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT.

The Herald (Glasgow) (19 June 1998 p11):
"First medieval longbow to be found in Scotland recovered from cess pit. - Archaeologists in St Andrews have unearthed a rare fragment of a medieval longbow in a stone-lined cess pit throught to date back to the 14th century. The site also revealed clear evidence of occupation."

Source: Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998
From: Jimm
Subject: Re: William. Wallace

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