William Wallace

:For other people named William Wallace, see William Wallace (disambiguation).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sir William Wallace (c. 1276 – August 23, 1305) was a Scottish knight who led his countrymen in resistance to English domination in the reign of King Edward I, during significant periods of the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Related Topics:
1276 - August 23 - 1305 - Scottish - English - Edward I - Wars of Scottish Independence

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tradition often describes Wallace as 'one of the common people', contrasted to his countrymen, such as Robert the Bruce, who came from noble stock. Wallace's family descends from Richard Wallace the Welshman, a landowner under an early member of the House of Stuart, which later became royal lineage.

Related Topics:
Robert the Bruce - Welshman - House of Stuart

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While some suggest Wallace was born around 1270, the 16th century work History of William Wallace and Scottish Affairs claims his year of birth at 1276. Due to the lack of conclusive evidence, Wallace's birthdate and birthplace are disputed. Traditionally, the birthplace of William Wallace is claimed to be Elderslie, near Paisley in Renfrewshire; although, a biographer recently suggested that his birthplace was closer to Ellerslie, near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. In support of the Ellerslie origins, some proposed that William's traditional father, Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie, a knight and vassal to James the Steward, actually came from Riccarton, Ayrshire, and Malcolm's wife from nearby Loudoun. Additionally, some of Wallace's earliest actions were in Ayrshire. To the contrary, the Elderslie origins are defended with the arguments that Ellerslie is a former mining village known only from the 19th century, but Elderslie is known from earlier. Wallace's first action was at Lanark, which isn't near either Elderslie or Ellerslie, and afterward he moved into Ayrshire to join some Scots nobles who were fighting the English at Irvine.

Related Topics:
16th century - Elderslie - Paisley - Renfrewshire - Ellerslie - Kilmarnock - Ayrshire - Vassal - Riccarton - Loudoun - Lanark - Irvine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 1999 rediscovery of William Wallace's seal further enshrouds Wallace's early history in mystery. While tradition claims Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie as the father of three sons, Malcolm, John, and William Wallace, the seal identifies William as the son of Alan Wallace of Ayrshire, who appears in the Ragman Roll of 1296 as "crown tenant of Ayrshire". Dr. Fiona Watson in "A Report into Sir William Wallace's connections with Ayrshire", published in March 1999, reassesses the early life of William Wallace and concludes, "Sir William Wallace was a younger son of Alan Wallace, a crown tenant in Ayrshire". Historian Andrew Fisher, author of William Wallace (2002), writes, "If the Alan of the Ragman Roll was indeed the patriot's father, then the current argument in favour of an Ayrshire rather than a Renfrewshire origin for Wallace can be settled".

Related Topics:
1999 - Malcolm Wallace - Ragman Roll - 1296 - Fiona Watson - Andrew Fisher - 2002

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wallace was educated in French and Latin by two uncles who had become priests. Blind Harry does not mention Wallace's departure from Scotland or that Wallace had combat experience prior to 1297. A record from August 1296 references "a thief, one William le Waleys" in Perth.

Related Topics:
French - Latin - Blind Harry - 1297 - 1296

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~