The true story of Braveheart

Pay attention that today I will tell you the true story of Braveheart.

Our story begins in the year 1286, when Scotland was a free and peaceful nation that was ruled by King Alexander III.

Alexander had to go to Edinburgh to see his counselors, which his wife advised him not to do, but the king ignored him and also ...

When returning and eager to spend the night with his wife Yolanda, his party took dangerous shortcuts and the King died falling from a cliff.

He left as the sole heir to the little Margaret who died 4 years later leaving empty the throne of Scotch.
And here the good starts.

14 noble houses began to fight for the right to the throne, the two strongest candidates were Robert Bruce and John Balliol.

And as a civil war was coming, the English king, Eduardo "Legs Long" (named for his great stature) decided to intervene.

He was really anxious to get hold of Scottish territories and told them that he would help them choose the king who deserved Scottish rule.

On November 12, 1292, he chose John Balliol as the new King of Scots, since he had sworn allegiance to the English crown.

But the King of England was a shrewd man and thought to use the Scots to fight against the French.

The Scots came forward and signed a treaty with the French, that infuriated Edward I of England and declared war on Scotland.

The war was short-lived, Eduardo won and killed all the women and children he encountered, and he captured the king and thus Scotland became English.

Not only that, King Edward "Legs Long" took with him the "stone of destiny" a rock that according to legends gave wisdom and ..

Upon which the kings of Scotland began their reign.
Now yes, Scotland was his forever.

Or so he thought because a group of nobles among whom were Robert de Bruce and John de Menteith rebelled against English rule.

Robert commanded the meetings of the Scottish nobles but they took a long time to deliberate and in the woods a group of guerrillas was formed.

That group was commanded by a commoner named ...

William Wallace

What is known about William Wallace is largely thanks to the poet Blind Harry, who went from town to town singing the story.

But Blind Harry lived 150 years after Wallace's death so many things are thought to have been exaggerated, embellished or invented.

According to Harry's poem, an English sheriff killed Marion Braidfute, Wallace's wife, he killed him and had to flee by becoming an outlaw.

Although there is no historical evidence to support the relationship of Wallace and Marion Braidfute let alone the death of the sheriff.

Although Harry claimed that Wallace's father was Sir Malcom Wallace and since William was the youngest son, he could not inherit anything and thought to go to ...

Study a seminar, where he learned French, Latin, Greek, among others.
And because his supposed sword is still preserved, you know ...

That he was a very tall man (because the sword measures 1.65)
Wallace used guerrilla tactics and was winning many victories.

Perhaps the most famous is that of the Stirling Bridge where he joined his group of outlaws with those of another noble named Andrew Murray.

Together they faced the English army using the same tactic that the 300 Spartans used ...

When they saw the large English army, they reached them before crossing the Stirling bridge and there they fought.

It did not matter that the English army was bigger, they had to go through the small bridge and there the Scots fought in equality.

After the victory William Wallace and Andrew Murray were named protectors of Scotland and nobles such as John de Menteith joined them.

A week later Wallace and Murray attacked the north of England and Murray died there, leaving Wallace as the sole protector of Scotland.

The Scottish nobles named him, "Sir William Wallace" and being the only protector of Scotland his powers were like those of a king.

But let's not forget the King of England who was furious with the Scots but especially hated William Wallace.

So blind with anger, he directed almost 30,000 men to hunt down Wallace, who had only less than 10,000 in his army.

On the morning of June 21 and after days of march, his spies informed the cruel king that Wallace was only 30 kilometers away, in Falkirk.

William Wallace and King Edward would meet and face each other in a final battle, where the freedom of Scotland would be decided.

In spite of the numerical difference, Wallace and his group were presenting a good battle, they were overcome 1 to 3 but they fought bravely.

And if you think there is no difference with the movie, expect that you will be very surprised at the end.

Eduardo "Legs Long" was surprised by the ferocity of the Scots and realized that he was going to lose the battle.

Wallace made his masterful move and ordered his cavalry to attack the enemy archers and thus win the battle and finally liberate Scotland.

The cavalry began to advance to attack the archers, William was nowhere to win the war.

But the cavalry betrayed him, and they began to move away leaving Wallace unprotected.

He was surrounded but managed to escape fighting with his friend John de Menteith.

William lost in Falkirk and the worst came.

The Scots forced William to relinquish the title of protector of Scotland and went into exile. (thought to France)

The king returns frustrated to London for not being able to capture Wallace and the nobles of Scotland name John Comyn and Robert Bruce protectors.

Comyn and Bruce fought all the time, they could not agree on any strategy and Bruce Robert got fed up with the situation.

John Comyn remains as Scotland's only protector, but he did not know how to keep the French from allies.

Scotland is unprotected and Eduardo "Legs Long" returns with 65 years to conquer again the northern nation and finally succeeds.

Comyn surrendered easily and Scotland was conquered.

At last England took over the northern territories but there was something strange. In the villages, rumors began to emerge ...

Scotland spent 3 years and it was theirs but the English knew that there was something strange, from time to time they attacked British patrols and caravans.

Every time there were more and more rumors, the fear of the English grew every day, as well as the hope of the Scots because they knew that ...

William Wallace had returned.

According to the stories of Blind Harry won one battle after another, but still he needed more men and he did not receive help from the nobles.

Everything seemed lost until his old friend, John de Menteith, the one who fought at his side in Falkirk learned of his return and called him.

William would meet his friend and together they would finish the English and achieve the freedom of Scotland.

But when he arrived at John's castle, English soldiers appeared and captured him.

John de Menteith had betrayed him.

William Wallace was accused of high treason, which he denied arguing that he never pledged allegiance to any English king.

They took him to London, tortured him there for hours and then dragged him through the streets while people threw stones at him.

Then they hung him up and when he lost consciousness they let him go and so on.

Then they began to make cuts throughout the body while the crowd shouted at him.

Finally they decapitated him, cut off his limbs, sent them to every corner of Scotland, and his head was displayed on a pike.

And that
It was not the story of Braveheart.

Because William Wallace was not the brave Heart that history speaks of.

That was...

Robert of Bruce.

He was the true protagonist and the true brave heart and not William Wallace as people believe and I will tell you why.

When Mel Gibson decided to make the Braveheart movie he found Wallace's story more salable than the true brave heart.

Robert of Bruce was a brave man who after the death of Wallace and being he the protector of Scotland decides to follow the rebellion.

Everyone was afraid after William's death but Robert does not leave his post, continues to fight bravely and win battles.

And it is Robert of Bruce who succeeds in defeating the English King in 1314, although independence does not recognize England completely until 1328.

He died a year later leaving a Scotland free.

And before dying he asks his friend James Douglas to take his heart to the Holy Land after his death so that his sins can be forgiven.

He was attacked (remember that the crusades had already begun) and James was inspired because he had the heart of his friend and fought bravely.

And in the middle of the battle he threw his heart to the front and shouted "Go on Braveheart, I will follow you or I will die."

That moved his enemies and when Sultan Muhammad IV learns of the bravehearted legend, he sends him back to Scotland.

And there it remains until today, the Melrose Abbey is the place where the brave heart rests, buried under a plaque.

The plaque says: "A noble heart can not be at peace, if it lacks freedom".

End.

And that was the true story of Braveheart.