The Wallace BookEdward J. Cowan Through his personality, ingenuity and ability, he initiated a resistance movement which ultimately secured the nation's freedom and independence. Yet, Wallace was reviled, opposed and eventually betrayed by the nobility in his own day to re-surface in the epic poetry of the fifteenth century as a champion and liberator. Eventually, his legend overtook the historical reality, a process which has continued for centuries as manifested in modern media and film. A team of leading historians and critics from both Scotland and England investigate what is known of the medieval warrior's career from contemporary sources, most of which, unusually for a national hero, were created by his enemies. His reputation, from the time of his horrendous execution to the present, is examined to ascertain what the figure of Wallace meant to different generations of Scots. Too dangerous perhaps for his own era, he became the supreme Scottish hero of all time; the archetypal Scot who would teach kings and nobles where their duty lay, and who would live free or freely die for the liberty of his nation. |
Contents
Contributors biographies | 6 |
What We Do and Dont Know | 26 |
John Duns Scotus and the Idea of Independence | 77 |
Copyright | |
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A. A. M. Duncan Alan Wallace Andrew Anglo-Scottish army Bannockburn Barrow battle of Stirling Blind Hary Bower Braveheart British Buchan Castle Charles Rogers Chron chronicle commemoration Comyn contemporary Cowan Cressingham cultural David death Declaration of Arbroath defeat Documents Earl Edinburgh Edward Elderslie Elspeth King England English Falkirk Fordun Fraser freedom Gallery and Museum Gesta Annalia Glasgow Guardian Guisborough Hary's Wallace historians Hugh Cressingham independence James kingdom knight Lanark leader letter liberty London lord Lübeck magnates medieval modern Morton national hero National Wallace Monument nationalist nineteenth century noble outlaw patriot Perth poem political Prestwich Rishanger Robert Bruce Robin Hood royal Scots Scott Scottish History Scottish National Scottish nobility Scotus Scotus's seal sheriff Sir William Wallace Smith Art Gallery Society Stevenson Stirling Bridge Stirling Smith Art story of Wallace Thomas tion Union Unionist unionist-nationalism unionist-nationalist Wallace and Bruce Wallace Sword Wallace's Warenne William Burns Wyntoun