Braveheart

The 1995 epic film "Braveheart" tells the story of William Wallace, who led the war of independence in Scotland. In the film, Wallace begins a rebellion, and is later betrayed by Robert the Bruce who, in the end, feels so guilty about his betrayal that he leads Scotland to freedom. As the film shows, that only happened a few months after William Wallace's death. Because William Wallace is the most important figure in Scotland's history, and Mel Gibson's version is exactly how the events took place.

Right?

Of course not. Mel Gibson's film is nothing more than a historical fan fiction. Probably the only thing in the film that is true is that Wallace started a rebellion by taking out an outpost. But even that statement is the only true part from that scene. The motives and manner of the attack was different in real life. One of the first thing the film tells you, that Wallace's father was a commoner, is even false. William Wallace was the son of a knight. The film shows Wallace leading the rebels into battle, but had they actually showed the battles scenes instead of flying through them perhaps the most epic part of the film. Wallace's knowledge of the battlefield led for some pretty intense battles.

Robert the Bruce never betrayed Wallace. In fact, both Wallace and Bruce were pretty much fans of each other. After Wallace was executed (oh, another true part of the film, and actually probably the most accurate scene. Except Wallace didn't scream, "FREEDOM" as he died), King Edward (who didn't just happen to die as Wallace did) became even so sure that Scotland was his that he marched into Scotland to claim it. He wasn't counting on the Scots to still want freedom. After MANY YEARS (not months), Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland as Robert I. He did, in fact, win Scotland's independence.

He told his people that if he were to die on the battlefield, to remove his heart and take it on a crusade. When the time came, his heart was taken on a crusade, but the carrier died on the way. The heart was found on a battlefield and sent back to Scotland.

The point I am trying to get to is: William Wallace was NOT Braveheart. That nickname belonged to Robert the Bruce. Mel Gibson not only focus the film on the wrong guy, he set it at the wrong time.


Also, this is William Wallace                                           As opposed to

 

And this is Robert the Bruce                       As opposed to