William Wallace is considered a legend in Scotland. For years, England and Scotland were at war, and William Wallace was behind many of the battles for Scottish independence. Although the information about him, like that of any good hero, may be exaggerated by some historians, what is true is that he gave the country hope that Scotland could free itself from English tyranny . For years after his death, others took his place to save Scotland from English rule. William Wallace was so famous among the Scots that they made a film about him. The film was directed by Mel Gibson and originally written in book form by Randall Wallace. Mel Gibson played William Wallace. In the film, William lashes out against the English after his wife is attacked by an English soldier. This epic drama was so well received that it won 5 Academy Awards. Of course, like all films based on historical events, it was filled with assumptions and exaggerations. No one really knows for sure about William Wallace's childhood, since he didn't become famous until later in life. He is believed to have been born in the 1270s. His family wanted him to have a good education, so as a child he was sent to France to study. During his absence, the English attacked the southern part of Scotland and killed the Scots. When William returned from France, he discovered that his parents had died at the hands of the English army, which made him extremely angry and vengeful. . It is debatable whether or not he had a wife, or whether his wife was attacked by Englishmen, but what seems true is that English soldiers raped Scottish women. The idea was to introduce more English blood into the country, but this would result in English babies. William Wallace did not... in the middle of the newspaper... like Yrenside today, so it is believed that this was referring to the banks. of the Earn River. Some thought it was Ironside, a hill in the Sidlaw Hills of Scotland. In his final days, even though England was winning, he refused to give up. It was later captured by the English in 1305 near Glasgow, Scotland. He was taken to London where he was tried for treason. The English hanged him, beheaded him and cut him into 4 pieces and put them in the corners of Scotland. Of course, in doing so, the Scots felt he was protecting them, which gave them the courage to fight back. William Wallace became a hero and a representative of the Scottish Declaration of Independence. The irony is that Scottish independence didn't happen until around 50 years later, but because of his battles, and more recently the film, he will always be remembered as a 'a Braveheart..