After Falkirk, the Scots nobles reasserted their role as guardians of the kingdom and continued the war with Edward. Wallace was assigned a new role as an envoy for the Scots to the courts of Europe. Diplomacy was crucial to the Scots war effort and Wallace, by now a renowned figure across Europe, played a high profile role.
Wallace returned to Scotland in , with the diplomatic effort seemingly in good stead. With no prospect of victory, the Scottish leaders capitulated and recognised Edward as overlord in Only Wallace refused to submit, perhaps signing his own death warrant at this time. Here was the crucial difference between Wallace and the key players from amongst the Scottish nobles - for Wallace there was no compromise, the English were his enemy and he could not accept their rule in any form.
However, the nobles were more pliable and willing to switch sides, or placate the English, when it served their own ends. Wallace had become a nuisance to both his feudal superiors and the English. The Martyrdom of William Wallace Wallace was declared an outlaw, which meant his life was forfeit and that anyone could kill him without trial.
He continued his resistance, but on August 3rd, , he was captured at Robroyston, near Glasgow. Menteith was no English lackey, and in he put his seal to the Declaration of Arbroath. Wallace was taken to Dumbarton castle, but quickly moved to London for a show trial in Westminster Hall. He was charged with two things - being an outlaw and being a traitor.
No trial was required, but, by charging him as a traitor, Edward intended to destroy his reputation. The prisoner is then urged to beg for mercy to bring to an end this horrible torture and hasten his inevitable death. But Wallace will not. The crowd looks stunned. The great axe descends. But what really happened to William Wallace on his execution day seven centuries ago was of course far less Hollywood and much, much more brutal and horrifying. His trial at Westminster Hall was no trial at all.
Then the execution began. Before the executioner told him that if he swears the oath of allegiance to the king, they would execute him without torturing. As he was not willing to do that, the brutal execution started.
At first he was stretched by a rope. Again and again he offered him to defy his loyalty to the king. It was Edward's wish that he swears him allegiance. He believed that if Wallace shows resignation, he will win his personal 'fight' against him. After stretching and racking him, they put William on a cross, and began disembowelment, so that he had to suffer serious pains. Now the crowd had compassion with him. They shouted out for mercy. The crowd got their personal impression of William.
Of course the English nobles demonised him and his motives, and told the people that he is a brutal murderer. However, Wallace only had to say the word mercy and everything would be over. As everyone expected that he would say mercy, he shouted out the word freedom.
This last word freedom stands for William Wallace and his famous actions. He was living to be free. At this point the executioner had also compassion with him.
At first it seemed, as if it is a satisfaction for him to torture Wallace in such a brutal. You can read this from his face. Short before the death, his wife Murron appeared to him like an angel.
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