Angry Men In Kilts
Bringing Mel Gibson's Braveheart
Into Your Campaign

Introduction and History

By Rob Vaux
Photographs courtesy of Paramount Pictures, Inc.

The Scottish army stared grimly across the vale at the countless rows of English soldiers before them. They had come from hundreds of miles away to fight for their country's freedom, but the odds looked bleak and the nobility who had led them here seemed more willing to bargain for land than conduct a legitimate battle.

William Wallace stood with his entourage at the forefront of the commoners, watching as the banner of truce was lowered and the two sets of leaders began dickering about title and property. He hadn't come here to watch a debate, and he wasn't interested in seeing the English march away unbloodied and victorious. Casting a contemptuous glance at the nobles gathered in the center of the field, he spurred his horse forward to join them.

"Where are ye goin'?" Hamish, his chief lieutenant, called after him. Wallace stopped and turned, his blue eyes blazing from his woad-dabbed face.

"I'm goin' te pick a fight!" he growled. Hamish nodded, then looked at the other lieutenants.

"Well, we did na' git dressed up fer nuthin ......

The exploits of thirteenth century knight Sir William Wallace and the bid he led for Scottish independence were brought to life this summer in the Mel Gibson movie Braveheart. An epic of over three hours, Braveheart chronicles the Scotsman's early rise to prominence, his stunning victory at the Battle of Stirling, and his eventual betrayal at the hands of his own kinsman.

Gibson and screenwriter Randall Wallace have done a remarkable job of bringing Wallace's achievements to life, and of exploring some of the very human reasons behind his legendary status. While wargamers and history buffs may already be familiar with Wallace and his part in the war for Scottish independence, the film provides personal characterizations and story material that allows him to enter a more traditional role-playing environment.

This article is intended as a guide to help gamemasters introduce Wallace and the other characters of Braveheart into their campaign. While Scotland may not exist in a fantasy setting, the situations and personalities can easily translate into any capacity GMs see fit.

History

Note: what follows is a legitimate history which has been intertwined with the narrative of the film. As such, certain ficticious creations of the filmmakers have been placed alongside more accurate events.

While Braveheart remains fairly loyal to historical fact, there is much which can only be speculated on, and the natural need for plot and character must sometimes take precedence over painstaking accuracy. This summation should not be taken as gospel truth.

In addition, much of the movie's plot is revealed here. If you haven't seen the film and want to keep the surprises fresh, put this article away until you have been fully indoctrinated.

Braveheart takes place during the last few decades of the thirteenth century. The High Middle Ages were in full swing, and the feudal system was firmly established across the British Isles. For the past one hundred years, relations between England and Scotland had been fairly cordial.

In 1286, however, King Alexander III of Scotland died, and four years later his granddaughter followed him, leaving no heir to the throne. Various Scottish nobles began squabbling for the position, but it was England's King Edward I - called 'The Longshanks' - who ultimately stepped in. He forced the Scots to acknowledge him as lord superior of Scotland, then installed a proxy ruler, John de Balliol, in his stead. Soon after (1296), he invaded and conquered Scotland himself, imprisoning the hapless de Balliol and declaring himself king.

About this time, Wallace entered the picture. Returning from a pilgrimage abroad in 1297, he settled near his home village of Lanark and began courting his childhood sweetheart, Murron. Despite her father's adamant refusal to let him see her, their courtship continued, and their familiar infatuation quickly blossomed into fullblown love. They were secretly married soon thereafter.

Unfortuantely, their happiness was short-lived. An English soldier from the local garrison had taken a shine to Murron and attempted to rape her the day after the wedding. Wallace intervened and beat the man severely before effecting an escape. Murron was captured by other soldiers and brought before the local magistrate, who executed her in an attempt to draw Wallace out.

Enraged, Wallace and a band of supporters slaughtered the entire garrison and killed the magistrate. Hunted and on the run, he fled into the hills and began a guerrilla war against the occupying English. Soon, a disciplined army of commoners in open revolt against the crown had formed around him.

Edward meanwhile, had begun a campaign in France, and left the pacification of Scotland to his weak and effete son, Prince Edward. The Prince dispatched an army north under the Earl of Surrey, who met Wallace's forces on the fields of Stirling on September 11, 1297.

The Scottish nobles who had appeared there in support of Wallace saw the confrontation as a chance to increase their holdings. The English army greatly outnumbered them, and had heavy cavalry to boot, which was considered nigh unstoppable at the time. The nobles hoped they could bargain with the English for lands and titles, but had no intention of actually fighting. Wallace had other ideas.

After harshly baiting the English into attacking, Wallace surprised the cavalry with formations of spearmen, and outflanked the remaining forces with his own horse- mounted troops. The English found themselves overwhelmed by a numerically inferior force and were slaughtered almost to a man. The Battle of Stirling was a stunning victory for the Scots, and Wallace was knighted by the noblemen soon thereafter.

By the end of the month, Wallace had most of Scotland free of occupying forces, and commenced an invasion of England in October, which culminated in the capture of York. King Edward had just returned from France, and was enraged to see these upstart barbarians threatening his kingdom. He sent his daughter-in-law, Princess Isabelle, to negotiate with Wallace while he assembled another army to remove the Scottish threat. The Princess became entranced by Wallace's passion, however, and began secretly aiding his cause soon thereafter.

Unfortunately for Wallace, some of his older allies were not so committed. The Scottish nobles had given only him grudging support and many felt they could enhance their favor with Edward by selling him out. Chief among these was Robert the Bruce, who sympathized with Wallace's position, but was limited by the nobility's politics and by the desires of his invalid father. Along with several others, the Bruce planned to betray Wallace to Edward at the first opportunity.

Edward's army met Wallace again at the Battle of Falkirk on July 22, 1298. This time, the Scottish nobles refused to support him and Wallace was abandoned on the field by forces he had counted on. He suffered a crushing defeat, his military might was shattered, and he himself barely escaped with his life. The Bruce witnessed it all from King Edward's side.

For the next few years, Wallace led the life of a guerrilla fighter, aided by the loyalty of a few close friends, the legends of his prowess and the discreet aid of Princess Isabelle. Isabelle had come to harbor a deep love for the Scotsman, and the two managed to consummate a brief romance before circumstances forced them apart.

The nobles approached Wallace again in 1305, offering to stand beside him and make another serious attempt at Scottish independence. It was another ruse, however, and on August 5, he was captured near Glasgow by a fellow countryman, Sir John de Menteith. He was taken to London, tried, and executed for treason on August 23, although he maintained he had never sworn allegiance to Edward.

Wallace's death spurred Robert the Bruce to abandon Edward and embrace the commoner's cause. The betrayal at Falkirk has affected Edward deeply, and he vowed to make amends for it any way he could. While he had Edward's confidence at Wallace's execution, it became apparent soon thereafter that he had no intention of letting the Longshanks have his way any longer. He was crowned king on March 25, 1306 and promptly declared Scotland an independent country.

Unfortunately, his new-found patriotic fervor did not initially translate into mili. tary prowess. He subsequently suffered several crushing defeats, and was forced into hiding off the coast of Ireland.

Fortunes changed with the transition of power in England. Edward I died in 1307, and Robert took the opportunity to launch a new campaign to take back his country. Edward II demonstrated none of the competence and resolve of his father, which aided the Bruce in a series of decisive military victories. He moved south quickly, gathering momentum and support as he went. His crusade climaxed at the Battle of Bannockburn on June 24, 1314, where forces led by the King himself were routed.

Scotland's independence thereafter was secured. The pope recognized the king. dom's legitimacy in 1323, and England accepted the independence of its northern neighbor at the Treaty of Northhampton in 1328. Edward II had been deposed and imprisoned by Isabelle one year earlier, and died that September, probably through violence. Robert I reigned for less than one year before his own death of leprosy in 1329.

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