Yesterday we released Episode 4: 'Will the real William Wallace please stand up?' in our series of educational videos. Here we discussed what we know about the real #WilliamWallace. As it’s #FolkloreThursday let’s continue to uncover the real story of Scotland’s National Hero…
Very little information is known about the real #WilliamWallace. Nobody knows his birthday, or even the year he was born. Within the historical record his most active years are between 1297 and 1298. #FolkloreThursday
It is generally accepted that he will have been a young man with some level of military experience. For that reason, most historians believe he was born around 1270. #FolkloreThursday #WilliamWallace
Traditionally he was believed to have been born in Elderslie in Renfrewshire, though a different claim of Ellerslie in Ayrshire has emerged in recent years. Either way, Wallace’s father will have been a member of minor nobility and a landowner. #FolkloreThursday #WilliamWallace
It was thought the elder Wallace was named Malcom, but William’s personal seal bears the name Alan. #FolkloreThursday #WilliamWallace
#WilliamWallace was not the firstborn son and in medieval society second or thirdborn sons were not expected to inherit. Unless his elder brothers died, Wallace would need to find his own way in the world. One story is that he was training to be a priest. #FolkloreThursday
#WilliamWallace will have been educated and able to understand Latin. As a member of a minor noble family he will have learned horsemanship and combat skills. Based on his personal seal, he may have been an archer. #FolkloreThursday
No portraits of Wallace exist from his lifetime. We can only guess what he looked like and many artists have painted him according to tastes in their own era. #FolkloreThursday #WilliamWallace
Many people think #WilliamWallace was very tall for a man of his time. He must have been in order to wield the Wallace Sword, which stands at 1.68m (5’5”). #FolkloreThursday
#WilliamWallace is truly legendary. With no portraits created in Wallace's lifetime, the only images that exist are in the hearts and minds of those who want to tell his story. #FolkloreThursday
You can follow @TheWallaceMon.
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