"In the cruelty of the Scottish winter, the temptation for Wallace to abandon his ideals must have been intense. Yet at no time did he take the soft option by going overseas and quietly disappearing into anonymity. He believed uncompromisingly in freedom for his country. Having determined to resist English domination, he held to his inner faith and never gave up the fight."
—from William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was one of the greatest heroes in the story of Scotland's long struggle for independence from the English yoke. In this biography, D. J. Gray probes the character and life of this resolute and, at times, pitiless warrior.
Wallace raised a people's army to fight against the forces of Edward I of England, and his victory at the battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 resulted in his elevation to the status of Guardian of Scotland. However, furious at the success of a man he regarded as a guerrilla, King Edward relentlessly pursued Wallace to his death.
Remembered today as the architect of Scottish independence, Wallace's story gives a curious insight into the mind of the modern freedom fighter.
Jacket art: Sir William Wallace Courtesy of The Granger Collection Jacket design by James Sarfati
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