Icon ProductionsMel Gibson portrayed William Wallace in the film Braveheart (1995).

The 1995 film Braveheart features Mel Gibson as William Wallace, a Scottish warrior fighting for his country's independence. The film is certainly based on real historical events, but is Braveheart really a true story?

The answer is complex. William Wallace was a real person who fought for Scotland and was executed for high treason in 1305. The conflict depicted in the film, the First War of Scottish Independence, lasted over 30 years from the late 13th century into the early 14th century.

However, Mel Gibson and the other producers took great liberties with Wallace's story. Indeed, Braveheart has been called one of Hollywood's most historically inaccurate films.

So, what is the true story behind Braveheart?

Braveheart and the True Story of William Wallace

The real William Wallace was born around 1270 in Scotland. His family was of lower nobility, and very little is known about Wallace's early life, but it is likely that he joined the military as a young man. In 1297, the year King Edward I of England invaded Scotland, Wallace armed himself to join an uprising against the English sheriff of Lanarkshire, William Heselrig.

Later that year, Wallace joined forces with Andrew Moray to lead a Scottish army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The men used a narrow bridge to their advantage, attacking the English troops and then collapsing the bridge, trapping half of the opposing army on the other side of the river.

Public DomainAn illustration of the Battle of Stirling Bridge from the 19th century.

This victory earned Wallace the title of Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland and granted him some administrative privileges. He continued to command troops for at least a year, but a defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in the spring of 1298 tarnished his reputation. In September, he resigned to Robert the Bruce — the man who would become king of Scotland.

For the next few years, the record of the true story behind Braveheart is unclear. Wallace may have gone to France to seek help for Scotland's independence struggle and apparently did not return home until 1304. The following year, he fell into the hands of the English.

He was betrayed by John de Menteith, an old Scottish soldier who had sworn allegiance to Edward I to escape from prison after being captured at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296. William Wallace was taken to London and found guilty of treason.

Guildhall Library & Art Gallery/Heritage Images/Getty ImagesA 19th-century depiction of William Wallace's trial at Westminster Hall in London.

On August 23, 1305, Wallace was horrifically executed. He was stripped, dragged through the streets of London, and hanged until near death. Then, his executioners lowered him, cut off his penis and testicles, opened his abdomen, and burned his organs and intestines in front of him. Afterward, they beheaded Wallace and sent his body in four pieces to be displayed in different cities. His head was reportedly dipped in tar and placed on a pole at London Bridge.

Thus, Wallace's life came to an end. However, the true story behind Braveheart has continued to inspire patriots for centuries.

How Has William Wallace's Legacy Endured for 700 Years?

In the mid-15th century, more than 150 years after Wallace's death, a medieval poet known as Blind Harry wrote a work titled The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace. The poem was based on oral tales of Wallace's heroism passed down through generations.

The narrative follows William Wallace's life from childhood to his execution, but much of the story is fictional. At one point, Wallace even kills a lion.

Blind Harry's poem later inspired producer Randall Wallace to write the screenplay for Braveheart. Of course, many historical inaccuracies in the text ultimately made it to the big screen as well.

Kjetil Bjørnsrud/Wikimedia CommonsA statue of William Wallace located at Edinburgh Castle.

Mel Gibson saw the screenplay and decided to take on the project, and the film was released in 1995 with Gibson portraying William Wallace. Braveheart eventually won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Gibson received acclaim for his performance, and the story of William Wallace was introduced to a new generation.

However, while audiences experienced an action-packed film based on a real medieval battle, they did not see the true story behind Braveheart.

Is Braveheart a True Story?

The historical inaccuracies in Braveheart begin with the film's title. The nickname "Braveheart" is associated not with William Wallace but with Robert the Bruce.

The opening scenes of the film also contain fictional elements. Wallace's father was not a poor farmer, and the future war hero was not raised by an uncle named Argyle. Moreover, the film implies that Wallace joined the struggle for independence because his wife Murron was killed by English soldiers — but there is no evidence that this occurred.

A later edition of Blind Harry's poem introduces a woman named Marion Braidfute, who is said to be Wallace's lover, and she is killed by the sheriff of Lanarkshire. The origin of this story is unclear. In fact, there is no record that Wallace was ever married.

The contradictions do not end here. Perhaps the greatest inaccuracy lies in the costumes worn in the film. The kilted skirts that Wallace and his soldiers wore into battle appeared centuries after Wallace's death. The blue face paint of the hero was fashionable long before Wallace's time, during the era of the Picts.

Scott Neeson/Wikimedia CommonsMel Gibson — in historically inaccurate attire — speaks with 20th Century Fox executive Scott Neeson on the set of Braveheart.

The famous scene depicting the Battle of Stirling Bridge is very different from the actual conflict. First of all, there is no bridge in the film. And Andrew Moray, who fought alongside Wallace, is absent from the film.

The real William Wallace's betrayer, John de Menteith, is also not in the film. Instead, the producers show Wallace being deceived by Robert the Bruce during the Battle of Falkirk — which never happened — and Robert's father is depicted as playing a role in Wallace's capture.

The execution scene is perhaps the most historically accurate, but it leaves out the more gruesome aspects of the event, such as the burning of Wallace's intestines.

Even the film's most famous line, where William Wallace supposedly says, "They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" has no evidence to support that he ever said it.

In conclusion, the essence of the true story behind Braveheart has been captured on the big screen. However, the film creates its own cinematic reality by combining different eras, historical figures, and semi-fictional narratives.