Wallace and Bruce: Scotland’s Uneasy Heroes

Was Bruce as patriotic or as harmonious in his relationship with Wallace as the view of historical romance has handed down? Andrew Fisher investigates the meaning of patriotism in 14th-century Scotland and suggests the tradition needs revising.

Statue of Robert the Bruce at Stirling CastleTowards the end of February 1304 an English mounted force under the joint command of John Segrave, William Latimer, and Robert Clifford, made a foray from Dunfermline, where Edward I had chosen to spend the winter, into the south-east of Scotland, in a determined bid to seize William Wallace and Simon Fraser, the last Scots of any consequence to continue the resistance to Edward. With the English on this occasion was Robert Bruce, keeper for Edward of the castle of Ayr, Earl of Carrick, and the future king, Robert I.

To continue reading this article you will need to purchase access to the online archive.

Buy Online Access  Buy Print & Archive Subscription

If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.

Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.