Mysterious tales and folklore of great warriors, leaders, and their weapons are commonplace today. It’s no surprise considering that warriors of the past were fierce and unforgiving and some may have even genuinely loved their enemies, for it presented to them a means by which they could test their brute strength.
You have likely heard about Robin Hood and the bow and arrow that he is famous for. What you may be less aware of however is a great man who lived in the 13th century in Scotland. Over the years, this same great man helped Scotland become independent and free of England’s oppressive rule over the country. This man was Sir William Wallace, a noble Scottish Knight.
William Wallace and the tales of his greatsword are as mysterious as they are captivating, and have had a profound impact on the way Scots live their lives since time immemorial.
There are many tales that have been told about the great William Wallace and the sword that he once wielded. This guide details everything you need to know about him and his majestic two handed sword.
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An in-depth look at the Wallace sword
The William Wallace two-handed sword is a beautifully and intricately designed melee weapon. It weighs an astounding 5.95 pounds and the blade alone is 4 feet 4 inches long. If you take the handle, also commonly referred to as the hilt into account, then the sword has a total length of 5 feet 4 inches.
Since William Wallace was a towering and intimidating individual, the massive sword wouldn’t have been a problem for him to use with ease. Sir Walter Scott described the sword as being “fit for an archangel to wield, yet light in his terrible hand”.
For the next 200 years after the capture of Sir Wallace by John de Menteith, there are no verifiable records or mentions of the marvelous sword. In 1505 however, historical records show that King James IV of Scotland paid as much as 26 shillings to an armorer to have the very sword in question repurposed.
According to a leading historian by the name of David Caldwell, the maintenance invoice included the following work:
- rebinding the handle of Wallace’s sword with cords of silk
- a new hilt and plummet
- a new scabbard and a new belt
Legend has it that Wallace’s scabbard, hilt, and belt were actually crafted using Sir Hugh Cressingham’s dried skin. It’s important to note that Sir Cressingham served as the treasurer of the English administration in Scotland in 1296-97, and was despised by the Scots.
Nevertheless, it’s no surprise that in 1505 King James IV decided to perform the necessary maintenance to bring the sword and its accessories into proper shape.
Any mention of the sword goes missing again until they resurface once more in 1644. In 1617, the Wallace Tower was erected at Dumbarton Castle and in 1644, the sword suddenly and mysteriously turned up at the Wallace Tower.
According to some historians, the sword doesn’t resurface until 1825 when it is shipped to the Tower of London for mandatory repairs.
After almost 19 years of formal requests, the sword finally got transferred to the National Wallace Monument in 1888.
Where is the two-handed Wallace sword today?
The two-handed William Wallace sword has been carefully preserved and placed in a glass sword case located inside the National Wallace Monument since 1888. Notwithstanding some disturbances and routine maintenance, the sword is in relatively good condition—free of rust and other contaminants that may further damage this delicate piece of history.
In 1912, a suffragette by the name of Ethel Moorhead purposefully smashed the sword case in an attempt to bring attention to the women’s movement of that era. In 1936, the sword was stolen by Scottish nationalists and was later returned as soon as the thieves realized the devastation their actions have caused the Scottish people.
What The William Wallace Sword Stood For
The Wallace sword is more than just a sharp-edged tool that was once used by Sir Wallace to slay enemies of Scotland.
Today, the sword represents many of the things that the Scottish people hold dear to their hearts. It symbolizes freedom and liberty from oppressive rule. It symbolizes fortitude and the ability for a group of people to join forces and persevere even in the worst of circumstances.
According to the National Wallace Monument, “the Wallace Sword has always stood for freedom, and is sometimes referred to as Freedom’s Sword.”
Who was William Wallace and what is his legacy?
William Wallace was born in 1270 to a family that was of the lesser nobility class. According to a poem written by Blind Harry in the 15th century, his father was a small-time landlord who went by the moniker Sir Malcolm of Elderslie.
Historians on the other hand contest this supposed fact, and insist that William’s own seal indicates that his father’s name was actually Alan Wallace.
Very little is known about what William Wallace actually did as a child, but since he made a good leader and was well spoken it can be assumed that his family was able to afford a decent education for him.
In his teen years, Wallace supposedly fell in love and married a young woman by the name of Marion Braidfute.
While young Wallace was growing up, a major political crisis broke out in Scotland. During Wallace’s younger years, King Alexander III ruled Scotland and was successfully able to bring about a period of peace and economic stability for the country.
When Alexander III died from falling off a horse on March 19th, 1286, the people of Scotland suddenly realized that there was no true heir to inherit his throne. The heir to his throne was supposed to be Alexander’s granddaughter Margaret, but she was a child and passed away soon after Alexander’s untimely death after falling ill on her voyage to Scotland.
It is at this point in time that things began going downhill for the Scots. As Scotland was getting ready to descend into an all-out civil war, King Edward I of England was invited by the Scottish nobility to arbitrate the chaos.
Before any court proceedings even began, King Edward insisted that all participants refer to him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. This was already a bad sign—an early and clear attempt to seize power, and clearly foreshadows the war for Scottish independence that follows in its aftermath.
Since King Edward I became the de facto ruler of Scotland, ruling the country with an iron first, many in the Scottish rule opposed him because they now knew that England would hold too much power and influence over the citizens of Scotland.
When Wallace Gets the Sword
The tides turn, and the uprising by Wallace, with the assistance of his majestic sword and his contemporaries follows shortly thereafter.
During this time, Wallace was a young initiate who was attaining his military experience, the same experience he would later use to fight for Scotland. It is here where historians believe that Wallace obtained his famous claymore sword.
Historians claim that the claymore was in fact a gift to Wallace from the King of France when he traveled there to visit the pope.
As an adult, Wallace despised King Edward I and like many of his comrades in battle, thought that Scotland should be set free of England’s overreaching power and influence. Upon departing to his very first battle that marks the beginning of the Scottish Wars of Independence, he was famously quoted saying, “We come here with no peaceful intent, but ready for battle, determined to avenge our wrongs and set our country free.”
Battles Where the Braveheart Sword Was Used
Action at Lanark
In May of 1297, armed with his famous sword in hand, William Wallace and his battalion struck Lanark, Scotland. This would be the first battle out of many more to come that would mark the very beginning of the war of Scottish independence.
Wallace was the leader of this particular uprising against the English and killed the Sheriff of Lanark, William Heselrig, who was loyal to the English crown.
One of the main reasons why Wallace carried out this particular attack was to take vengeance against Heselrig, who according to the 15th century poet Blind Harry, killed his beloved wife Marion Braidfute in cold blood.
Raid on Scone
The Action at Lanark was a successful battle that would later quickly transition into the Raid on Scone. In this raid, Wallace was able to join forces with William the Hardy and in doing so were able to leverage their combined strength to make William de Ormesby, the English appointed justice of Scotland, flee his post.
Unfortunately, William the Hardy was later captured by the opposing English forces. However, this setback didn’t stop Wallace from continuing to capture more English controlled territory on behalf of Scotland.
Battle of Stirling Bridge
William Wallace was lucky enough to meet and join forces with Andrew Moray who was an esquire. On September 11th, 1297, their combined forces proceeded to fight with and defeat the opposing English forces led by John de Warenne, a nobleman and military commander.
Over 5,000 men on each side of the aisle fought till their last breath. Unfortunately, Andrew Moray was injured in the battle, sustaining injuries that led to an infection that inevitably took his life in November.
Battle of Falkirk
As soon as King Edward I heard of the defeat of his army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, he started to plan a retaliatory attack. On July 22nd, 1298, the Battle of Falkirk would mark a turning point in William Wallace’s streak of defeating his opponents.
In the battle, the English were led by King Edward I and outnumbered the Scots who were led by Commander Wallace by a factor of 3 to 1. Over 2,000 men on each side of the battlefield lost their lives, and yet the towering 6 foot 7 inch William Wallace came out of the battle unscathed yet again.
Battle of Happrew
Taking place on February 20th, 1304, the Battle of Happrew was a quick skirmish that came as a result of an ambush in a failed attempt by the English to capture William Wallace in order to bring an end to his rebellion once and for all.
Wallace and his fellow fighters were initially captured but made a daring escape once an opportunity presented itself.
The death of William Wallace
In 1305, Sir Wallace’s luck sadly ran out as he was captured by the English forces and charged with high-treason by King Edward I and the English courts. He was turned over to the British by John de Menteith, the sheriff of Dumbarton.
It is here where the legend of the sword becomes lost to the sands of time. Some believe that the sword stayed in the possession of John de Menteith, acting as a small token of appreciation paid by the English for imprisoning William Wallace.
Braveheart
William Wallace and his famous sword have been posthumously recognized and immortalized in the award-winning movie Braveheart. Released in 1995, the movie was directed and co-produced by Mel Gibson, who also stars as William Wallace in the movie.
In the movie, Mel Gibson wields and fights with the famous William Wallace sword that is an accurately designed replica of its authentic counterpart.
The Action at Lanark battle scene appears in Braveheart. In the movie, his wife is called Murron MacClannough and just like in the real-life account of Wallace’s battles, was executed shortly before the vengeful attack took place.
In addition, the Battle of Stirling Bridge is also in the movie, but because of logistical concerns surrounding the complexity of shooting a battle scene on and around a bridge, the battle scene is devoid of a bridge and is therefore historically inaccurate.
What Type of Sword is William Wallace’s Sword?
A Scottish Claymore sword is actually a later evolution of the Sword that Sir William Wallace used. The Galic word claidheamh-mòr, translates to “Greatsword” or “big sword”.
This is actually a general term for the two handed swords that were used by light infantry units that would be facing shield wielding or even lightly armoured infantry and mounted units such as knights.
The sword that Sir William Wallace used was a lighter version of the claymore sword as in the 13th century when William Wallace led his campaign against King Edward I, metal armor had not been widely adopted but rather British infantry and cavalry would have been wearing a combination of simple armor plate and more likely chain mail.
The Claymore swords that would come in the 15th century were an evolution of the classic hilted sword that had been around prior to the evolution of full metal armor. The claymore was essentially a smashing and slashing weapon that would use momentum to crush and penetrate armor combined with a cutting action that would then sever the flesh underneath the heavy metal plate.
At a length of just around 5 feet and a weight of close to 6 pounds, these swords were like razor sharp baseball bats. They did have their disadvantages though, as the length of the sword offered a large advantage at a slight distance but at very close range it was much more difficult to wield effectively.
Furthermore, because the claymore is a two-handed sword, the wielder was unable to carry a shield that could potentially protect them from incoming melee and ranged attacks.
How Were Claymores Smithed?
Sir William Wallace’s sword began as all swords did, in the hot fires of a blacksmith’s forge. The practice of turning raw iron ore into a deadly weapon was not an easy one.
Even with today’s modern technology such as hydraulically powered hammers and temperature regulated furnaces, producing a Claymore of comparable functionality is still incredibly demanding in terms of time, effort and pure sweat.
To put it simply it is an art in and of itself and requires not just an understanding of metallurgical properties but experience, vision and imagination to craft a functional weapon.
The 13th century blacksmith that would have crafted Sir William Wallace’s sword would have had none of these modern advantages.
Iron ore of unknown quality, a coal fired furnace that was powered by hand operated billows, an anvil, a hammer, giant pliers, and if he was established, an apprentice to help with the extremely laborious task of pounding, folding and shaping the steel into a Claymore Sword.
One can only imagine the long days spent in a room where the furnace radiated constant heat, sweat dripping from the blacksmiths brow, the discipline required to pound away for hours at a time, long days of toil with only a glass of ale as a reward for the day’s labor until the final product was delivered and pay collected.
The process began with raw iron ore. Depending on the area where it was mined and the development of the infrastructure, sometimes the blacksmith would receive raw ingots which they would have to examine and by eye determine which ones to smelt into varying densities to be used for different parts of the forging process.
Sometimes the iron ore would be smelted elsewhere and delivered as semi processed material that would save the blacksmith some work but at the end of the day it was still up to the individual blacksmith to leverage their experience and skill to turn pieces of ore into a glowing block of metal that could be slowly formed, pounded and tempered into a lethal work of art.
After the initial block of iron was formed, the process of pounding out the impurities began. To further strengthen the metal, the ideal level of carbon would be introduced into the process along various points of production.
The carbon strengthened the iron and helped turn it into steel that would make the Claymore sword. This was a part of the process that is almost unimaginably complex considering the limited technologies of the time.
The process involved heating, pounding, cooling and then reheating the metal several times but taking care not to get the metal too hard as too much density would make the metal brittle and the finished product would run the risk of cracking upon too strong of an impact.
Essentially the Sword Smith was looking for the ideal balance between keeping a true sharp blade and maintaining enough flexibility in the sword so it didn’t break or crack.
There were two main methods techniques for doing this, the first involved forming the block out of the various iron ore ingots and pounding and constantly folding the steel onto itself creating layers of varying densities throughout the whole blade.
Essentially with each fold the amount of layers doubled creating a balance of soft and hard densities throughout the whole of the Claymore Sword. The second technique involved separating the different iron ore ingots according to their estimated densities and then creating two seperate blocks that would be joined.
This method had the advantage that different parts of the sword could have different properties and densities but required much more forethought and experience on the part of the blacksmith.
An example of this design technique was making the tip of the Claymore sword of more high density metal so it could easily punch through armor in a thrusting motion and making the central part of the blade have more flexibility to withstand a direct perry of a full force swing from another sword.
The only way to be able to achieve this level of craftsmanship was for the blacksmith to have a lifetime of experience and to get either praise or complaints from his clients, essentially feedback as to the performance on the battlefield.
On the history of swords
When one thinks of swords today, they often think of relics of a bygone era of warfare or a decoration that adorns military uniforms for ceremonial parades. The truth is that up until modern firearms, swords were an instrument for when diplomacy failed between nations, tribes and feuding clans.
The Sword of Sir William Wallace was an important step in the evolution in the instruments of war. To some it was a tool, to others it was an extension of the warrior’s body, but more importantly in the case of William Wallace’s Claymore it was the embodiment of his lore and some would say the manifestation of his Legend that helped solidify its place in history.
To fully appreciate Claymore swords, one must look at the origins of the broader category of this class of weaponry and go back to the beginning of its evolution. Mankind’s first step towards forging lethal works of art like Wallace’s sword came from necessity.
It was a lot easier to fashion tools to bring down animals and work the land and naturally over time these tools progressed by incorporating new materials that were sharper, more durable and made out of increasingly more complex material.
The first metal tools and weapons were a radical evolutionary step out of the stone age. Some of the earliest daggers and swords were forged out of copper which required little knowledge past mining and basic metal forming. However, the metallic weapons of the Bronze age were much more useful, durable, and more deadly than their stone age predecessor.
It is widely believed that the Bronze age and the early techniques of metallic weapons fabrication began in the area in what it today commonly referred to as the middle east and North africa. Somewhere around the 3rd century B.C. mankind begane a progression in civilization that encoumpased everything from agriculture, early forms of writing and more complex forms of weapons making.
As competition and rivalries started manifesting between ancient societies, disputes that couldn’t be settled with treaties were settled by the sword, and the victor typically had more of them, and more importantly swords that were sharper, more durable, lighter and better designed than their enemies.
For the most part the tools of war were dagger up until somewhere around the 17th century BC as this was around the time where metalworking became more complex, and techniques were developed to transform copper into bronze which was much more durable.
The main advantage of bronze was that because of its added strength, it could be formed into blades that were significantly longer than the daggers that had been formed for the past two millennia. Thus the first Swords were born.
The next major step in the evolution of swords and sword making was the start of the Iron age somewhere around the 12th century BC. It was a change that reflected increased incorporation of materials other than bronze for fabrication which was the first step, the second was a change in fabrication techniques that were actually not widely adopted until the 8th century BC.
The main difference was that iron swords were more easily manufacturable on a wide scale even though their durability and hardness was very similar to bronze swords.
It was when blacksmiths discovered that by adding carbon to the fabrication process that iron could be forged into an early form of steel that sword making evolved onto the path that would eventually lead to William Wallace’s Claymore.
Final recap
William Wallace is hailed as both a Scottish folk hero as well as a traitor by the British. Sir Wallace and his majestic sword helped pave the way to what would eventually become independence for Scotland from oppressive English rule.
Knowing everything there is to know about the most noble heroes of the past can show others the character they should strive to be in the future. The great Wallace sword is more than just an artifact—it is a thought provoking remnant of the past that has had its owner’s soul bestowed upon it for others to marvel in deep thought forevermore.