History vs. HollywoodBy Sterling Ray and Matt Gallagher

Braveheart is full of breath taking action, bloody violence, and heart wrenching romance.

All these factors create an incredible film and a large audience.

King Edward the Longshanks decides to conquer Scotland.

Edward granted areas of land in Scotland to his nobility where they were to rule.

William Wallace grows up in repression and fear and survives the death of his father and brother.

He falls in love with his childhood sweetheart Murron MacClannough

After a fight in the marketplace, Murron is captured. Wallace can't get there in time to save her and she is killed.

Wallace, with the other villagers, storms the garrison and kills all the English soldiers there.

Wallace's army grows as other Scotsmen arrive to fight the English.

They fight a number of successful battles.

For Wallace to continue fighting, he needs the Scottish nobility on his side, contributing troops and food. The nobility rejects.

Two of the nobles betray Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk. Wallace is wounded badly and forced into hiding.

While meeting with Robert the Bruce, Wallace is captured and taken to London and charged with high treason.

Wallace is sentenced to death was hung, drawn and quartered.

Robert the Bruce takes control the Scottish army of and they defeat the English and win their freedom.

Princess Isabella never fell in love with Wallace. The Princess launched her own invasion of Scotland.

After the battle at Falkirk, the movie shows Robert the Bruce knocking Wallace off his horse. Bruce had never directly betrayed Wallace.

Judgment: Inaccurate

King Edward I actually died years after Wallace was executed.

William Wallace led a rebellion against English occupation in 1296.

After his capture, he was tried and executed as depicted.

Judgment: Somewhat accurate

Scottish clans still had native Celtic languages they spoke.

As depicted, William sweeps his “lady”, Murron, off her feet and secretly dates her while her father knows, but looks the other way.

In this time, brides were worth much to a father, especially virgin brides. Murron’s father would not have let her get out of eyesight.

Judgment: Inaccurate

Although Braveheart is an epic movie, the historical inaccuracies are abundant.

It would be very difficult to learn actual history from this movie.