Isabella of france and william wallace
How did queen isabella die...
The True Story Behind Braveheart
BySarah Crocker
It's probably fair to say that few, if any, of us really think that "Braveheart" is a historically-accurate film.
Isabella of france and william wallace
Sure, it wowed audiences when it premiered in 1995 and it certainly garnered actor and director Mel Gibson some shiny Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director. But, as darn near any historian or Scottish person will tell you, the movie tale of William Wallace, medieval Scottish rebel and perpetual shouter of the phrase "Freedom!" while wearing blue face paint, isn't true to life.
Advertisement
Now, to be fair, there are hints of the real story throughout Gibson's movie.
Most of the main characters, including William Wallace and central baddie King Edward I, really existed. And it's true that England was starting to make incursions into Scotland in the 13th century, making trouble in what eventually became known as the first of the Scottish wars of independence (via BBC).
But was Edwa