Freeeedom! A short tribute to William Wallace.

Statue of William Wallace (ca. 1270 - 23 August 1305) in Aberdeen, Scotland

Scottish maloku William Wallace (Uilleam Uallas in Scottish Gaelic) - one  of the quintessential Medieval heroes - died as a hero for his country on this day in 1305. His was stripped naked and dragged through the London streets by horse to the execution place. There, he was strangled by hanging, but released while he was still alive. He was then emasculated (meaning they cut his genitals), eviscerated (intestines pulled out of his body), and his bowels burned before him - while he was still alive. In the end, he was beheaded and cut into four parts which, legend has it, were distributed throughout the United Kingdom as a cautionary tale for future wanna-be rebels and freedom-lovers. His has head was dipped in tar and placed on a pike atop the London Bridge. (Game of Thrones copied this for Ned Stark's execution, but even they refrained from the unspeakable torture Wallace went through.)

I have to say though that, historically speaking, the English king who ordered the execution - Edward II Plantagenet - was one of the best and handsomest kings England has ever had, a true Viking, with a particular legacy that Cromwell was quick to destroy when he came to power.

Edward II Plantagenet, 25 April 1284 - 21 September 1327)

Speaking of handsome, I think if the real William Wallace truly looked like his statue above, he was handsomer than Mel Gibson, who played him in the beloved "Braveheart" film. And, being handsomer than Mel Gibson is not a virtue many men can boast of.

The great Mel Gibson portraying William Wallace in "Braveheart", a movie he also directed.

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