Walter BlackProf CulpeperCore 14011/15/2018History behind the Movie Braveheart The history behind the movie Braveheart one my favorite and definitely a classic, but like many movies it did have it inaccuracy from a historical point of view. From the scots standing together in one big group before a battle, to the false romantice between the Wallace and Isabella of France even to the clothes they wear, and to even the bretraly from Robert the Bruce one of the biggest points in the film. Now to start with battle scenes there is only two issue that shows up in the movie. First in one scene it appears to the viewer that Wallace has invented the use of spears against the cavalry out of desperation, but this is actually a very ancient practice used during the Roman times. Second of all, the Scottish warriors did not stand in one big group as shown in the film, but in circular formations called Schiltrons.
This is a formation that Wallace actually perfected. Other than these few instances the battle scenes seem pretty accurate. Secondly for the character of Isabella of France, many historical liberties were taken with her too. Hollywood always thinks they have to include some kind of Romance in their movies, and I suppose they felt this was their only opportunity to do so in this film. Not only that, but the fact that Isabella marries Edward II during the time of Sir William Wallace is just ridiculous.
He wasn’t even alive when that happened. History shows that Wallace was executed in 1305, while Isabella married Edward II three years later in 1308. Secondly There is no evidence that Wallace and Isabella even met, let alone had a romantic relationship together. Another note on Isabella is that she seemed ashamed of the cruelty that the English displayed towards the Scots.
In reality she had her husband, Edward II, imprisoned and murdered as alluded to in the film, but then launched her own attack on Scotland afterwards, you can not anyone even your wife. Finale points about Isabella was only 2 at the time of Wallace’s rebellion, and if she’d really had Wallace’s child, as is hinted at in the film, she would win the world record for longest gestation followed by live birth, as her son was born 7 years after Wallace was tortured and killed imagine caring for a moodswing pregnant queen for seven years.
