The movie “Braveheart” is a dramatization of the Scottish legend William Wallace’s life, and Scotland’s fight for independence from England in the late 13th century.

In the movie Mel Gibson plays the main character William Wallace. Talking a Scottish like English, he gives us the impression that he really is William Wallace.

The story begins in Scotland in 1280. Edward “longshanks” is the king of England. He wants to take Scotland, which is without a king.

Williams father and brother, both named Malcolm is killed in action fighting English troops. His uncle Argyle, who makes William study, then raises William.

As the years went by the prince in London got married to the princess of France. The Englishmen used the Scottish nobles to take Scotland by buying them off with land and titles. “Prima Nochte” was reintroduced to breed out the Scottish blood by having the right to a newly wedded bride the first night.

In Edinburgh the Scottish nobles were assembled discussing the king’s proposition, they did not support it or reject it.

At this time William returns to Scotland. At a marriage the English comes and claims Prima nochte. A lord takes the bride away for the night.

William meets his childhood friend Murron, and realizes that he is still in love with her. When Murron’s father, a patriot, calls in to a meeting, William says no, he will not go to battle. Instead he asks Murron to marry him, and she says yes.

So they get married, in secret so no one claims Prima nochte on Murron. But the English finds out anyway, and find Murron at the market. One of the lords tries to rape her, but William disturbs. He puts Murron on a horse to escape, while he fights against the Englishmen. But a spear stroked on her neck stops Murron, and she falls off the horse.

To state an example of Prima nochte, and not to assault the army, the English lord kills Murron. William is filled with hatred and wants to take revenge for his loss. Now William really have a reason to join the fight against the English, and he gets the other men on the market with him. Together they fight the English, and finally William kills the English lord the same way as he killed Murron.

Now William was pointed out to be Scotland’s natural leader in the fight against England.

After Murron is buried William starts to assemble a Scottish army. The MacGregors, the neighbor clan joins the army.

Dressed up as an English army they take over the forth. The English who survive are sent home with the message that from now on Scotland shall be free.

The English prince is given the responsibility to take care of the mess while the king is going to France to write some rights. So the English army continues to burn Scottish homes, the rage grows in Scottish hearts and the Scottish army grows with it.

Now the 17th Robert of Bruce wants to give William his support, but at the same time he wants to gain England’s loyalty and the Scottish throne.

Wallace’s men is preparing to battle, making spears and strategic plans. More volunteers join the army, among them the Irishman Stephen.

So comes the day when England meet the Scottish army at Stirling. The Scottish nobles want to negotiate with England, but the negotiations failed. Now the battle begins. At first, a number of Scottish chickens out when they see how big the English army are. William Wallace and his men arrive at the scene and assemble the Scottish army again. He gives the men spears and tells them that today the can choose between tyranny and freedom.

The English kings men tries to bribe the Scottish nobles off with land and titles if they surrender. But Wallace resigns the offer, he picks a fight, tells them to go home, “Scotland is free”.

The battle ends with Scottish victory.

After the victory at Stirling William Wallace is granted the title knight. Now the nobles kiss his ass, really sucking up to him. William is now a really powerful man in Scotland. The nobles starts to fight over the Scottish throne, the Bailiol clan wants to hold the throne. But the Scottish people disagree, meaning that the Bailiols are Longshank`s men.

Wallace means that the Scots must stand together and invade England because the English will be back again. The Scottish nobles are still loyal to the English throne, and the clans still fight each other. Only a united Scotland can stand strong enough to fight the English king.

Instead of awaiting a new attack from England, Wallace and his men invades York, northern England’s biggest city.

The English prince gets the blame for this incident; he was in charge at the time. Not trusting his son to do anything right, the king decides to send the princess to offer Wallace a truce.

Wallace hears the princess present the kings proposal, then he tell her how the Scottish had been treated by England in war and in negotiation. Wallace will not accept the proposal; the Scottish people will no longer be tyrannized.

The princess returns to the king, who has troops ready for fight. He had seen it coming and was prepared.

The Scottish nobles are again called together in Edinburgh, now to assemble an army. Many of the nobles are in doubt; they want to negotiate with England. Robert of Bruce supports Wallace but the other nobles are not sure. Robert’s father tells him to stand by the English in hope to secure the throne.

The Scottish army finally meets England at Falkirk. England had placed Irishmen in front of their army. The Irish soon joins the Scottish army at the battlefield. This was a surprise for the English. Scottish archers send fire arrows into the English cavalierly. Then the sword fights begin. Wallace signalizes to the nobles, which is at horse, to attack. But the nobles retreat instead.

Longshanks had bribed the nobles Mornay and Lochlan. He had doubled Mornay`s estates in England and Scotland. Lochlan had turned for less.

Wallace was wounded. He discovered Robert of Bruce on a horse, wearing an English army uniform. Disappointed as Wallace was he could not kill Robert for his betrayal. Robert saved Wallace’s life by placing him on a horse with a Scot. The English won this battle.

Robert of Bruce felt bad for his and the nobles betrayal. After a discussion with his father Robert decides to never be on the wrong side again.

Wallace takes revenge for the betrayal. He kills Mornay at night. Wallace goes for the nobles; Lochlan is killed next. Wallace drops his body on the nobles’ table to make them reconsider what they have done.

Wallace’s power are growing, he assembles a new army. After a while he again meets the English princess. This time the meeting takes a romantic turn.

The Scottish nobles want to reunite with Wallace. They have a meeting in Edinburgh. Hamish, Williams best fried from his childhood, have a feeling that this meeting could be a trap. But an alliance with the nobles is Wallace’s only hope for freedom. Wallace goes to the meeting alone. The nobles, except Robert, had in fact set a trap for William. Englishmen capture William Wallace, and Robert knows that his own father is behind this.

Wallace is prosecuted for treason. But he had never sworn fidelity to the English king. If he confesses his betrayal he will get the right to die quickly. But the English king never got the satisfaction of hearing Wallace say those words.

The king was dying, the princess told him that she is pregnant, but it is not the king’s blood that will be on the throne in the future. She is pregnant with another mans child.

Wallace never did confess, so he got tortured to death. The only word he said during the torture was “Freedom”. He ends his life by getting his head decapitated.

Later, Robert of Bruce assembled a new army, and in the name of Wallace they fought the English. At Bannockblun in 1314 they won.