Braveheart: one of the most epic films, right up there with Lonesome Dove when it comes to weeping quietly into manly glasses of whiskey. Starring Mel Gibson as William Wallace, a late-13th-century Scottish warrior, Braveheart has captured our imaginations since its release in 1995. There’s nothing more motivating than watching the underdog win!
And for Americans, the subject of Wallace’s war — freedom from Britain — hits close to home.
But what if I told you Braveheart is also wildly inaccurate? For one thing, nobody was wearing kilts (sorry, Mel). You don’t need to stop enjoying epic war movies, but learning the actual historical facts could be worth your while. Here’s what really happened to William Wallace on this day in 1305.
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