After the devastating defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, William Wallace's prominent role diminished, and he ultimately faced capture, condemnation, and a brutal execution by the English.
Capture and Condemnation as a Traitor
William Wallace was arrested on August 5, 1305, near Glasgow. Following his capture, he was transported to London to face charges. There, he was condemned as a traitor to the English king, Edward I. Wallace, however, consistently maintained his innocence on this charge, asserting that he had never sworn allegiance to Edward and therefore could not be considered a traitor to him.
The Brutal Execution
The execution of William Wallace was carried out with extreme and gruesome measures, characteristic of medieval punishments for high treason. His sentence involved a multi-stage process:
- He was hanged.
- He was then disemboweled.
- Following this, he was beheaded.
- Finally, his body was quartered.
