It has been described as one of the most historically inaccurate modern films. Sharon Krossa noted that the film contains numerous historical inaccuracies, beginning with the wearing of belted plaid by Wallace and his men. In that period "no Scots [...] wore belted plaids (let alone kilts of any kind)."
In brief, the history in "Braveheart" is absolute garbage. William Wallace did indeed lead a rebellion against English occupation in 1296. He won a surprising victory at Stirling Bridge and lost at Falkirk. After his capture, he was tried and executed as depicted.
Although they were alive at the same time, and William Wallace was Guardian of Scotland immediately before Robert the Bruce, there is no evidence that the two ever met.
Is Outlaw King more historically accurate than Braveheart?
On the other hand Outlaw King is more realistic and more true to the history. But something is missing from the movie which makes it less entertaining. I think if you merged the entertainment and cinematography from Braveheart and the story from Outlaw King you would've had a perfect movie.
Wallace's head was the first recorded head ever to be displayed on the bridge and it launched a gruesome tradition that lasted over 350 years. At one stage 30 heads were counted on the Gateway. After being put on the spike, Wallace's head was left to the elements to rot and eventually decompose.
How Historically Accurate is BraveHeart? | History Abridged
Is anything in Braveheart true?
. ' Sources suggest that Blind Harry was indeed a real person, but there is no way to verify that the central character, William Wallace was a real person. So, one can say that Braveheart has taken inspiration from historical events.
Wallace is then urged to beg for mercy to bring his torture to an end and hasten his inevitable death. But Wallace will not. “Freedom!” he shouts, defiant to the end.
Robert the Bruce's character, portrayed by Scottish Actor Angus Macfadyen, has been considered by many as historically inaccurate. Robert the Bruce did change sides between the Scots and the English in the earlier stages of the Wars of Scottish Independence, but he never betrayed William Wallace directly.
His head was spiked on London Bridge, and the four quarters of his mutilated body displayed in Newcastle, Berwick, Perth and Stirling, as a warning to all who transgressed against the rule of Longshanks. And there his story ended – with no final resting place for Scotland's best-known hero.
Charles II was also the uncle to Mary Queen of Scots, making Princess Diana a descendant of both English and Scottish royalty. But her royal Scottish line goes even further back, to the king of Scotland from 1306-1329, Robert the Bruce, via the Churchill line.
Are there any living descendants of Robert the Bruce?
Most (if not all) of the modern European royal families are direct descendants of Robert the Bruce through his grandson, Robert II. Robert II's mother was Robert the Bruce's daughter Marjorie, and his father was Walter Stewart, so he marks the beginning of the Stewart/Stuart kings.
Factual errors. The film depicts William Wallace as having an affair with Isabella, the wife of Edward II, and implies that he fathered her child, the future King Edward III of England. In reality, Isabella was only two years old at the time the film depicts the affair happening.
In the following year, research on visitors to the Stirling area indicated that 55% of the visitors had seen Braveheart. Of visitors from outside Scotland, 15% of those who saw Braveheart said it influenced their decision to visit the country.
However, the supposed tradition of "primo nocta" (also sometimes called "jus primae noctis" or "droit du seigneur") is just a myth. Although it pops up in literature with some frequency, there's no evidence that it was ever a real phenomenon, or that Edward I ever used it to subdue Scotland.
Did William Wallace have a child with the Princess?
No, the Princess of Wales did not have William Wallace's child as there was no Princess of Wales at that time. Wallace was executed in 1305 for treason by the English. The first Princess of Wales was Joan, Countess of Kent (1328–1385).
Walter Bower's mid-15th century Scotichronicon, states that Wallace was "a tall man with the body of a giant ... with lengthy flanks ... broad in the hips, with strong arms and legs ... with all his limbs very strong and firm". Blind Harry's late 15th century poem The Wallace, asserts Wallace reached seven feet.
Braveheart's portrayal of Scots and the English is rife with stereotypes and inaccuracies. The film is full of misogyny, with the mistreatment and misrepresentation of female characters. The battles depicted in Braveheart are not entirely accurate and take liberties with historical events.
How is Queen Elizabeth related to Robert the Bruce?
Robert the Bruce's son David succeeded him as king of Scotland and was himself succeeded by Robert's grandson through the female line, Robert Stewart, the first of the Scottish royal house of Stewart and ancestor of the English house of Stuart. He is a direct ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II.
Mel Gibson initially turned down the role of William Wallace, feeling that he was too old for the part (Gibson was 38 at the time, while the real Wallace died at 35) , but Paramount Pictures would finance the film only if Gibson starred in it, so he agreed.
King Edward offered Scotland a deal which allowed them to have a Scottish king so long as King Edward was still in charge. This required the Scottish nobles to kneel, and swear allegiance to his sovereignty.
During young Edward's childhood, poor health was a massive concern, nevertheless as an adult he reached a rather imposing six foot two inches in height, which was extremely rare for the time and earned him the nickname “Longshanks”, meaning “long legs”.
