Roles Of William Wallace And Andrew Murray

Question 1

Roles of Wallace and Murray - Who was Andrew Murray?

Answer 1

• Andrew Murray was the son of Andrew Murray of Petty, King Johns appointed Justiciar of Moray.
• Sir Andrew (his father) held considerable political influence in the north and considered his brother-in-law, John Comyn of Badnoch, as his closet ally.
• Andrew Murray was a trained knight, and he fought in the battle of Dunbar.
• He was one of the many knights captured by the Earl of Surreys forces after the battle and was transported south to Chester Castle to be held for ransom.
• However, the ingenious young Scot soon found a way to escape and made his way north through hostile territory to return to his fathers lands at Avoch, north-west of Inverness on the coast of the Moray Firth, on his return, Murray found his lands held by an English garrison (place soldiers resigned with force protection).
• Murrays rebellion in the north was probably more successful than Wallace’s rebellion in the South.

Question 2

Roles of Wallace and Murray - Who was William Wallace?

Answer 2

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Question 3

Roles of Wallace and Andrew Murray - How did the rebellion begin in the South? (Beginning of proper evidence)

Answer 3

• According to Blind Harry, the rebellion began with Wallaces murder of Heselrig, the Sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297.
• There is evidence to conclude that William Wallace was a known outlaw around 1296 and perhaps even earlier during the reign of King John.
• it would therefore be reasonable to conclude that Wallace learned his fighting skills not by leading a patriotic band determined to rid Scotland of the invaders, but as a band of brigands and outlaws.
• the murder of Heselrig seemed to have sparked a general uprising with Wallace at its head, his band of followers was significantly supplemented by men from all over Clydesdale and the addition of the forces of Sir William Douglas.

Question 4

Roles of Wallace and Andrew Murray - How did the rebellion begin in the South?

Answer 4

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Question 5

Roles of Wallace and Andrew Murray - Andrew Murray and the north

Answer 5

• It can be argued that Murrays actions in the north were as crucial to the Scottish cause as those of Wallace.
  -Murray began by gathering a force from his fathers lands around Inverness, Murray unsuccessfully attacked Fitzwarin at Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness.
• Cressingham ordered the magnates of the north east to capture and subdue the young Murray, it fell to the Earl of Buchan, still on probation, to capture his cousin, Buchan obligingly took an army west to Invernesshire and pursued Murray for a time, but without success.
• Murrays second attack on Urquhart was more successful. Inverness, Elgin, Duffas, Banff and Aberdeen castles soon followed and by late 1297 Murrays forces had driven out English garrisons north of Dundee.
• By August he has joined Wallace at the siege of Dundee, together they marched to Perth to plan their response to the Earl de Warrenes army.
• It was decided to meet them head-on at Stirling.