William Wallace, was executed

William Wallace was captured on August 5, 1305. He was betrayed and apprehended near Glasgow by Sir John de Menteith, an English loyalist. After his capture, Wallace was taken to London where he faced trial and was subsequently executed for treason on August 23, 1305.

When William Wallace was put on trial in London in 1305, he famously rejected the charge of treason. He argued that he could not be guilty of treason against King Edward I of England because he had never sworn fealty or allegiance to Edward, having always remained loyal to the Scottish crown. This assertion highlighted the crux of the Scottish resistance: that they were defending their own sovereignty and were not traitorous subjects of the English crown. The judge and the English court were not persuaded by William Wallace's argument. Given the political climate and the broader goals of English domination in Scotland, Wallace's defense was largely symbolic, as the outcome of the trial was predetermined. The court found him guilty of all charges. Wallace was condemned as a traitor, as well as for other crimes like the murder of civilians and the desecration of monastic properties. Consequently, he was subjected to a horrific execution: he was hanged, drawn, and quartered. The severity of his punishment was intended to serve as a warning to others who might oppose English rule.