William Wallace was born around 1270 in Scotland near Renfrewshire. He is believed to be the second son of Sir Malcolm Wallace. Sir William was a soldier in the Scottish Revolution against England. Wallace, a great fighter and leader, quickly rose to power during the Scottish Rising. With his guerrilla-style assault tactics and effective sneak attacks, he took advantage of England's small military forces. Wallace's father belonged to a minor Scottish gentry. This means that Wallace grew up poor and was taxed heavily. There is no record of Wallace before he became a fugitive, but many say his father was an early leader of the revolution: "As few records exist of this period, much of the Wallace's early story comes from a written story. by a 15th-century monk named Blind Harry” (Grossman, 1). The majority of Wallace's childhood is based simply on stories and tales. His father is said to have died when Wallace was very young. This helped Wallace in his motivation to take revenge on the English. Some historians say that the reason Wallace fought against the English was when an Englishman named Shelby insulted him. This would have increased Wallace's hatred of the English and thus caused him to begin gathering troops. The first record of Wallace's existence dates from when he killed an English sheriff. It was at this time that he entered the history books. Many have compared Wallace to Robin Hood, his acts of stealing and killing from the rich only to give to the poor made it easy for people to connect the two. These several acts against English rule led him to become a national hero. Many said he was eight feet tall and shot lightning bolts out of his eyes. Wallace was a rather big man for his time and he had a very good fight...... middle of paper ... Wallace's last defeat at Falkirk and made him a god among men. This only made his fight worthwhile. Wallace is one of the most famous war heroes in world history. His achievements are among the best fighters and history. His dedication to the freedom of his country will never be forgotten. Works Cited English, Edward D. “Wallace, Sir William.” Encyclopedia of the Medieval World, vol. 2. NewYork: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts about File, Inc. Grossman, Mark. “Wallace, Sir William.” World Military Leaders: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts about File, Inc. Phillips, Charles and Alan Axelrod. “Wallace’s Rebellion.” Encyclopedia of Wars, vol. 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts about File, Inc..