Sir William Wallace was one of the greatest heroes in the story of Scotland's long struggle for independence from the English yoke. D.J. Gray probes the character and life of this resolute, at times pitiless, warrior. Wallace raised a people's army to fight against the forces of Edward I. His victory at the battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 resulted in his elevation to the status of Guardian of Scotland. However, Edward furious at the success of a man he regarded as a guerrilla, relentlessly pursued Wallace to his death. Remembered today as the architect of Scottish independence, Wallace's story gives a curious insight into the mind of the modern freedom fighter.