Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, Vol. 2 (of 2)

After the decisive victories that drove the English forces from most of Scotland, the Scots gathered in a forest kirk where William of Elderslie was formally appointed Guardian of the realm in King John’s name. He set about reshaping a feudal system that hampered a united defense, creating a detailed muster‑roll that listed every able man between sixteen and sixty and assigning them to graduated ranks of command. To enforce this new structure, he erected gibbets as stark warnings and punished any noble who tried to withhold his vassals from service.

Beyond the battlefield, Wallace turned his energy to reviving Scotland’s crippled trade, sending envoys to the bustling ports of Hamburg and Lübeck while thanking the Flemish for their support at Berwick. Faced with a looming famine and a pestilence born of recent carnage, he ordered the careful collection and storage of harvests to sustain the country through winter. At the same time, he summoned the nation’s vassals, urging them to set aside old rivalries and stand together against any future threat.