active 1470-1492 Blind Hary

Blind Hary, often called Blind Harry, was a Scottish poet active in the late 15th century. He is chiefly remembered for The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, usually shortened to The Wallace, a long narrative poem in Scots that became one of the most famous accounts of the national hero William Wallace.

Although Hary’s name is well known, reliable facts about his life are scarce. He was active roughly between 1470 and 1492, and later tradition describes him as blind, but many details about his background remain uncertain. Because so little can be confirmed, his reputation rests mainly on the power and popularity of his writing.

The Wallace had an enormous afterlife in Scottish culture. More than a strict historical record, it is remembered as a vivid, patriotic work that helped fix Wallace in the popular imagination and influenced how generations of readers understood Scotland’s past.