Brave Wallace melts his people's hearts

Published on Sunday 22 January 2006 00:06

HE WAS the Scottish patriot whose bloody death culminated in his limbs being sent to the four corners of Britain as a warning to all who followed him.

But, just as Edward Longshanks failed to quell the rebellion that led to Scottish independence, William Wallace's legacy lives on. The guerrila fighter is today named as the Greatest Ever Scot in a poll of Scotland on Sunday readers.

Following two weeks of online voting, Wallace secured more than a third (35%) of 1,300 votes.

The warrior, who was executed in London in 1305, was a clear winner ahead of the poet, Robert Burns, who two weeks ago pipped Wallace as Greatest Scot in an exclusive poll of academics and historians. The Bard, who gained 24% of the vote, proved significantly more popular than Wallace's fellow combatant, Robert the Bruce, who polled 15%.

Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, came fourth, with 8.5%.

The voting also saw 50 alternative Great Scots nominated by our readers, including physicist James Clerk Maxwell, the father of television, John Logie Baird, and engineer Thomas Telford.

Professor Richard Finlay, director of the Research Centre in Scottish History at the University of Strathclyde, said: "Wallace has always been popular, throughout the 19th and early 20th century, and it will always be difficult to overturn a national icon of that stature.

"Mel Gibson's portrayal of him has brought Wallace to a new generation and the votes seem to confirm that people believe what they see in the movies."

The public vote saw a clear gap between Wallace, Burns and Bruce and the other seven contenders, who included Sir Walter Scott, David Livingstone, Andrew Carnegie and Alexander Fleming.

However, Michael Fry, the author of Wild Scots: 400 Years of Highland History, was "dismayed" that Wallace had outpolled his fellow freedom fighter, Robert the Bruce.

Fry said: "It is regrettable but typical that Scotland should choose a loser, albeit a glorious one, as its hero. One hundred years ago, Scots admired success but now they admire failure: just look at our national football team.

"The great irony is that it was Bruce who saved the nation. The fact that his contemporary is much more admired is dismaying."

Philosophers and scientists were prominent on the shortlist. However, Adam Smith, the Kirkcaldy-born economist famed for his Wealth of Nations, and David Hume, his contemporary in the Scottish Enlightenment, failed to convert academic admiration into popular votes. They were in fifth and sixth places respectively in the poll, scoring 5.5% and 4%.

Finlay added: "What can be said about Hume and Smith is that they were very influential as Scots, but there was nothing in their writings that was particularly Scottish.

"Burns, however, who got more votes, had a Scottish hallmark in his work.

"The fact that he has an annual celebration named in his honour helps him retain his reputation for all time."

James Clerk Maxwell, who narrowly failed to make it on to Scotland on Sunday's 10 Greatest Scots shortlist, chosen by our academic panel, was the most popular alternative among readers, securing 17% of the other votes.

Professor Tom Devine, holder of the Sir William Fraser chair of Scottish History at Edinburgh University, whose personal nominations included Clerk Maxwell, said: "He was an outstanding physicist whose theories were later cited by Einstein as being pivotal to his work.

"Any survey of the Greatest Scots would be the poorer without at least mentioning Clerk Maxwell."

The few women nominated by readers included Elsie Inglis, who defied the War Office to establish field hospitals in France, Serbia and Corsica during the First World War, Flora MacDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie flee to France after defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and Mary Slessor, a 19th century missionary in Nigeria.

However, none received enough votes to make it into the top 10.

Modern-day Scots who received nominations from readers included footballer Kenny Dalglish, the Eurythmics singer, Annie Lennox, and former racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart.

But they were trounced by the numbers who pledged their vote to Wallace.