Does Anyone Like "Brave Heart" (The Movie)?

[Highlandsinger]

Andrew de Moray who got a mention earlier in this thread raised the Scottish standard at Avoch in 1297. This was the start of the Scottish rising. Avoch at that time was peopled by Gaelic speakers (the present inhabitants with their distinctive Scottish dialect were probably settled there en masse in the 1700s). De Moray led the "revolt" every bit as much as Wallace up to the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where he suffered wounds from which he subsequently died, a few days later. The population of Avoch celebrates the raising of the standard the last Saturday in May every year, with battle reinacments and a parade up to the site of Ormonde Castle overlooking the bay. A new standard is raised every year. For anyone who doesn't know this part of the world, Avoch is North of Inverness. So..... of course there were Gaelic speakers supporting Wallace. Wouldn't miss the chance for a rammy.

[Husky]

It's anachronistic to distinguish the Lowlands from the Gaidhealtachd at this point in time. A "Scot" was a "Gael", although that won't come over to a modern audience unless it is pointed out. "Scot" and "Gael" meant the same thing until sometime after the Wars of Independence, which is why Latin chroniclers do not use any other words for them (other than Scot(t)i). The families of both Wallace and Bruce were Anglo-Norman, but by this point they had gone native ... as had many "Frankish" aristocracies elsewhere in peripheral Europe. An English source alleges that Wallace would kill all people who spoke English, and Bruce is recorded as appealing to the people of Ireland on the grounds of common language and customs. Of course, as plague descended in the 14th century, as English culture grew as prestigious as French vernacluar culture, as the Germanic burghs of Scotland grew larger and more important with trade, English began to supplant Gaelic in all the low-lying ares of Scotland, until by the 16th and 17th centuries the Gaels were increasingly a fringe and alienated minority. Such is life, such is history. Just let's not impose the 18th century on the 14th!

[amerloque]

Braveheart is wonderful fictional stuff. No, the French chick did not conceive a child with William Wallace, but who cares? Would you have enjoyed an historically accurate account as much? I doubt it. Hooray for Hollywood.

[Darragh]

Braveheart is not an American film it just directed and stared by an American. IT was shot in Ireland and Scotland and the scots and the Irish as I am. Kicked the **** out of England and put their heads between their legs and made them kiss their own arse, line from Braveheart. And Mel Gibson's great grand parents came from Mayo, Ireland and records to prove it.

[ruby2]

Perhaps they did, but someone in the family moved to Australia, 'cuz that's where Mel is from.

[Raingeanach]

Evan MacLeod Barron in his book "The Scottish War of Independence" comes down squarely on the side of de Moray in assessing the victory at Stirling Bridge.

He writes: "To Andrew de Moray much more than to William Wallace were due the events which made Stirling Bridge possible, and the chief share in that victory itself, was likewise his. This is why his name appears before Wallace`s as one of the two leaders of Scotland."

The Wallace Monument ought to be re-named The de Moray Monument forthwith!
http://www.firstfoot.com/Kulture/demornay.htm

[english-curious]

Originally Posted by Darragh

And Mel Gibson's great grand parents came from Mayo, Ireland and records to prove it.

So what?