INTERVIEW: 🏴 William Wallace, Robert the Bruce & Scotland’s Fight for Independence

In this episode of Why Wars Happened, historian Michael Brown (University of St. Andrews) reveals the true story of the Scottish Wars of Independence (1214–1371). From epic battles to the birth of the Stewart dynasty, this is the history behind Braveheart — and so much more.

👉 What you’ll discover:

⚔️ The rise of William Wallace & Robert the Bruce

🏰 Brutal battles, shifting alliances & survival against England

🕊️ Scotland’s fight for identity, language & autonomy

🌾 How trade, climate & plague shaped medieval Scotland

👑 The roots of the Stewart dynasty

📜 What history gets wrong about the Wars of Independence

This isn’t just about kings and battles — it’s about the struggle for freedom, identity, and survival in medieval Scotland.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened

00:48 – Meet Michael Brown

01:20 – Scotland in the 13th century

02:02 – Language & identity shifts

03:35 – Population & clans

07:22 – Lords & nobles in Scotland

11:34 – Anglo-Scottish conflicts

14:10 – Challenges of research

16:51 – Debates in Scottish history

19:21 – Internal change in the 13th–14th c.

23:06 – Agriculture, plague & colonization

25:08 – Warfare & population shifts

26:38 – Robert the Bruce’s tactics

28:03 – “What if” scenarios

32:37 – The rise of the Stewarts

34:59 – Misconceptions about Scotland

38:17 – Conclusion

#ScottishHistory #WilliamWallace #RobertTheBruce #MedievalHistory #Scotland #WhyWarsHappened