William Wallace’s Rare Letter Set for Public Exhibition

A letter of recommendation for William Wallace, dating back 700 years and issued by the King of France, will be exhibited publicly in Edinburgh for a limited duration of five hours on St Andrew’s Day. Composed in a type of Latin shorthand, this document represents one of merely two existing records directly linked to the renowned Scottish warrior and leader, as stated by the National Records of Scotland (NRS). This correspondence, dispatched to the French monarch’s representatives within the court of Pope Boniface VIII in Rome during November 1300, was found within the Tower of London in the 1830s. Its directive was to endorse the Scottish knight to the Pope. Wallace, recognized as one of Scotland’s most prominent historical personalities, guided the Scots to triumph over an English force led by King Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297, amidst a wider fight for independence. Reports indicate he journeyed to France in 1299, having relinquished his role as Guardian of Scotland to Robert the Bruce the preceding year. Experts in history suggest the letter’s creation in 1300 aimed to assist Wallace in obtaining secure transit for a trip across Europe to Rome. Alan Borthwick, who serves as the Head of medieval and early modern records at NRS, commented: “While Wallace is known to have been in France in 1300 it is not known why.“Some have suggested he may have been seeking support to have the deposed Scottish king, John Balliol, restored to the throne.” King Philip IV of France reportedly provided financial aid to Wallace, similar to the support extended to other Scottish knights already residing in France. Wallace is believed to have made his way back to Scotland in early 1303. He successfully avoided apprehension by the English forces until August 1305, at which point John de Menteith, a Scottish knight allied with King Edward, handed him over to English soldiers in Robroyston, a location close to Glasgow. Wallace was transported to London for judicial proceedings, where he was subsequently executed by being hung, drawn, and quartered for high treason. This delicate document is currently on loan to the NRS from the National Archive at Kew. Additionally, two tapestries, whose design draws inspiration from the pair of extant letters, will be exhibited. Their exhibition will take place at General Register House in Edinburgh, running from 10:00 to 15:00 on November 30.