What connects Mel Gibson's Braveheart with Dumfries and Galloway?
Braveheart is a Marmite (or a vegemite film too Mel Gibson) of a historical film. Some people hate it, others love it for its rallying cry of FREEDOM!!!
From independence-minded Scottish Nationalists to Americans whose great-great-great-great-great-great-paretns moved from Scotland, all love the film.
Historians, English people, film critics and others cause Braveheart to be a typical full of nonsense Hollywood epic.
Marmite or Vegemite Braveheart is a film that draws controversy that I will not go into great a massive detail in this post. However, returning to the main point at hand, what connects Dumfries and Galloway and the film Braveheart?
Robert the Bruce!
Dumfries and Galloway is home to Bruce's trail a tourist route that lets you take in some of the sights and places that played a pivotal role in the story of Robert the Bruce and the Scottish Wars of Independence.
First, we have Greyfriars Church on the Vennels in Dumfries. This is the scene of Roberts, most notorious crime: The murder of a political opponent and rival for the crown of Scotland.
Secondly, the ambush and victory over the English at Glentrool.
Both of these acts symbolise a couple of things. Firstly, Dumfries and Galloway have a rich and deep history. Secondly, Mel Gibson's Braveheart really does not touch enough on the full history of the Scottish Wars of Independence.
I will delve deeper into the history of Robert the Bruce in Galloway in future blog posts.