william wallace

William Wallace of Renfrew had to rally his Scottish countrymen against the strict rule of England. There was hate amongst the Scottish royalty since 1286 and a bitter family dispute over who should be King divided the land. The English King, Edward I, stopped upon the confusion to march into Scotland and, in 1296, after brutal massacres, brought the Scottish noblemen to their knees. Edward then instituted a reign of terror in Scotland, sending English officials to …

…was impaled on the spikes at London Bridge. Medieval justice would continue to prevail in England, with the sentences reserved for those, such as Wallace, convicted of acts which threatened the King's authority. All countries at that time received similar punishment on their convicted citizens. The life of a peasant convict mattered little. Within a few centuries, England would desist from cruel and unusual punishment setting a standard to which all modern nations now abide.