Sir William Wallace of Ellerslie, now the subject of a major film, is one of history's greatest heroes, and one of its greatest enigmas - a figure whose edges have been blurred by myth and legend. Even the date and place of his birth have been mis-stated. This biography tells of a man who, without wealth or noble birth, rose to become the Guardian of Scotland. It describes the heroism and betrayal, the valiant deeds and attrocities, and the struggle of a small nation against a brutal empire.