| I read somewhere that you can tell a lot | | | | Wallace, but strictly speaking she was not |
| about a person by finding out who her heroes | | | | English. She was the leader of one of the |
| are. I suppose that's fairly obvious. Take | | | | Celtic tribes who fought the Romans before |
| Homer Simpson. It comes as no surprise to | | | | the Saxons came to Britain. In our day (more |
| find out that his hero is Superman, ("If you | | | | or less), Churchill was a great leader and |
| are up there and can hear me, I just want to | | | | hero, but he led the entire British nation, |
| say thank you for listening, Superman"). It | | | | not just England. Besides, his mother was |
| occurs to me that it ought to be possible to | | | | American...That really only leaves Alfred the |
| extend this idea to national heroes. This is | | | | Great and Nelson as English military heroes. |
| probably a tired old idea, used in seminars | | | | If you ask English children what they know |
| up and down the country, but most of the | | | | about Alfred they'll probably tell you that |
| things I know, I learnt after leaving school, | | | | he burnt the cakes when he was left in charge |
| so as far as I'm concerned this is new and | | | | of the kitchen, rather than that he was the |
| original. Anyone got a problem with that? | | | | country's last desperate hope of saving the |
| Alright, let's try it out. I'll just stick to | | | | Anglo-Saxon world from Viking tyranny.The |
| countries that I feel linked to, either by | | | | English are traditionally suspicious of |
| blood, language or shared history and ideas, | | | | strong military leaders. William the |
| and I'll start with Scotland, since it's my | | | | Conqueror, for instance, was hated at the |
| home.The Scots, to coin a phrase, sure know | | | | time, naturally enough, but that dislike |
| how to pick 'em. Scottish heroes are | | | | still reverberates in the form of the English |
| sometimes unfortunate, very often tragic and | | | | class system, now thankfully dying out. Or |
| always romantic, in the old sense. Arguably | | | | take Edward 1st., who, at the time of William |
| the greatest Scots hero of all was William | | | | Wallace, defeated Scots armies time after |
| Wallace. More than anyone else he stands, in | | | | time and built massive castles across Wales, |
| Scottish hearts, for freedom and liberty. He | | | | but is not regarded as a hero. Neither is |
| had that rare and precious ability, shared by | | | | Henry 5th., in spite of the spin Shakespeare |
| a handful of leaders such as Alfred the | | | | put on his exploits in France and his |
| Great, Nelson, Churchill, and in America, | | | | triumph, at odds of seven to one, at |
| George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and | | | | Agincourt.It's interesting to contrast the |
| Lincoln, to lift up a nation, to become its | | | | two Englishmen who helped to defeat Napoleon |
| voice and spirit, not through fear and | | | | Bonaparte - Nelson and the Duke of |
| oppression, the hallmark of the tyrant, but | | | | Wellington. Both were brilliant strategists, |
| by reflecting the will of the people.Wallace | | | | both got results. Wellington was respected |
| taught the nation that it could win against | | | | but not much liked, Nelson was adored by the |
| its mighty neighbour to the south. Although | | | | British public. Wellington was a rather |
| essentially a brilliant guerrilla fighter, he | | | | frosty character, who treated his men with |
| defeated a major English army at the Battle | | | | contempt, while Nelson genuinly liked his men |
| of Stirling Bridge. He was eventually | | | | and was concerned with reforming conditions |
| betrayed to the English, taken down to London | | | | in the fleet. I think his affair with Lady |
| and tortured and executed as a traitor, which | | | | Hamilton didn't do him any harm either, as |
| he certainly was not. Unlike many prominent | | | | far as the public were concerned.Dick |
| Scots, he had never sworn allegiance to the | | | | Whittington is probably one of the best loved |
| English king, Edward 1st. In suffering a | | | | of English heroes. The story goes that as a |
| martyr's death Wallace became Scotland's | | | | poor boy from the country he tried several |
| first national hero, and paved the way for | | | | times to make his fortune in London. When at |
| his own personal hero, Robert the Bruce.The | | | | last he gave up and headed off for the |
| father of Robert de Brus was Anglo-Norman and | | | | sticks, he hadn't gone far before he heard |
| his mother was the Celtic Countess of | | | | the bells of London - 'Bow Bells' - saying, |
| Carrick. He was descended from King William | | | | "Turn again, Dick Whittington, three times |
| the Lion. Through Brus came the Royal House | | | | Lord Mayor of London". Back he went and |
| of Steward who produced the current British | | | | became Lord Mayor as the bells had forecast. |
| royal family. Robert the Bruce was not always | | | | Oh yes, and he had a cat. The reality is |
| a dedicated patriot. He was a landowner on | | | | fairly close to the myth, but he was |
| both sides of the border, equally at home in | | | | remembered at the time as a benefactor to the |
| the English and the Scottish court. | | | | poor and to charities.I think the hero that |
| Eventually he was forced to choose which side | | | | most completely stands for English virtues,as |
| he was on. He chose the Scots cause and in | | | | perceived by themselves, would have to be |
| 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn he led | | | | Robin Hood. Nobody knows whether he really |
| them to victory over an English army twice | | | | existed. Was he the Earl of Huntingdon or |
| their size. Bannockburn was the turning point | | | | possibly Sir Robin of Locksley? Most of the |
| in Scotland's struggle for independence. From | | | | stories are set in mid-12th. century, when |
| this time on there was no question but that | | | | Richard 1st was away at the Crusades. The |
| the Scots were a separate and independent | | | | modern Robin Hood was popularised by Sir |
| nation.Formal recognition of Scotland's | | | | Walter Scott in 'Ivanhoe', but in a way it |
| rights was still required from the Pope. A | | | | doesn't really matter if he existed or not. |
| representative group of the Scottish nobility | | | | He stands for freedom from oppression and the |
| wrote to him in a famous letter known as the | | | | rights of the poor and vunerable, so it's |
| 'Declaration of Arbroath', part of which went | | | | right and proper that he should be England's |
| as follows: | | | | most popular hero.In moving across the |
| | | | Atlantic, it seems to me that Canada doesn't |
| 'For as long as there shall but one hundred | | | | really go in for heroes, although I'm sure |
| | | | they exist. My own list would start with Grey |
| of us remain alive we will never give | | | | Owl, who pioneered an awareness of Canadian |
| consent to subject | | | | wildlife issues and was the friend of the |
| | | | Ojibway. When he died in 1938 it was realized |
| ourselves to the domination of the English. | | | | that he was not an Indian. In fact his name |
| For it is not | | | | was Archie Belaney and he was from Hastings |
| | | | in England. Then there would be Lucy Maud |
| glory, it is not riches, neither is it | | | | Montgomery, who wrote Anne of Green Gables, |
| honour, but it is liberty | | | | which was about her childhood on Prince |
| | | | Edward Island. Finally I'd probably include |
| alone that we fight and contend for, which | | | | White Fang and Joni Mitchell as my personal |
| no | | | | favourites.Heroes are not in short supply in |
| | | | America, in fact the making of America is a |
| honest man will lose but with his life.'One | | | | heroic story in itself. I can't say too much |
| of the most romantic, and at the same time | | | | about American heroes; not because I don't |
| tragic figures in Scottish history was Mary, | | | | know who they are, but because it's not for |
| Queen of Scots. Mary had been brought up in | | | | me to say what they mean to Americans. The |
| France and returned to Scotland on succeeding | | | | earlier ones were, naturally, concerned with |
| to the throne in 1560. She was eighteen years | | | | the forming of the nation - George |
| old, very attractive, impulsive and | | | | Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, |
| inexperienced in the machinations of Scottish | | | | possibly Paul Revere. I think Davy Crockett |
| court life. Everything went well at first but | | | | counts - 'King of the Wild Frontier', |
| when she married her cousin, Henry Stuart, | | | | according to the song.Then there are the |
| Lord Darnley, her life changed and nothing | | | | Native American heroes, Sitting Bull, |
| ever went right for her again. She soon | | | | Geronimo and my favourite, Chief Joseph of |
| became disillusioned with her husband and | | | | the Nez Perce. Chief Joseph, with his band of |
| took a lover, an Italian called Riccio, who | | | | 200 warriors and 500 women and children, |
| was murdered in front of her in her room, by | | | | conducted one of the most brilliant retreats |
| her jealous husband and others. It wasn't | | | | in American history. In over three months |
| long before her husband was also | | | | this small, forlorn band fought off 2000 U.S. |
| assassinated. At this point poor Mary seems | | | | soldiers in four major battles and numerous |
| to have lost the plot completely and married | | | | skirmishes. They travelled 1400 miles and got |
| the Earl of Bothwell, the man who was almost | | | | to within forty miles of the Canadian border |
| certainly involved in the murder of her | | | | and sanctuary before being forced to give up. |
| husband.It must have been clear to her by now | | | | When he finally surrendered, Chief Joseph |
| that the only kind of luck she attracted was | | | | made this speech:'I am tired of fighting. Our |
| bad luck. After a few more set-backs she | | | | chiefs are killed, |
| decided to head south to enlist help from her | | | | |
| cousin, Elizabeth, Queen of England. This | | | | Looking Glass is dead, Tu-hul-hil-sote is |
| proved to be a fatal mistake. Far from | | | | dead. |
| helping her, Elizabeth had her arrested and | | | | |
| imprisoned in a gloomy castle far to the | | | | It is the young men who say yes or no. |
| north of London and the English court. She | | | | |
| remained Elizabeth's prisoner for the rest of | | | | He who lead the young men is dead. |
| her life, some nineteen years, and was | | | | |
| finally executed for 'treason' in 1587, which | | | | It is cold and we have no blankets. |
| fate she met with great dignity.Probably the | | | | |
| best known of Scotland's heroes is Bonnie | | | | The little children are freezing to death |
| Prince Charlie who raised the standard in | | | | |
| Scotland for the Jacobite cause. The name | | | | My people - some of them have run away |
| 'Jacobite' was a French version of 'James', | | | | |
| i.e. the 'Old Pretender' James. Charles | | | | to the hills and have no blankets, no food. |
| Edward Stuart was actually more Italian than | | | | |
| Scottish and was only in Scotland for less | | | | No-one knows where there are - perhaps |
| than a year. His campaign culminated in the | | | | freezing to death. |
| disastrous battle of Culloden in 1746, the | | | | |
| last battle ever fought on British soil. | | | | I want to have time to look for my children |
| Following the defeat of the Scots army, he | | | | and see how many |
| abandoned his followers and, with the help of | | | | |
| the wonderful Flora MacDonald, fled the | | | | of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them |
| country, dressed as a washerwoman. His | | | | among the dead. |
| undignified exit has always reminded me of | | | | |
| the story of Toad of Toad Hall, who also fled | | | | Hear me, my chiefs, my heart is sick and |
| the law, dressed as a washerwoman. I wonder | | | | sad. |
| if that's where Kenneth Graham got the idea. | | | | |
| After all he was a Scot.The Jacobite army had | | | | From where the sun now stands I will fight |
| at one point struck deep into England, and in | | | | |
| fact came to within a hundred miles of | | | | no more against the white man. |
| London, before turning back. The English, | | | | |
| badly scared by the whole business now did | | | | Chief Joseph 1877Coming nearer to our own |
| their best to destroy the Highland clan | | | | time, there is no doubt John Kennedy is an |
| system by driving off the Highlanders cattle, | | | | American hero, and so, of course, is Martin |
| burning their homes and banning the singing | | | | Luther King, and I see no reason at all why |
| of gaelic songs, the wearing of the kilt and | | | | the New York firefighters who were on duty on |
| other gaelic traditions - an eerie precurser | | | | the day of the Twin Towers should not qualify |
| of the treatment meted out to the northern | | | | too. |
| Plains Indians in America after the Battle of | | | | |
| the Little Bighorn.So there you have | | | | James Donaldson CollinsJames Donaldson |
| Scotland's heroes, all tragic and all more or | | | | Collins is an artist and writer. He lives in |
| less in conflict with their powerful | | | | the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, |
| neighbour across the border. England, on the | | | | daughter and three dogs. His interests are |
| other hand, doesn't seem to create the same | | | | conservation, history, science fiction, chess |
| kind of heroes. It's true that Boadicea is a | | | | and snooker. He also claims to play guitar |
| genuine heroine, from the same mold as | | | | like a ringing a bell. |