He asks them to support Wallace “in those things he has to transact”.
What Wallace was doing in Europe and whether he ever made it to Rome is not known. This is one of just two original records closely associated with him and from his lifetime.
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Historians discovered the letter in the Tower of London in the 1830s, and while no one knows exactly how it got there, it’s believed by experts that Wallace carried it with him when he was taken there after being captured in Scotland and turned over to England.
Wallace is famous for leading the Scots in the defeat of the English forces at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. By 1305 he was back in Scotland where he was captured and taken to London where he was convicted of treason and executed.
Head of medieval and early modern records at NRS, Alan Borthwick, said: “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.
“What is certain is that this is a rare document and a wonderful opportunity for the public to see it in person. It is the first time it has been on display since 2018 and it is free of charge to visit.”
The letter, on loan from The National Archive, will be on display at General Register House at 2 Princes Street in Edinburgh from 10am to 3pm on St Andrew’s Day, Saturday, November 30. Entry is free.
