William Oliphant (governor of Stirling Castle) facts for kids

Sir William Oliphant was a brave Scottish knight who lived a long time ago. He was known for defending Stirling Castle during a tough period in Scotland's history. This time was called the Wars of Scottish Independence, when Scotland fought for its freedom from England. Sir William changed sides a few times, and he ended up passing away while held captive in Scotland.

Early Life and Battles

Sir William Oliphant first fought in the Battle of Dunbar in 1296. In this battle, the Scottish army, led by their king John Balliol, lost to the English. After the battle, Sir William was captured. He was taken to Devizes Castle in England and kept as a prisoner.

Freedom and Changing Sides

Sir William was set free on September 8, 1297. He returned to Scotland with another prisoner, John of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl. They were supposed to join the army of King Edward I of England. But Sir William did not keep his promise to King Edward.

Defending Stirling Castle

Sir William Oliphant soon became the leader, or governor, of Stirling Castle. This castle was very important. When King Edward I's army attacked it, Sir William refused to give up. He said he would only surrender if the Guardian of Scotland, John de Soules, allowed it. John de Soules was in France at the time.

The Long Siege

Sir William's small group of soldiers held out against King Edward's powerful army. They fought bravely until July 20, 1304. Finally, they had to surrender. King Edward had promised good terms for surrender in writing. But right after the castle was given up, he broke his promise. He sent Sir William Oliphant to the Tower of London as a prisoner. Around this time, almost all of Scotland had agreed to be loyal to King Edward I. Only William Wallace still fought against him.

Later Years and Capture

In 1308, Sir William was released from prison. He returned to Scotland and started serving King Edward II, who was King Edward I's son. By 1312, Sir William was in charge of Perth. Perth was a strong English town in Scotland.

The Fall of Perth

Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king, tried to capture Perth for six weeks. But his army could not break through its defenses. So, the Scots pretended to leave, marching away in plain sight. A little more than a week later, after dark, the Scots returned. They crossed the Lade, which was Perth's moat, and climbed over the wall. They took the town quickly. Many high-ranking Scottish and English leaders were taken prisoner. Most of the English soldiers were allowed to go free.

However, Sir William Oliphant was not set free. He was sent away in chains to the western Isles. He likely passed away there as a prisoner. There are no more records about him after this time.

See also

• Clan Oliphant