Changes

While <i>Braveheart</i> has been much criticized for its lack of historical accuracy, and not to mention how it diminishes the role Robert the Bruce played in the war against the English, <i>Outlaw King</i> does a generally better job in showing key events until the Battle of Loundoun Loudoun Hill. There is still a lot of leeway in the way in which key events are shown and not much agreement as to how they happened. For instance, King Robert is initially shown as reluctant in the movie in accepting that he and the other Scottish nobles are vassals of the English king. There could be some truth to this, but it is also likely that this stage of his career was part of a larger plan that had been at work for some time. He and the other nobles were soundly defeated and were unable to mount a serious resistance. He had already, for instance, made a pact with William Lamberton to always support each other, possibly to lay the groundwork for future rebellion well in advance of the rebellion. William Wallace was killed in 1305, but it took Robert the Bruce an entire year before he launched his rebellion. In fact, Edward I had likely begun suspecting the rebellion, as he asked Robert the Bruce to keep his castle at Kildrummy (Figure 2).<ref>For more on Edward I's and Robert's relationships and conflicts, see: Whyte, J., & Whyte, J. (2016). <i>The Guardian: a tale of Andrew Murray</i>. First U.S. edition. New York: Forge.</ref>

Other issues include the marriage he had with Elizabeth, his second wife. He married her well before (in 1302) he launched his rebellion, rather than around the time of the rebellion. The depiction that they only gradually got to know and trust each other may not be that accurate as the marriage was more likely to be similar to Medieval political marriages. The depiction of the Bruce's defeat at the Battle of Methven shows treachery by de Valence . However, it was not so much treachery as a clearly bad mistake by the Bruce. He would or should have known de Valence would likely be loyal to the English king, as de Valence was English. The other major flaw was the presence of Edward II in the Battle of Loudoun Hill in the film. He would very likely not have been there and certainly Edward II would not have challenged Robert to any fight. Even if he did, the Scots would not have let him escape as he did in the film, as he would have been an extremely valuable prize.<ref>For more on Elizabeth and her marriage to the Bruce, see: Underhill, F. A. (1999). <i>For her good estate: the life of Elizabeth de Burgh</i>. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press. </ref>