INTERVIEW: The War That Made Scotland

Before Braveheart, the real fight for Scotland was even bloodier.

Historian Michael Brown (University of St. Andrews) joins Why Wars Happened to uncover the shocking truth about the Wars of Independence — Wallace, Robert the Bruce, brutal battles, plagues, and the birth of the Stewart dynasty. This isn’t just legend — it’s the story of freedom, identity, and survival.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened

00:48 – Meet Michael Brown

01:20 – Scotland in the 13th century

02:02 – Language & identity shifts

03:35 – Population & clans

07:22 – Lords & nobles in Scotland

11:34 – Anglo-Scottish conflicts

14:10 – Challenges of research

16:51 – Debates in Scottish history

19:21 – Internal change in the 13th–14th c.

23:06 – Agriculture, plague & colonization

25:08 – Warfare & population shifts

26:38 – Robert the Bruce’s tactics

28:03 – “What if” scenarios

32:37 – The rise of the Stewarts

34:59 – Misconceptions about Scotland

38:17 – Conclusion

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