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.⏱ Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened00:48 – Meet Michael Brown01:20 – Scotland in the 13th century02:02 – Language & identity shifts03:35 – Population & clans07:22 – Lords & nobles in Scotland11:34 – Anglo-Scottish conflicts14:10 – Challenges of research16:51 – Debates in Scottish history19:21 – Internal change in the 13th–14th c.23:06 – Agriculture, plague & colonization25:08 – Warfare & population shifts26:38 – Robert the Bruce’s tactics28:03 – “What if” scenarios32:37 – The rise of the Stewarts34:59 – Misconceptions about Scotland38:17 – Conclusion#ScottishHistory #WilliamWallace #RobertTheBruce #Scotland #MedievalHistory #WhyWarsHappened