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The Lion Roars – (A Scottish Timeline)


What If. Two short words that we ask ourselves many a time. What if I had revised? What if I told her I loved her? What if I had taken that job offer? What if I could take back what I said? And some ask that same question but about historical subjects. What if the Nazis won WW2? What if Britain kept her Empire? What if the Confederates had won the American Civil War? Yet all question of what if are easily answered as there can only be one answer. You did not revise, the Nazis did lose WW2 and Britain’s empire is no more. The past is the past, yet it still can be interesting to explore the possibilities of the “What If” and so if you can just spare me a little of your time I would like to look into one of these “What Ifs” one I feel has not been released to its potential yet, but first I’d like to give you some background information to the character who’s survival shall be this timeline’s point of departure.

Sir Andrew Murray was a Scottish during the late 12th century Anno Domini and one whose achievements were important for Scotland as a nation, yet he has become forgotten as one of his contemporaries, an outlaw come Guardian of Scotland William Wallace, continues to steal the limelight. Murray was the son of Sir Andrew Murray of Petty and was just a junior officer in the Scots Army during the disastrous Battle of Dunbar where he was then captured by the English until he managed to escape from Chester Castle. When he returned to Scotland he found his castle had an English garrison and so with some of his father’s men he attacked the English garrison but was defeated. Undisturbed by this turn of events Murray tried again yet was beaten back again. It was only on the third attack did he manage to secure the castle, and as soon as he had gotten his castle back he moved onto the next English garrison down the coast until he had forced the English out of northern Scotland. He then joined forces with a certain William Wallace who was leading a rebellion in the south and so with Wallace their combined armies moved south to attack Stirling (“The gateway to the north”) as Edward the First’s army lead by the arrogant Earl of Surrey marched north to confront this rebellion. The battle of Stirling Bridge thus took place and because of English tactical blunders and wise Scottish decisions made by the Scots commanders, the battle ended up as a massacre with only a small remnant of the English army surviving. Unfortunately for Scotland Murray (who most modern historians credit the Scottish tactics to) died shortly afterwards due to battle wounds and so Scotland was robbed of an important commander and Guardian.

So the premise of this timeline is “What If Murray survived” and hopefully I shall explore the consequences of not only having a charismatic noble as a Guardian of Scotland but also of the consequences of what if due to Murray living, the crucial Battle of Falkirk – or wherever it takes place in this timeline – leads to a Scottish victory what will happen to Scotland next? So is there any interest in this area? I’m afraid that updates will be erratic due to my busy life but if people are interested then I shall at least make a proper start to this timeline. So what do you say?
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