Simon Fraser (died 1306)

Simon Fraser (died 1306), also known as Simon Fraser the Patriot, was a Scottish knight and landowner who played a prominent role in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Fraser was a member of the powerful Fraser family, with lands in Tweeddale and Peeblesshire. He initially supported the English King Edward I's claim to overlordship of Scotland. However, he later switched allegiance to the Scottish cause, joining William Wallace in the fight against English rule.

He fought alongside Wallace at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, a significant Scottish victory. Following Wallace's defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, Fraser continued to fight for Scottish independence, albeit independently.

He participated in the Battle of Roslin in 1303, a complex engagement that resulted in a Scottish victory. Despite these successes, the English continued to press their claim.

Simon Fraser was eventually captured by the English. He was tried as a traitor and executed in London in 1306, suffering a particularly gruesome death by hanging, drawing, and quartering. His brutal execution served as a warning to other Scottish rebels.

He is remembered as a patriot and a key figure in the early years of the Wars of Scottish Independence.