Lords of Alba : the making of Scotland
Walker, Ian W.2006
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The early medieval history of Scotland has been neglected by historians Yet the period between the ninth and twelfth centuries was a crucial one. It saw the formation of the kingdom of Alba and its gradual expansion and transformation into the new kingdom of Scotland, the first step towards the culture of modern Scotland. In his fascinating new book Ian W. Walker explores these important, overlooked years. The kingdom of Alba was created from a union between the Picts and the Scots of Dalriada. This infant kingdom was relentlessly attacked by the Vikings but under King Constantine II - Arguable the Scottish King Alfred - it managed not only to survive but to emerge consolidated and confident, with the once mighty Vikings relegated to its outer fringes. Subsequently, under a series of expansionist kings such as Malcolm I, Idulf and Malcolm II, Alba expanded southwards, absorbing Strathclyde and conquering northern Northumbria. But the most dramatic change came during the pivotal reign of Malcolm III. Often called Malcolm Canmore, this most important eleventh-century king has been overshadowed in history by his wife, St Margaret of Scotland, and his son, David I. Yet, as this book shows, his reign was one of the most important periods in Scottish history. Ian W. Walker reassesses the roles of these three key individuals using contemporary sources from Scotland, Ireland and England. In doing so he reveals the true extent of Malcolm's influence, which was fundamental in bringing together the disparate elements of his expanded kingdom and slowly transforming the Gaelic language and culture of Alba, with its strong Irish links, into the more mixed culture of the English-influenced kingdom of Scotland.
Main title:
Lords of Alba : the making of Scotland / Ian W. Walker.
Author:
Imprint:
Stroud : Sutton, 2006.
Collation:
ix- xiv, 256 p. : ill. ; B&W Plates 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes Index
Contents:
ContentsList of black and white platesList of mapsAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Viking Onslaught2. The Kingdom of Alba3. A Scottish Constantine4. The March to the South5. The Great King and the Exiled Prince6. Malcolm, King of Alba7. A New Kingdom?Family TreesMapsNotesSelect BibliographyIndex
ISBN:
0750934921 (hbk)9780750934923
Dewey class:
941.101941.101941.1
Local class:
941.21 SCOSCO
Language:
English
Subject:
BRN:
391988
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