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Gaelic Barbarity and Scottish Identity in the Later Middle Ages
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Enlighten MacGregor, Martin (2009) Gaelic barbarity and Scottish identity in the later Middle Ages. In: Broun, Dauvit and MacGregor, Martin(eds.) Mìorun mòr nan Gall, 'The great ill-will of the Lowlander'? Lowland perceptions of the Highlands, medieval and modern. Centre for Scottish and Celtic Studies, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, pp. 7-48. ISBN 978085261820X Copyright © 2009 University of Glasgow A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge Content must not be changed in any way or reproduced in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder(s) When referring to this work, full bibliographic details must be given http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/91508/ Deposited on: 24 February 2014 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk 1 Gaelic Barbarity and Scottish Identity in the Later Middle Ages MARTIN MACGREGOR One point of reasonably clear consensus among Scottish historians during the twentieth century was that a ‘Highland/Lowland divide’ came into being in the second half of the fourteenth century. The terminus post quem and lynchpin of their evidence was the following passage from the beginning of Book II chapter 9 in John of Fordun’s Chronica Gentis Scotorum, which they dated variously from the 1360s to the 1390s:1 The character of the Scots however varies according to the difference in language. For they have two languages, namely the Scottish language (lingua Scotica) and the Teutonic language (lingua Theutonica). -
Scottish Society at the Time of William Wallace
46 Scottish Society at the time of William Wallace That the Scots were identified as separate people by the late tenth and early eleventh century can be seen from the chronicles of Durham which record their passage and both successful and failed attempts at conquest. I Whether they were independent or vassal kings was not a matter of major significance at the time. Some of them looked to England for support. Malcolm Canmore in 1072 was forced to submit to William the Conqueror at Abernethy. This did not stop him raiding southwards later. His son Edgar said in a charter that he was king "by the grant of my lord, William, king of the English and by paternal inheritance"2 and he bore a sword at William Rufus's coronation. Henry I took to wife a Scottish princess. Later kings of Scotland took English queens. The Scottish kings did homage to the English for English lands such as the earldom of Huntingdon, but then the English kings did homage to the French for some of the lands they held in France.3 More interesting perhaps is the question 'What was Scotland in Wallace's time?' It was an area which lacked the cultural homogeneity of Ireland or Wales. The Islands and the West Coast were part of the Scandinavian kingdom down to 1100, spoke Norse and used Odal law. The kingdom ruled by the descendants of Kenneth MacApline (died c.858) who called themselves kings of the Scots, which had held sway over Gaels and Picts in the west, had by Wallace's time spread to the south and east which was 'English' speaking. -
Does Red Clydeside Really Matter Anymore?
Christopher Fevre 100009227 ‘Does Red Clydeside Really Matter Any More?’ Word Count: 4,290 Red Clydeside, described aptly by Maggie Craig as ‘those heady decades at the beginning of the twentieth century when passionate people and passionate politics swept like a whirlwind through Glasgow’ is arguably the most significant yet controversial subject in Scottish labour and social history.1 Yet, it is because of this controversy that questions still linger regarding the significance of Red Clydeside in the overall narrative of British and more specifically, Scottish history. The title of this paper, ‘Does Red Clydeside Really Matter Any More?’ has been generously borrowed from Terry Brotherstone’s interesting article in Militant Workers: Labour and Class Conflict on the Clyde 1900- 1950.2 Following a decade in which the legacy of the Red Clydesiders had been systematically attacked by revisionist historians agitated by contemporary attempts to link the events on the Clyde with those occurring in Russia in 1917, Brotherstone emphasised the new and developing common sense approach to the Red Clydeside debate. It was argued that ‘A new consensus seems to be emerging... which acknowledges the significance of the events associated with Red Clydeside, but seeks to dissociate them from what is now perceived as the ‘myth’ or ‘legend’ that they involved a revolutionary challenge to the British state’. However, as a consequence of the ever changing nature of Red Clydeside historiography it is now time for a re-assessment of the significance of Red Clydeside which incorporates new research into the rise of left-wing politics in Scotland more generally. -
The Bruce, the Wallace and the Declaration of Arbroath. National, 2016, 23 Dec
Riach, A. (2016) The Bruce, The Wallace and the declaration of Arbroath. National, 2016, 23 Dec. This is the author’s final accepted version. There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/161524/ Deposited on: 30 April 2018 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk The Bruce, The Wallace and the Declaration of Arbroath The foundations of Scottish literature are the foundations of Scotland itself, in three epic poems and a letter. A fortnight ago (December 9), The National’s cover carried an image of Robert the Bruce’s face, the reconstruction from a cast of his skull. Yesterday a damp squib of unionist doggerel referred to Bruce and Wallace as no more than empty icons of hollow nationalism. Maybe it’s worth pausing to ask what they really mean. Alan Riach The battle of Bannockburn, 1314, the defining moment of victory for Bruce and the Scots and the turning point in the Wars of Independence, was in fact followed by many years of further warfare and even the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 did not bring the threat of English domination to an end. John Barbour (c.1320-95) was born around the same year as the Declaration was written and his epic poem, The Bruce (1375), was composed only sixty years or so after the events. While Latin was the language of international politics, The Bruce was written in vernacular Scots for a local – including courtly – readership, drawing on stories Barbour had heard, some no doubt from eye-witnesses. -
01-Presidents Message (May-Jun 2020)
The Thistletire SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2020 Caledonian Club of Florida West, Inc. Your Board 2019-2020 BOARD: Dear Members: President Mary Ellen McMahon Vice President I hope this newsletter finds you all well and the COVID didn’t affect you. Frank Dr. Phil Miner and I are both staying close to home (I’m trying to stay out of mischief as well). Secretary This definitely has been a unique year and I know I will be very happy to say Barbara Shaffer “goodbye” to 2020. Treasurer Jean Walker I wish I could give you exciting news of upcoming socials but alas that is not to be, at least as of now. The Highland Fling originally planned for November DIRECTORS:• 2020 has been postponed to sometime in March or April of 2021. The Donald Campbell committee has not finalized a date yet with Palm Aire C.C. but when they do Rachel “Gay” Haines I will definitely let you all know so you can mark it on your calendar. Allan McIlraith We only had one summer 530 social which was in July at Stotlemyers. We Dr. Mary Thompson have decided that any other socials will be “virtual”. The BOD has been Margaret (Peg) Tonn trying to think of events that can be held via Zoom. If you have any ideas/ Linda Mercurio • suggestions we would LOVE to hear from you. SPECIAL CHAIRPERSONS From what I understand the Heritage Society is still planning the Highland Membership Games. Hopefully we can bid adieu to COVID and start planning some new Dr. Mary Thompson socials for 2021 (can you tell I love saying 2021?). -
Ethnicity and the Writing of Medieval Scottish History1
The Scottish Historical Review, Volume LXXXV, 1: No. 219: April 2006, 1–27 MATTHEW H. HAMMOND Ethnicity and the Writing of Medieval Scottish history1 ABSTRACT Historians have long tended to define medieval Scottish society in terms of interactions between ethnic groups. This approach was developed over the course of the long nineteenth century, a formative period for the study of medieval Scotland. At that time, many scholars based their analysis upon scientific principles, long since debunked, which held that medieval ‘peoples’ could only be understood in terms of ‘full ethnic packages’. This approach was combined with a positivist historical narrative that defined Germanic Anglo-Saxons and Normans as the harbingers of advances in Civilisation. While the prejudices of that era have largely faded away, the modern discipline still relies all too often on a dualistic ethnic framework. This is particularly evident in a structure of periodisation that draws a clear line between the ‘Celtic’ eleventh century and the ‘Norman’ twelfth. Furthermore, dualistic oppositions based on ethnicity continue, particu- larly in discussions of law, kingship, lordship and religion. Geoffrey Barrow’s Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, first published in 1965 and now available in the fourth edition, is proba- bly the most widely read book ever written by a professional historian on the Middle Ages in Scotland.2 In seeking to introduce the thirteenth century to such a broad audience, Barrow depicted Alexander III’s Scot- land as fundamentally -
Chap 2 Broun
222 Attitudes of Gall to Gaedhel in Scotland before John of Fordun DAUVIT BROUN It is generally held that the idea of Scotland’s division between Gaelic ‘Highlands’ and Scots or English ‘Lowlands’ can be traced no further back than the mid- to late fourteenth century. One example of the association of the Gaelic language with the highlands from this period is found in Scalacronica (‘Ladder Chronicle’), a chronicle in French by the Northumbrian knight, Sir Thomas Grey. Grey and his father had close associations with Scotland, and so he cannot be treated simply as representing an outsider’s point of view. 1 His Scottish material is likely to have been written sometime between October 1355 and October 1359.2 He described how the Picts had no wives and so acquired them from Ireland, ‘on condition that their offspring would speak Irish, which language remains to this day in the highlands among those who are called Scots’. 3 There is also an example from the ‘Highlands’ themselves. In January 1366 the papacy at Avignon issued a mandate to the bishop of Argyll granting Eoin Caimbeul a dispensation to marry his cousin, Mariota Chaimbeul. It was explained (in words which, it might be expected, 1See especially Alexander Grant, ‘The death of John Comyn: what was going on?’, SHR 86 (2007) 176–224, at 207–9. 2He began to work sometime in or after 1355 while he was a prisoner in Edinburgh Castle, and finished the text sometime after David II’s second marriage in April 1363 (the latest event noted in the work); but he had almost certainly finished this part of the chronicle before departing for France in 1359: see Sir Thomas Gray, Scalacronica, 1272–1363 , ed. -
Ireland and Scotland in the Later Middle Ages»
ANALES DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE ALICANTE. HISTORIA MEDIEVAL, n.º 19 (2015-2016): 153-174 DOI:10.14198/medieval.2015-2016.19.05 I.S.S.N.: 0212-2480 Puede citar este artículo como: Brown, Michael. «Realms, regions and lords: Ireland and Scotland in the later Middle Ages». Anales de la Universidad de Alicante. Historia Medieval, N. 19 (2015-2016): 153-174, DOI:10.14198/ medieval.2015-2016.19.05 REALMS, REGIONS AND LORDS: IRELAND AND SCOTLAND IN THE LATER MIDDLE AGES Michael Brown Department of Scottish History, University of St Andrews RESUMEN Los estudios sobre política de las Islas Británicas en la baja edad media han tendido a tratar sobre territorios concretos o a poner el Reino de Inglaterra en el centro de los debates. No obstante, en términos de su tamaño y carácter interno, hay buenas razones para considerar el Reino de Escocia y el Señorío de Irlanda como modelos de sociedad política. Más allá las significativas diferencias en el estatus, leyes y relaciones externas, hacia el año 1400 los dos territorios pueden relacionarse por compartir experiencias comunes de gobierno y de guerras internas. Éstas son las más aparentes desde una perspectiva regional. Tanto Irlanda y Escocia operaban como sistemas políticos regionalizados en los que predominaban los intereses de las principales casas aristocráticas. La importancia de dichas casas fue reconocida tanto internamente como por el gobierno real. Observando en regiones paralelas, Munster y el nordeste de Escocia, es posible identificar rasgos comparables y diferencias de largo término en dichas sociedades. Palabras clave: Baja edad media; Escocia; Irlanda; Guerra; Gobierno. -
Scotland's Status As a Nation
The Scotland-UN Committee SCOTLAND'S STATUS AS A NATION How Scotland Qualifies for the Right of Self-Determination James Wilkie The expression "people", as tentatively defined by the United Nations Organisation, denotes a social entity possessing a clear identity and its own characteristics as well as a lengthy common history, and it implies a relationship with a territory. These are the basic elements of a definition for the purpose of establishing whether such a social entity is a “people” fit to enjoy and exercise the right of self-determination. The Scottish qualifications are absolutely unchallengeable on all counts. This statement was originally prepared for use within the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international organisations when the question of Scotland’s exercise of the right to self- determination was raised there. Scotland’s status as a nation is one of the key aspects to be considered by the national and international authorities, who are generally not very well informed on the subject, when the question arises of diplomatic recognition of an autonomous Scottish state. It is therefore written with a foreign readership in mind, and it emphasises the points that will make the Scottish case in international diplomatic circles. Scotland’s Case The basic ethnic component of the Scottish Nation is a fusion of three related Celtic peoples, with later minor infusions of Viking, Flemish and other Germanic blood, especially in the small south-eastern corner of the country. This composition has remained predominant right to the present day, because the demographic movement has overwhelmingly consisted of a movement of population from Scotland, the only major inward movement until very recent times having been extensive immigration by the closely related Celtic Irish. -
Groves, Robert David (2005) 'Planned and Purposeful' Or 'Without Second Thought?': Formulaic Language and Incident in Barbour's Brus
Groves, Robert David (2005) 'Planned and purposeful' or 'without second thought?': formulaic language and incident in Barbour's Brus. PhD thesis http://theses.gla.ac.uk/4469/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] 'Planned and Purposeful' or 'Without Second Thought'? Formulaic Language and Incident in Barbour's Brus By Robert David Groves Ph.D. Thesis Submitted to the Department of English Language and the Department of Scottish Literature Faculty of Arts University of Glasgow December 2005 (c) Robert Groves 2005 Abstract The present study investigates formulae - fixed phrases used by an oral poet in composing narrative verse - in the Older Scots poem known as the Brus, composed (probably in writing) by John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen, in the last quarter of the fourteenth century. This thesis examines the apparent discrepancy of an oral derived technique used in a sophisticated poem composed in writing by an educated and literate author. Following -
Print This Article
18 Would the Real William Wallace Please Stand Up The object of this paper is to give a brief outline of the life of William Wallace, and to make references in passing to the film, Braveheart, loosely based on the life of William Wallace, starring the Australian actor Mel Gibson. Without wishing to detract in any way from the marvellous spirit of Scottish nationalism which the film produced, the comments on the film will inevitably point primarily to just a few of the film's historical inaccuracies. Films for popular consumption should perhaps not be expected to be historically accurate. The image of Wallace in the minds of such parts of the public who have heard of him at all, is largely myth. Great historical figures gather myths around them and the Scots are among the great myth builders. Braveheart the film builds on the myths of Wallace, but at the expense of adding invention where there was no need. Edward I of England is portrayed as deliciously evil, by Patrick McGooan, but the most evil thing Edward I did in Scotland, the sack and slaughter of Berwick in 1298, does not appear in the film. When there was so much real horror, heroism, honour and deception in reality, what is the need for more myth building? It is generally accepted that William Wallace was born at Elderslie, a small town southwest of Glasgow, the son of a local significant landholder. The date or even year of his birth has never been established. Since his activities between 1297 and 1305 could only have been the work of a man in his prime, 1 he must have been at least twenty and probably not more than thirty-five in 1297. -
The Early Stewart Kings, the Lordship of the Isles, and Ireland, C.1371-C.14331
The Early Stewart Kings, the Lordship of the Isles, and Ireland, c.1371-c.14331 Simon Egan 31 THE IRISH ANNALS record that in the summer of 1433, a large MacDonald war fleet descended upon the eastern coast of Ulster.2 Though the precise location is uncertain, it appears that this force landed somewhere in the modern-day barony of Dufferin; then a lordship situated on the east coast of County Down and controlled by the Anglo-Irish White family. Upon arrival the commander of the Scottish fleet, whom numerous annals refer to simply as ‘MacDomhnaill na h-Alban’(i.e., MacDonald of Scotland), was received by Eoghan O’Neill, the lord of Tyrone. These leaders appear to have entered into some form of council with one another before agreeing to combine their armed forces and embark upon what eventually amounted to an impressive military campaign against Eoghan’s main rival, Niall Garbh O’Donnell (d.1439), the lord of Tyrconnell. Moreover, the success of this joint military venture had a major impact not only upon the politics of Ulster, where it saw Eoghan established as the dominant magnate, it had serious ramifications for the balance of power within Scotland and the fortunes of the MacDonalds. The significance of the MacDonald intervention in Ulster has received very little attention within the historiography of late medieval Ireland and Scotland.3 Broadly speaking historians have tended to view medieval Gaelic Ireland and Gaelic Scotland as separate cultural and political spheres, rather than exploring how both regions were highly interconnected through ties of dynastic politics and common political and military interest.4 Instead scholars 1 I would like to thank the anonymous peer reviewer for their constructive comments which improved this essay significantly.