Customer Reviews

David I: The King Who Made Scotland (Revealing History)

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A great look at King David I of Scotland. Very informative and well written. With several older brothers David never expected to be King he spent most of his time before then in the background or riding the coat tails of his sister Edith/Matilda Queen of England before becoming King of Scotland. Even after becoming King he still had to worry about other relatives trying to take the throne with him while trying to establish a archbishop in Scotland instead having to rely on the English on among other things. Its a great book

Well researched and balanced biography of a great medieval king who is relatively unknown today. Oram very skillfully juxtaposes the dual nature and reputation of David as pious ruler and brutal warrior, saint and sinner if you will. The paperback edition though is weakly bound with some of the pages coming loose after only one (gentle) reading.

This is a highly readable study of the Scots king who helped move the north into the military feudalism of the twelfth century. The material is concise and all inclusive without being overly pedantic. Dr. Oram clearly outlines the conflicts that arose between the Celtic and Norman systems, and presents the wide array of players strutting the stage of early medieval Scotland, England, and the Isles. Also considered is the availability or scarcity of information on this bygone time, and the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn or inferred about the period. Excellent source material for people with almost any amount of knowledge of Scottish history.