Edinburgh Under Siege: 1571-1573 [Paperback]

Harry Potter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003

In 1571 Edinburgh was at the center of a bloody three-year siege in which many men sacrificed their lives in support of the dethroned Queen Mary. William Kirkcaldy, as keeper of the ancient fort and regal palace, with his allies defiantly held the castle against a succession of regents. In despair Regent James Douglas, the Earl of Morton, turned to Scotland’s oldest enemy, the English, to overthrow the Castle rebels. Within 10 days the English cannons and a thousand men brought the rebels to their knees and the majestic towers of the citadel crumbling around them. The siege was an embodiment of the hatred and rivalry between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In 1571 Edinburgh was at the center of a bloody three–year siege in which many men sacrificed their lives in support of the dethroned Queen Mary. William Kirkcaldy, as keeper of the ancient fort and regal palace, with his allies defiantly held the castle against a succession of regents. In despair Regent James Douglas, the Earl of Morton turned to Scotland’s oldest enemy, the English, to overthrow the Castle rebels. Within ten days the English cannons and a thousand men brought the rebels to their knees and the majestic towers of the citadel crumbling around them. The siege was an embodiment of the hatred and rivalry between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.

Harry Potter is a lawyer and a writer. His other books include Bloodfeud: The Stewarts and Gordons at War in the Age of Mary Queen of Scots, also published by Tempus. He is a former fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge. He now lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Tempus (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752423320
• ISBN-13: 978-0752423326
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,271,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Up close, March 3, 2006

By 

T. Wasser (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Edinburgh Under Siege: 1571-1573 (Paperback)

In his introduction, the author states that he has tried to describe the events from the point of view of the participants, "uncoloured by our knowledge of the final denoument." Like most Americans, I actually did not know anything about the Siege, much less how it turned out. In this short book, I learned a great deal about that tulmultuous period of Scottish history, the individuals involved, and the geography (helped by having visited Edinburgh). The story is told deftly, with the author able to keep the events clear and exciting, even though there are many complicated details and a great number of individuals who play a role. I could not wait to find out exactly what happened (although a big hint is given at the beginning when the author tells us that one of the characters will end in the gallows). This book is an example of how history should be written.

5.0 out of 5 stars A well and accurately told tale, January 27, 2012

By 

LINDA A. ROOT "a prosecutor" (Hi Desert, California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Edinburgh Under Siege: 1571-1573 (Paperback)

There are few books that I have purchased twice, and Edinburgh under Siege is one. I use one for my research and make notes in the margins, but the other is for my library. It is the principal source used in my forthcoming historical novel THE LAST KNIGHT and the Queen of Scots, the adventures of William Kirkcaldy of Grange. Potter very astutely pointed me to my hero's fatal flaw, and while I winced to read his words, I could not disagree. I agree with the other review that states that Potter writes history in the way it should be written. With issues of union and independence viable topics in today's Scotland, this book takes upon a special significance.