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Introduction
This book is about Scotland, a small island nation on the edge of northern Europe. And for 80 per cent of the period covered in this book, Scotland didn’t exist (at least not as we think of it today in territorial and political terms). Territorially, Scotland only assumed its current boundaries in 1470, with the acquisition of Orkney and Shetland, and politically it was only a nation-state from 1314 onward before voluntarily giving up its sovereignty in the Union of Parliaments with England in 1707 to create a new nation-state, Great Britain – a move that was deeply unpopular with ordinary Scots.
But in spite of its small size (just under 19 million acres) and several centuries of independence, Scotland has made a massive contribution not only to the history of these islands we call Great Britain but also to the modern world. Indeed, some historians have argued that Scotland – through its thinkers, engineers and scientists – invented the modern world.
Although Scotland has been a unitary state since 1470, it’s divided by geography. The Highland Boundary Fault line, which runs from the northeast to the southwest, separates Scotland not just geographically into highlands and lowlands, but also culturally. The lowlands had rich, fertile farming land; the highlands, with its harsher climate, had many more mountains and rivers, but the soil was extremely poor, so rearing animals (especially cattle and, later, sheep) was the main source of income.
Yet for much of our history, more people lived in the north of Scotland than in the south. Such are the many contradictions in the Scottish story. Scotland is also wetter and windier than the rest of Britain, with the Shetland Isles experiencing around 42 days of gales per year. Hearing can be a problem in that part of Scotland!
Scotland also shares a part of a larger island – Britain – with its neighbours, the English and the Welsh. As far the English were concerned, we were ‘noisy neighbours’ who were there to be subdued. The relationship between the two kingdoms for most of the period covered in this book was, on the whole, fractious and violent. But it was the territorial battles with England that were important in creating a sense of national identity for the Scots – something they have never lost from the Middle Ages to the present day.
About This Book
In this book, I don’t give a blow-by-blow account of the history of Scotland from the earliest times to the present. There isn’t enough space and, in any case, it would be boring. This isn’t a textbook, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It reflects my views as a historian (just as most histories reflect their authors’ points of view). I leave things out, I skip over things that seem irrelevant and include things that I hope you enjoy.
For any historian, the decision on what to put in and what to leave out is ultimately conditioned by the sources available. So, earlier chapters of the book are concerned with issues surrounding kingship and the relationship between Church and monarch; later chapters discuss elections and party politics.
The information is organised into chapters and parts so that you easily access what you need. Use the book as a reference – you don’t need to read the chapters in order from front cover to back, and you aren’t expected to remember anything. There won’t be a test at the end of the book.
Sidebars (text in grey boxes) and anything marked with the Technical Stuff icon are skippable – the information is interesting but not necessary to your understanding of the topic at hand. Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy – just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
Finally, as you read this book – and any other history – keep in mind that the wealthy and powerful left more traces of their lives than the poor and the illiterate did. Until relatively recently, 90 per cent of men and all women were denied a political role in Scottish society. So, all history has a certain bias, and the story is never complete. The past is continually being re-invented – that’s what makes it so fascinating and something we can all play a part in making!
Foolish Assumptions
In writing this book I’ve made a few assumptions about you, the reader:
You studied some Scottish history at school but were put off by the way it was taught, or maybe you liked it but your memory is a bit hazy about who did what.
You haven’t studied Scottish history, but you’re interested in doing so and you’re not sure where to start.
You enjoy a good story and want to know more about Scotland and its peoples.
Icons Used in This Book
Throughout this book, you see pictures in the margins. These pictures are called
icons,
and they’re meant to draw your attention to key pieces of information. Here’s a guide to what the icons mean:
The Remember icon alerts you to the most important information – the elements of Scottish history that you don’t want to forget.
Sometimes my historian brain likes to go on a bit about details that aren’t essential. When this happens, I mark the text with the Technical Stuff icon. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip anything marked with this icon. On the other hand, if you read it, you’re sure to find fascinating titbits of information.
When I quote famous historical figures or others, I mark the quote with the First Hand icon.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet at
www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/scottishhistory
for a guide to the historical periods of Scotland, a list of Scotland’s rulers, and the major events and battles in Scottish history.
You can also find online articles that extend the content covered in the book. I provide links to the articles at the begi
www.dummies.com/extras/scottishhistory
.
Where to Go from Here
You’re more than welcome to start reading this book at the begi
If you’re still not sure where to start, have a look at the Table of Contents, or use the Index to look up names or places you’re curious about. The story of Scotland is rich in drama and character. All you have to do to discover it is turn the pages!