Scotland's Royal History

Book categories: Caledonians & Picts, Royalty, History, Macbeth, Malcolm III & Margaret, David I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, Stewart Dynasty, James IV, James V, Mary Queen of Scots, Kingdom of the Isles, Stuarts, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Children's Books, Hanoverians, Edward VII, Windsors, Others, Vikings, English History, UK, Genealogy, British Palaces, DVDs

Early Scotland

From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795 by James E. Fraser. Eexamines the transformation of Iron Age northern Britain into a land of Christian kingdoms.

From Pictland to Alba, 789-1070 by Alex Woolf. In the 780s northern Britain was dominated by two great kingdoms, Pictavia and Northumbria. Within 100 years both were thrown into chaos by the Vikings.

The Philosopher King and the Pictish Nation by Julianna Grigg. Examines the emergence of Pictland (in what is now Scotland) during the 8th century as a cohesive nation under dynastic kingship.

Books About Early Britain
Books About the Vikings

Scottish Royalty

The Kings & Queens of Scotland by Timothy Venning. A complete history of Scottish rulers, from the heads of early states and the first King of Scots, Kenneth MacAlpin, to Queen Anne and the union with England.

Kings & Queens of Scotland edited by Richard Oram. History of the Scottish monarchy.

Kings and Queens of Scotland by W. A. Ross. From the Celtic era to the present, this book tells the stories of the men and women who ruled Scotland - and the many who died trying.

Scottish Queens, 1034-1714 by Rosalind K. Marshall. Was Lady Macbeth really wicked? Was St Margaret a demure wife? Have we underestimated James VI's consort, Anne of Denmark, frequently written off as stupid and willful? These are just a few of the questions addressed in this book.

Kings, Mormaers, Rebels: Early Scotland's Other Royal Family by John Marsden. Traces the story of the Cenel Loairn, one of the principal dynastic kindreds of the kingdom of Dalriada in Argyll, and its descendent kindreds through more than 600 years to throw light on the emergence of the medieval kingdom of the Scots.

The Balliol Dynasty: 1210-1364 by Amanda Beam. Highlights the dynasty's important role in Scottish history, their powerful kingship, and their unique relationship with the English crown.

The True Law of Kingship by Jimmy H. Burns examines concepts of monarchy in 16th century Scotland.

Scotland's Stone of Destiny: Myth, History and Nationhood by Nick Aitchison. Scotland's 'Stone of Destiny' is a symbol of both Scottish nationhood and the British monarchy. This is an illustrated study of its history, mythology, and cultural significance.

Prophecy of Berchan: Irish and Scottish High-Kings of the Early Middle Ages by Benjamin T. Hudson. The "Prophecy of Berchan" is a medieval verse history of the kings of Ireland and Scotland between the ninth and 11th centuries. This book provides both a translation of the text and a commentary.

Scotland's History

A History of Scotland by Bruce Lenman, Geoffrey Parker, and J. D. MacKie offers a colorful overview of Scotland's history.

The Oxford Companion to Scottish History by Michael Lynch. Covers 20 centuries, from the Picts to the Scottish Parliament. Studies key themes, including kingship, national identity, women, and society. With maps, genealogies, and a chronology.

Union of Crowns: The Forging of Europe's Most Independent State by Crawford Little. Looks at the history of the 400-year-old union between England and Scotland.

Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland and the Middle Ages by John L. Roberts. The history of Celtic Scotland from the ancient kingdoms of the Picts and Scots to the downfall of Clan Donald at the end of the 15th century.

The Kingdom of the Scots: Government, Church and Society From the Eleventh to the Fourteenth Century by Geoffrey W. S. Barrow. Explores the formative period when Scotland acquired a monarchy of a recognizably continental type, feudal organization, and a body of settled law and custom.

The Vikings in Scotland

Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney translated by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards. Written around 1200 AD by an unknown Icelandic author, this saga describes the conquest of the Northern Isles (Scotland's Orkney and Shetland islands) and Caithness (a county in Scotland) by the kings of Norway during the Viking expansion of the ninth century, and goes on to narrate the history of the Earldom of Orkney.

More Books About Vikings in the British Isles

Macbeth

Macbeth: Man and Myth by Nick Aitchison. Biography of the 11th century king who inspired Shakespeare's play.

Macbeth: A True Story by Fiona Watson. Biography of the historical Macbeth, a remarkable man living in turbulent times. As ruler of Alba (Scotland) he sat on one of the most established thrones in Western Europe. It is true that he killed Duncan, the previous king, but this was the normal method of regime change in Dark Age Scotland.

On the Trail of the Real Macbeth, King of Alba by Cameron Taylor and Alistair Murray. Travel Scotland with a touring itinerary following in the footsteps of Macbeth.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The text of Shakespeare's play.

King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett. A fictionalized account of Macbeth's life, written by a very popular historical novelist.

Lady Macbeth: A Novel by Susan Fraser King. Lady Gruadh is the last female descendant of Scotland's most royal line. Forced to marry her husband's murderer, Macbeth, she strives to hold her own in a warrior society.

Scroll down on this page for Macbeth DVDs.

Malcolm III & Saint Margaret

Máel Coluim III, Canmore: An Eleventh-Century Scottish King by Neil McGuigan. Máel Coluim's reign coincided with the Norman Conquest, and his interventions in England cost him his life.

Queen Margaret of Scotland by Eileen Dunlop. The daughter of 11th century English prince Edward the Exile, Margaret married King Malcolm III and set out to reform the Scottish church. Includes illustrations, maps, family trees.

Saint Margaret, Queen of the Scots: A Life in Perspective by Catherine Keene. A look at the life and cult of the 11th century queen.

Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland by Susan Fraser King. Scotland's warrior-king Malcolm Canmore promises to aid outlawed Saxon prince Edgar of England in return for his sister's hand in marriage.

King David I

David I: King of Scots, 1124-1153 by Richard D. Oram. David I was never expected to become king, but he had the skills, ruthlessness and ambition of a great ruler.

King Alexander II

Alexander II, King of Scots, 1214-1249 by Richard Oram. Offers a fresh assessment of Alexander II's contribution to the making of Scotland as a nation, his character, and his relationships with his mother, first wife, and household members.

Alexander III

Alexander III by Norman H. Reid. Presiding over an age of relative peace and prosperity, Alexander III represented the zenith of Scottish medieval kingship.

Robert the Bruce

Robert the Bruce: King of Scots by Ronald McNair Scott. This biography uses the accounts of contemporary chronicles to reconstruct the story of one of the most remarkable of medieval kings.

Robert Bruce: Our Most Valiant Prince, King and Lord by Colm McNamee. A sympathetic portrait of the king that explores his enormous impact on Scotland, England, and Ireland.

Robert the Bruce by Fiona Watson. From disastrous beginnings after he murdered a rival and took the throne of Scotland, Robert I became a military leader of consummate genius.

Robert the Bruce: Champion of a Nation by Stephen Spinks. Biography of a complex man confronted by hardships and dangerous decisions. He was not born to rule, yet his kingship resounds even today.

Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots by Michael Penman. This biography focuses on Robert's kingship in the 15 years that followed his victory over the English.

King and Outlaw: The Real Robert the Bruce by Chris Brown. The life of an indomitable military genius who was unafraid of breaking convention.

Robert Bruce: And the Community of the Realm of Scotland by G. W. S. Barrow. This book describes the tragic career of William Wallace, the English military occupation of Scotland, and the emergence of Robert Bruce as the centre of Scottish resistance, providing an almost day-by-day account of Bruce's daring tactics, his crowning at Scone, his defeat by the English, and his life as a fugitive.

In the Footsteps of Robert Bruce: In Scotland, Northern England and Ireland by Alan Young and Michael J. Stead. An illustrated journey through the landscape and events of the life of Robert the Bruce.

David II, 1329-71: The Bruce Dynasty in Scotland by Michael Penman. David II, son of the hero Robert Bruce, has been condemned as a disastrous general. This biography offers a different view: that of a child king who survived adversity to emerge as a formidable ruler.

Books About English Kings Edward I and Edward II

Robert the Bruce in Fiction

The Bruce Trilogy by Nigel Tranter. Three novels about Robert the Bruce: The Steps to the Empty Throne, The Path of the Hero King, and The Price of the King's Peace.

The Great Scot: A Vivid Tale of Robert the Bruce, Scotland's Legendary Warrior King by Duncan A. Bruce. Fictional account of Robert the Bruce's life.

Robert the Bruce: King of Scots by James Robertson, illustrated by Jill Calder. A brief, illustrated look at the life of one of the great heroes of Scottish history.

Robert the Bruce by Jack Whyte. Novel about the 14th century king who led his people during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the Kingdom of England.

Books About William Wallace

William Wallace by Andrew Fisher. Biography of William Wallace, who rose to prominence during the Wars of Independence, leading forces and inspiring his countrymen.

William Wallace: Brave Heart by James MacKay. Biography of a man who, without wealth or noble birth, rose to become Guardian of Scotland, triumphing over much larger, better-armed English forces.

William Wallace by Graeme Morton. Examines the history and legend of the hero portrayed by Mel Gibson in "Braveheart."

The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace by Nigel Tranter. Fiction. William Wallace wears to rid his land of England's cruelty and to restore Robert the Bruce to the throne.

Stewart Dynasty

The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406 by Stephen Boardman. Includes maps and genealogical tables.

The Stewart Dynasty in Scotland: James I by Michael Brown. Biography. Whether as lawgiver, tyrant or matyr, James I has cast a long shadow over the history of Scotland. After a life of drastically swinging fortunes, he met his end in a violent coup, a victim of his own methods.

James III by Norman Macdougall. Biography. James III was much criticised by contemporaries and later chroniclers, particularly for his reliance on low-born favourites. Yet James III has also been seen as Scotland's first Renaissance king and the architect of an intelligent foreign policy.

Dynasty: The Royal House of Stewart by D. Thomson. Paintings and personal personal objects, along with stories of the colorful kings and queens who ruled Scotland for 300 turbulent years.

James IV & Flodden

James IV by Norman Macdougall. This study examines all aspects of James IV's reign and assesses reasons for its disastrous end when the king and a large proportion of the Scottish nobility were eliminated in a single afternoon at Flodden.

The Sisters of Henry VIII by Maria Perry. The lives of English king Henry VII's daughters Margaret, who married King James IV of Scotland, and Mary, who became the queen of France.

Fatal Rivalry: Flodden, 1513: Henry VIII and James IV and the Decisive Battle for Renaissance Britain by George Goodwin. In 1513, the vicious rivalry between the young Henry VIII of England and his charismatic brother-in-law, James IV of Scotland, ended in violence at Flodden Field.

The Afterlife of King James IV: Otherworld Legends of The Scottish King by Keith J. Coleman. Explores the survival stories following the Scottish king's defeat at the battle of Flodden.

More Books About the Battle of Flodden

Fiction

The Thistle and the Rose by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, who was the wife of Scotland's King James IV and mother of James V.

More Books About the Stuarts

Books About James V & Mary of Guise
The Royal Stuart Dynasty
Books About Mary, Queen of Scots
Books About King James VI
Books About King Charles I
Books About King Charles II
Books About King James VII
Books About Mary II and William III
Books About Queen Anne
Books About Bonnie Prince Charlie

Other Topics

Outlaws of Medieval Scotland: Challenges to the Canmore Kings, 1058-1266 by R. Andrew McDonald. Demonstrates that the Canmore kings maintained their power through crushing rivals.

Kenneth by Nigel Tranter. Novel about King Kenneth Mac Alpin (Macalpine).

Books About the United Kingdom
Books About English Royal History
Books About the Royal House of Hanover
Books About the Windsor Dynasty
Books About Scottish Royal Genealogy

Children's Books

Illustrated Legends of Scotland's Kings and Queens by Theresa Breslin, illustrated by Liza Tretyakova. Includes stories about Kenneth McAlpin, Robert the Bruce, and Mary, Queen of Scots. For ages 6 to 12.

Macbeth and All That by Alan Burnett. An illustrated children's adventure story packed with historical facts about Scotland's infamous king. For young adult readers.

Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen. Novel about Robert the Bruce's daughter Marjorie, who was imprisoned as a child by her father's enemies. For ages 9 to 12.

Children's Books About Mary, Queen of Scots

History Documentaries

The Castles of Scotland. This documentary explores the romantic history of the clans through tours of castles that have witnessed centuries of war and treachery.

Battle of the Clans. From the origins of the tartans to bitter subjugation, this is the surprising history of the Scottish clansmen.

DVDs About Mary, Queen of Scots

Macbeth

Macbeth - Royal Shakespeare Company. This 1978 production of Shakespeare's play stars Ian McKellen and Judi Dench.

Macbeth. Roman Polanski directed this 1971 movie, which stars Jon Finch as Macbeth.

More Macbeth DVDs

Movies and Documentaries About William Wallace

Braveheart starring Mel Gibson. Oscar-winning 1995 epic movie about William Wallace, who led the Scottish revolt against English king Edward I.

The True Story of Braveheart. Examine ancient records in search of the truth behind the legendary Scottish warrior.

DVDs About British History & Royalty
More Royal Movies and Documentaries