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Edgar had no legitimate heirs and so in
1107 Alexander became king of Scotland. During his reign he was
given the name 'the fierce' from the way in which he quashed a rebellion
in Moray. On the other hand he was deeply religious and it is largely
his piety that he is remembered.
Queen Margaret had paid close attention to Alexander's education,
especially in religious matters. One of Margaret's favourites was
Turgot and Alexander used him to help stamp out 'heathen customs',
polygamy, simony and immorality - within the church. Alexander wanted
Turgot to become Bishop of St Andrews but this proved impossible
and Turgot returned to Durham, from where Margaret
had originally brought him. It was during Alexander's reign that
distinct diocesan appear and he also brought Augustinian canons
to Scone. After sheltering from a storm on the Isle of Inchcolm
in the Firth of Forth he decided to establish an Augustinian Abbey
there, in recent years extensive excavations have occurred on the
Isle with many interesting discoveries.
Alexander's wife was Sibylla, illegitimate daughter of Henry I
of England, and she died in isolation on the island of Eilean nam
Ban (Isle of Women) on Loch Tay. During most of his reign Alexander
only ruled Scotland north of the Forth-Clyde line as his brother
David ruled the area to the south, in consequence
his court met in such places as Scone, Perth, Invergowrie and Stirling
- where he died in 1124. The chronicler Fordun left a good summary
of Alexander's reign:
| 'A lettered and godly man, very humble
and amiable towards the clerics and regulars, but terrible
beyond measure to the rest of his subjects.' |
|
History Books on this time period:
| Author |
Title |
Published |
Price |
Order
Now From: From: |
| Duncan, A. A. M. |
Scotland: the Making of the Kingdom |
1975 |
£16.99 |
Amazon.co.uk |
| Scotland: the Making of the Kingdom is the first "straight"
history of Scotland from pre-history to 1286 to be published
since 1862. It starts with the evidence on pre-historic
and Roman Scotland and covers in some detail the incursions
and amalgamations of races who made up the Celtic Kingdom,
the impact of the Vikings and the forging of a single
kingdom. Professor Duncan looks at the Anglo-Norman influence
on Scotland and gives a full account of Anglo-Scottish
relations up to 1214. The growth of towns is discussed
together with the expansion of trade and the place of
Scottish evidence in the evolution of rural and urban
society in north-west Europe. The closing chapters narrate
the progress which made possible the establishment of
an efficient and unoppressive administrative system. |
 |
|
| Barrow, G. W. S. |
Kingship & Unity: Scotland 1000-1306 |
1989 |
£9.95
or
$16.50 |
Amazon.co.uk
or
Amazon.com |
Professor Barrow takes up the history of a Scotland
which in the eleventh century already has the beginnings
of a clear sense of identity, and a successful expansion
policy.
Emphasising in particular the kingdom's political growth
and the evolution of a distinct Scottish nation, Professor
Barrow narrates the story of Scotland's remarkable Medieval
kings and their development of a kingship and the institutions
of government which provided the unity and administration
to fend off Edward I's onslaughts in the thirteenth century.
This is a thoroughly readable and comprehensive account
of the building of medieval Scotland, and a welcome reissue
from the New History of Scotland series (formerly published
by Edward Arnold). |
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