| David was the youngest son of Malcolm III and Margaret, his
younger years were spent in England where he became attached to
the Norman style of living. In 1114 he married Matilda which gave
him lands Northhampton and the honour of Huntingdon.
| In Scotland David ruled the southern
part under the title of Earl while his brother Alexander I ruled
the rest. As Earl he founded the abbeys of Selkirk c.1113 and
Jedburgh 1118. When Alexander died in 1124 David took the throne
and throughout his reign he was generous to the Church. The
Church had a virtual monopoly over learning and was therefore
very important factor in educating the upper classes. During
David's reign Cistercian Houses were founded at Melrose and
Kinloss. Many other regular orders were also introduced to Scotland
including Augustinian's at Jedburgh and Holyrood Abbey. Later
generations were to complain that David's gifts to the various
religious orders were a severe drain on the economy or a 'sair
sanct for the crown'. |
David I (left) & Malcolm IV |
David I coin |
Modernisation was an important part of David's reign, he
introduced the feudal system of landholding to Scotland and
some of his new tenants-in-chief were Anglo-Norman. Many of
these incomers later became very important in Scottish history
- the Bruces, de Balliols, Lindsays and FitzAlans (later to
become the Stewarts).
David encouraged trade and commerce, bringing in a uniform
scheme of weights and measures. Royal burghs were established
at Stirling, Perth and Dunfermline and a standard coinage
was minted at Berwick and Roxburgh.
|
It was not all easy going, however, there were
two serious risings during David's reign - in 1130 there was a rebellion
by Angus Earl of Moray, and in 1140 Wimund, Bishop of the Isles,
started a rebellion. Both were put down by David.
When Henry I of England died David realised he could extend his
border southward. For months there were raids, counter-raids and
skirmishes in northern England before the Battle of the Standard
on the 22nd August 1138 where the Scots were heavily defeated.
| On the 22nd
August 1138 the Scots and English armies were positioned on
two hillocks off the Darlington road at Northallerton. The Scots
were on the more northerly hillock and to begin with they had
their better-armoured foot soldiers and archers in the van.
Unfortunately this was considered an insult by the Gallgaels
who insisted on being placed at the front. King
David, probably reluctantly, agreed to this and it was the
lightly armed Gallgaels who led the attack. English archers
felled many of them and the knights also joined in the slaughter.
The Scots then attacked with Earl Henry bringing forward his
knights who smashed through the centre of the English lines,
unfortunately the Scots did not follow through with this attack
and Earl Henry and his men found themselves isolated as the
English ranks closed up. |
Dunfermline Abbey was enlarged and made an abbey
by David I |
Although a large portion of the Scottish army was not involved
in the battle King David did not continue the offensive and soon
the Scots began to leave the battlefield in an orderly manner. Even
though the English did not pursue the Scots it was obvious to all
that they had won the day.
In the next year King Stephen of England ceded Northumbria to the
Scots anyway so the Battle of the Standard was not a great setback.
When David died in 1153 Scotland was a well ordered country, it
also extended farther south than it ever had, or ever did again.
|
History Books on this time period:
| Author |
Title |
Published |
Price |
Order
Now From: |
| Duncan, A. A. M. |
Scotland: the Making of the Kingdom |
1975 |
£15.99
|
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). |
 |
|
Historical Fiction Books on David I
| Author |
Title |
Published |
Price |
Order
Now From: |
| Tranter, Nigel |
David the Prince |
|
£5.99 |
Amazon.co.uk |
| |
|
