History of Scotland - Volume 1 by Peter Hume Brown From the earliest times up to the death of James V (1542).
 |
| History of Scotland |
From preface:
accordance with the plan of the Series to which this book belongs, it should have dealt with Scottish history mainly during the last four centuries. In the case of Scotland, however, there was a special reason for departing from this plan.
There is not in existence a compendious history of Scotland which at once supplies a consecutive narrative of events, and seeks to trace the gradual consolidation of the various elements that have gone to the making of the Scottish people. It is as an attempt to meet this want that this book was conceived and written.
But there was another reason which seemed to justify a preliminary volume exclusively devoted to early and mediaeval Scottish history. Since the publication of the works of Dr Hill Burton and Dr Skene considerable additions have been made to our knowledge regarding various periods dealt with in the present volume. On many points, also, the latest critical opinion constrains us to reject or modify conclusions accepted even by such recent authorities as Burton and Skene.
To adduce a single instance, though an important one — Dr Skene's elaborate account of the Roman occupation is largely rejected by the highest modern authorities. On the other hand, the researches of Dr Skene have superseded the portion of Burton's History which treats of the centuries that followed the Roman occupation; and the same remark applies in a considerable degree to the period between the coming of the Saxon Margaret and the death of Alexander III.
In my own account of Celtic Scotland I have availed myself of the original authorities brought together by Dr Skene in his Chronicles of the Picts and Scots
Volume I Overview
- Coverage: From the earliest times up to the death of James V (1542).
- Focus: Origins of Scotland, medieval development, wars of independence, and the Stewart monarchy before Mary.
- Style: Narrative history, blending political events with cultural context. Brown writes in a clear, accessible style, though with the interpretive lens of early 20th‑century scholarship.
Reception of Volume I
- Academic Value (1902): Seen as a solid scholarly contribution, especially for its synthesis of earlier sources.
- Modern Value:
- Useful for understanding how Scottish history was framed in the Edwardian era.
- Provides a “classic” perspective, but not aligned with modern archaeological or social‑historical methods.
- Readers today often treat it as a historical document about historiography, rather than a definitive account of Scotland’s past.
Strengths of Volume I
- Readable narrative: Brown avoids overly technical language.
- Cultural importance: Preserved as part of the “knowledge base of civilization.”
- Historical framing: Shows how early 20th‑century scholars interpreted Scotland’s medieval and Renaissance past.
by Brown, Peter Hume, 1849-1918
Publication date 1902-09 Topics Scotland -- History Publisher Cambridge University Press