Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era

by Edward J. Cowan (editor), R. Andrew McDonald (Editor), Alexander Grant (Contributor)

This volume commemorates, complements and, in several aspects, revises, some of the findings of W.F. Skene's Celtic Scotland published over a century ago. It examines various aspects of the history of Celtic or Gaelic-speaking Scotland from the sub-Roman period to the 16th century.

Genres: Scotland, History

282 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2000

About the author

Edward J. Cowan FRSE was a Scottish historian. He was born in Edinburgh and educated at Dumfries Academy.

He was Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow and Director of the university’s Dumfries Campus, he previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh and Guelph, Ontario. A fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, he was also a Visiting Professor in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 chapters on different subjects, fruit of a conference, so these are academic papers & not light reading. I'd say there was a bit less of the "Celtic" than the title implies - interesting though for anyone like me who had a very Anglo-centric education and therefore doesn't know much about medieval Scottish history. As well as the Celtic/Gaelic elements, there is quite a bit on Norse links, and some startling insights into family relationships and in-fighting (lots of aristocratic children apparently snatched from their mothers and held hostage!)