A. D. M. Barrell

On the whole, the book is well written and argued, if lacking in depth in certain areas. Barrell does a fair job of placing medieval Scotland within the greater European context, but this could have been stressed more, especially with regards to France, Ireland and Scandinavia. The focus is also more on the later period, after 1300 A.D., so the earlier centuries are slighted a bit. That aside, the book is recommended for those who wish to understand the basics of Scottish medieval history and Scotland’s place in the European development of kingship, national identity and the church.
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