John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation

By John of Fordun

Book Overview

Witness a kingdom taking shape in the words of one of its first historians. Here the Scottish nation emerges. Composed in the late Middle Ages, John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish Nation is a classic medieval Scottish chronicle, the earliest sustained narrative of early Scottish history written from within the realm itself. Preserving a Latin historical chronicle of kings, battles, saints and landscapes, it traces the growth of the early kingdom of Scotland and the long, intricate Scottish kings genealogy that underpinned medieval ideas of sovereignty. As a primary source edition, it offers the rhythms, legends and political concerns of fourteenth-century Scotland with a vividness that no modern summary can match. As editor, the nineteenth-century scholar William F. Skene helped restore Fordun's voice, clarifying a narrative that later writers, from the Hector Boece history of the Scots to humanist chroniclers, drew upon when crafting their own influential accounts. The Chronicle captures the formation of the Scottish nation as medieval church, law and kingship evolved, making it a touchstone for understanding the history of medieval Scotland, identity and myth-making. It remains an essential reference for historians, medieval studies students and curious general readers seeking direct contact with the sources that shaped Britain north of the Forth. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike, and a rewarding centrepiece for any Scottish chronicles collection.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9353603234
• ISBN13: 9789353603236
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 542 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"