Product Description

In the 780s northern Britain was dominated by two great kingdoms; Pictavia, centred in north-eastern Scotland and Northumbria which straddled the modern Anglo-Scottish border. Within a hundred years both of these kingdoms had been thrown into chaos by the onslaught of the Vikings and within two hundred years they had become distant memories. This book charts the transformation of the political landscape of northern Britain between the eighth and the eleventh centuries. Central to this narrative is the mysterious disappearance of the Picts and their language and the sudden rise to prominence of the Gaelic-speaking Scots who would replace them as the rulers of the North. From Pictland to Alba uses fragmentary sources which survive from this darkest period in Scottish history to guide the reader past the pitfalls which beset the unwary traveller in these dangerous times. Important sources are presented in full and their value as evidence is thoroughly explored and evaluated. Unlike most other volumes dealing with this period, this is a book which 'shows its workings' and encourages the readers to reach their own conclusions about the origins of Scotland.Key Features: / The first book in over twenty years to explain the destruction of the Picts and the rise of the Scottish kingdom from contemporary accounts alone / Recounts and evaluates modern scholarship developing readers' awareness of recent debates and controversies / Subjects contemporary sources to rigorous examination allowing students to appreciate the strengths and pitfalls of different types of evidence / Locates early Scottish history firmly within a European context

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #264473 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
...a sometimes demanding, but often fascinating and always rewarding book, rich in ideas. -- Rab Houston BBC History Magazine Teasing out the tangle of sources and suggesting ways of filling in the blanks, Woolf comes closer than we've ever been to a coherent account of a fascinating time. 4 stars -- Michael Kerrigan The Scotsman An impressive piece of scholarship by one who has been in the vanguard of rewriting medieval Scottish history... Alex Woolf is to be commended for producing a work that greatly advances our understanding of what continues to be an obscure and challenging period in Scottish History. -- R. Andrew Macdonald Saga-Book The author of this masterly work presents and discusses the evidence of the available, often fragmentary, sources to provide an intelligible account of the eventual evolution of a very limited 'kingdom' of Alba. Northern History The author was charged with writing a political history of the kingdoms in North Britain between 789 and 1070. He has done this with aplomb and displayed a breadth of knowledge and understanding that would be hard to match... It is to Woolf's credit that he has managed to produce such a well-written account that effectively tackles a far wider frame of reference than any of his predecessors ever accomplished (or were willing to engage with), and it is the totality of his discussion that is so impressive. This book deserves to become a recommended text. -- Alasdair Ross, University of Stirling History Scotland Of all the periods of Scottish history, 789--1070 is the most obscure as it is one of the most formative; for that very reason AlexWoolf's success in distilling an intelligible and credible narrative makes this book a triumph... The balance of his approach is matched by the quality of his prose: it has an easy pace, a clarity of structure and the tone of civilised conversation. It is hard to think of how such a survey could be better done, given the difficulties of the evidence and the complexity of the changes in North Britain from the eighth to the eleventh century. -- T. M. Charles-Edwards, University of Oxford Innes Review

About the Author
Alex Woolf is Lecturer in Early Scottish History at the University of St Andrews. He has published numerous articles on the history of Early Medieval Britain and is Historical Consultant to the BBC's 'A History of Scotland' series in 2008.

Customer Reviews

A much needed re-appraisal
Contrary to the previous reviewer, i found the fact boxes an excellent way to introduce wee bits of extra information without breaking up the narrative. As to Alex Woolf's suggested conclusions on geographical locations, they are his opinion only, and i don't think he is necessarily out to get Duncan, so to speak.

As a much needed re-appraisal of the period at hand we cannot expect Alex Woolf to completely replace old dogma with his own theories, which will likely be tested out by other historians and reviewers in academic journals.

Like Benjamin Hudson's work on a similar period, it will take a fair amount of time before we can settle on an accepted status quo, and indeed may never do so. To condemn someone for attempting to put forward alternate thinking surely represents the view of a fairly close-minded individual. I myself do not agree with Alex Woolf on this point, but i am certainly open to being convinced otherwise if the evidence can be gathered to do so.

It's definitely a book that the Scottish history reading public should definitely get their hands on, if only as a futherance to A.A.M. Duncan's excellent work. If you like your medieval Scottish history it's really not something you can do without.

Don't listen to Novantae ... this is a great book!
This is one of the best and most original works written about early medieval Scotland. It is a must read for all interested. The reviewer Novantae's criticism about Fortriu is both axe-grinding and silly. 1) The argument had already been advanced in the SHR and 2) it has already achieved something resembling consensus in the historical community. It is not particularly controversial, though the particular related suggestion (not important in the book) that the battle of Dunnichen took place in the north is. Woolf's work is far superior to the treatment given of the period by both Duncan and Smyth (standing where we are now at least); though daring in parts (new ideas are everywhere), it is a very sophisticated historiographic work ... apparently a bit too sophisticated for some.

View from abroad
For a Dutchman, interested in genealogy and history, this book provides a clear updated picture on a prominent transitional period in Scotlands history. It provides inside information on the difficulties in eliminating fact from fiction or whishfull thinking. To me it was wonderful reading and for the genealogist lurking in me (like so many other descendants of king David) it was a warning to put to much faith on what one can find on the internet.

13-8-2009, Hans Vogels