| Robert the Bruce: Champion of a Nation Contributor(s): Spinks, Stephen (Author) |
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ISBN: 1445685078 ISBN-13: 9781445685076 Publisher: Amberley Publishing OUR PRICE: $31.50 Product Type: Hardcover Published: March 2020 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Europe - Medieval - History | Europe - Great Britain - Norman Conquest To Late Medieval (1066-1485) - History | Europe - Great Britain - Scotland |
| Physical Information: 1.2" H x 6.4" W x 9.3" (1.40 lbs) 320 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - Medieval (500-1453) - Cultural Region - British Isles - Cultural Region - Scottish |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Robert the Bruce is a man of both history and legend. In his lifetime he secured Scottish independence in the face of English imperial aggression under the successive leadership of Edward I and Edward II. He was the victor of Bannockburn, a self-made king against all odds, and is celebrated as a champion of the Scottish nation. Yet Robert's colourful life is far from straightforward. Stephen Spinks seeks to examine this most enigmatic of kings beyond the myths to reveal him in the context of his time, his people and in his actions. Stephen shows that Robert was a complex man, confronted by hardships and difficult and often dangerous decisions. He was not born to rule. As the murderer of John Comyn, a rival for the Scottish crown, Bruce sent shockwaves across Europe and was condemned by kings and popes. In war he suffered terrible personal loss, including the deaths of all four of his brothers and the imprisonment of his wife, daughter and two sisters, all at the hands of the English. He was at times a desperate yet focussed and highly determined man. Robert was also astute, breaking the rules of chivalry to even the odds, systematically fighting a guerrilla war against the English which he ultimately won. Yet he also cultivated the symbols of kingship, was pious, careful with his patronage and fought to uphold his fiercely held beliefs. King Robert unified his deeply divided kingdom and secured its independence from England. His dramatic life as the victorious underdog forged a significant legacy that has survived for 700 years. |
Contributor Bio(s): Spinks, Stephen: - Stephen Spinks wrote his dissertation on Edward II while studying at King's College, London. He works for the National Trust and manages three Medieval heritage sites with 900 volunteers and 150 staff. He is a columnist for 'Midlands Zone' magazine, in which he writes a very well received exploration of life as a gay man today, partly political, partly personal. He has given many interviews on radio and in his capacity at the National Trust, to 'BBC's Escape to the Country' and the 'Antiques Road Show'. He has been studying the primary sources (and locations) for this book over the past 15 years. |