Mel Coluim III, 'Canmore': An Eleventh-Century Scottish King

(Hardback)

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The first full-length study of the famous Scottish king Mel Coluim III, popularly known as Malcolm Canmore, the vanquisher of Macbeth.

The legendary Scottish king Mel Coluim III is often held to epitomise Scotland's ancient 'Gaelic kings'. But Mel Coluim and his dynasty were in fact newcomers, and their legitimacy and status were far from secure at the beginning of his rule. Mel Coluim's long reign from 1058 until 1093 coincided with the Norman Conquest of England, a revolutionary event that presented great opportunities and terrible dangers. Although his interventions in post-Conquest England eventually cost him his life, the book argues that they were crucial to his success as both king and dynasty-builder, creating internal stability and facilitating the takeover of Strathclyde and Lothian. As a result, Mel Coluim left to his successors a territory that stretched far to the south of the kingship's heartland north of the Forth, similar to the Scotland we know today.

Reviews

'Not just a biography but a fascinatingly detailed picture of the world in which he lived... this is a terrific book. McGuigan writes with a light touch that makes his story a lively and entertaining read.'

'The depth and breadth of McGuigans analysis are very impressive throughout. McGuigan leaves no argument uninterrogated nor avenue unexplored'

Author Bio

Neil McGuigan is a researcher, historian and lecturer, and also works as a historical consultant. He gained degrees from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in history from the University of St Andrews, where he is a regular lecturer and tutor. His recent research has concentrated on Scotland and Northumbria in the period 800 to 1200.