When it Happened in Scotland provides a detailed overview of the country’s history, highlighting important events and personalities from a history dating back almost 2,000 years.
Author George Chamier has selected crucial and often defining moments in Scotland’s history, and set these out in chronological order. Each event is summed up concisely, providing what the author hopes is enough information to entice the reader to find out more about particular events.
The Roman Invasion of Scotland in AD80
The book begins with the Roman invasion in AD80, when Roman general Agricola led forces into Scotland and established forts between the Forth and Clyde. According to Chamier, this is the first date in Scotland which can be established with any certainty, and as such, makes an excellent starting point.
In the years following the first invasion, Scotland was to prove a problem for Roman forces, who struggled to control the Scottish people and found the weather unpleasant, compared to the Mediterranean conditions they were used to. Nevertheless, their presence left lasting legacies in the magnificent Antoine Wall, and Hardians Wall.
Early Christianity in Scotland
The entries relating to early Christianity in Scotland are informative and lively, with tales of St Columba founding a monastery on Iona, reputedly vanquishing the Loch Ness Monster and creating a church which became known throughout the North.
Churches at Whitby and Lindisfarne became entwined with Christianity further north, and the author also recounts tales of clashes between Picts and Northumbrians.
The First Battle Between Scots and English
The author’s account of what he believes to be the first battle between Scots and Anglo-Saxons in 937AD, is an exciting account of forces pitted against each other at the Battle of Brunanburh. The following years saw unsettled rule and the start of centuries of warfare between the two nations.
King David I has his own chapter, with information on his family life, methods of ruling and battles in which he took part. Many other important events in medieval Scotland are also profiled, including the removal of the Stone of Destiny, the Battle of Largs, the launch of the Auld Alliance and the Battle of Bannockburn.
Around half of the book is devoted to Scotland’s exciting medieval period and this section is followed by detailed accounts which bring Scotland’s history up to the present day. Unlike some authors, George Chamier doesn’t stop at the Act of Union in 1707, but continues his narrative, highlighting important and interesting events which were important in Scotland.
Summary
When it Happened in Scotland is a fascinating and very accessible history of the country. The lively style, amusing illustrations and manageable sections make this an ideal read for anyone interested in Scotland’s history. Particularly important people and events have longer sections, which are marked off from the rest of the text, allowing the reader to find out more information if required. The detailed index and tables of kings and queens at the end of the book provide further guidance.
Publication Details
Chamier, George When it Happened in Scotland: A Very Quick History [Constable & Robinson, 2009]
ISBN 9781849010061, 218 pages
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