Can You Explain Why A Single Monarchy Was Established In Scotland In The Middle Ages?

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Can You Explain Why A Single Monarchy Was Established In Scotland In The Middle Ages?

This question though not always approached diectly, is covered by a substantial body of modern historians. In contrast, this quantity is not paralelled by the literary evidence that we have for the early part of the middle ages. Dauvit Broun uses the the expression ‘textual archaeology’ in his impressive attempt to interpret the king lists, of which it is signaificant that only one surviving was acually written in Scotland. It is for this reason that aswell as litereary evidence, archaeology and place names are useful tools in trying to squeeze as much information out of a time and place that is so notably lacking in souces. Many of the historians that will be discussed in this paper contradict one another over the crucial issue of when a single monarchy was set up. Although these are undoubtedly important lines of study it will not be the main concern of this paper. They will be briefly discussed but the complicated polemics as to exactly when and who set up a single monarchy will not be the main focus, principally because it is my belief that the sources simply are not there to be certain as to when a single monarchy was set up. The main aim of this paper is to try to interpret why the monarchy was set up, dealing with more general socio-political trends.

The arguments rergarding the political context of the creation, development and establishment of a single monarchy in Scotland will firstly be covered. Then the geographical advatages of the establishment of a monarchy will be concidered. Thirdly the influences of Vikings and Christianity will be discussed. Following this the three controversal subjects of Pictish continuity, Gaelicization and existing cultural unity between the Scots and Picts. Finally, national identity will be looked at.

It will be shown that it was probably a combination of all the different issues covered in this paper (some more than others) that led to the establishment of a single monarcy. Though it must be empasised that there are no simple answers, so by making this investigation as general as it is, certain contentious issues may be neglected, but the rewards are that more general trends can be recognised. There are undoubtedly things I have neglected due to personal error, but added to this there are things that can never be fully understood by historians of this period. The only hisorical certainty in this period and place, is that one cannot be certain.

The overall historical significance of the question of this paper is made explicit by this statement by Duncan. ‘The only Celtic realm with well-formed and independent politial institutions at the beginning of the high middle age was that with, apparently the smallest cultural hetitage, Scotland’. The uniqueness of the historical development and maintainance of a single kingship in Scotland is the reason that attention is focussed upon the early middle ages, as this was when it came into being. Another reason for the interest in this question is the nature of how the kingdoms of Dal Riata and Pictland appear to have turned into one, to create the kingdom of Alba, which is the basis for what is the modern unit of Scotland. Sharpe here illustrates what at first sight seems to be the case. ‘The Picts of Eastern Scotland not only accepted Dalriadic rulers but also, over a period of indeterminate length, adopted the Gaelic tounge. The progressive Irish takeover of Nothern Britain represents a more compete success than the English occupation of Southern Britain’.

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 The creation of a single monarchy seems to be linked to the creation of Alba from the regions of Dal Riata and Pictland. The first king in the sources that we have to be called ‘king of Alba’ was Domnall in the Annals of Ulster for the year 899. This new political identity, if only in the mind of the author, did grow and eventially developed into what we now recognise as modern Scotland.

The Picts were first mentioned by a native Briton in a fifth century letter condeming them for purchasing slaves. By the seventh century, they ...

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