Présentation de l'éditeur :
Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) was the famous unifier of Scotland and defeater of the English at Bannockburn - the legendary hero responsible for Scottish independence. In this new biography, Michael Penman retells the story of Robert's rise - his part in William Wallace's revolt against Edward I, his seizing of the Scottish throne after murdering his great rival John Comyn, his excommunication, guerilla war against the English, and devastating battles against an enemy Scottish coalition - climaxing in his victory over Edward II's forces in June 1314. He then draws attention to the second part of the king's life after the victory that made his name. These fifteen years were crucial. Robert faced a slow and often troubled process of legitimating his authority, rewarding his supporters, accommodating former enemies and controlling the various regions of his kingdom, none of which was achieved overnight. Penman investigates Robert's resettlement of lands and offices, the development of Scotland's parliaments, his handling of plots to overthrow him, his relations with his family and allies, his piety and court ethos, and his cultivation of an image of kingship through the use of ceremony and symbol. In doing so, Penman repositions Robert within the context of wider European political change, religion, culture and national identity, showing how great a monarch, as well as military man, Robert actually was.
Revue de presse :
'Robert Bruce's piety is one of the fascinating themes that characterise Michael Penman's full and definitive account of the king's life and reign. A magesterial study.' --Michael Prestwich, author of 'Edward I'
His biography, well researched, fresh and distinctive, knocks off the top perch G.W.S. Barrow s Robert the Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, published in 1965. --Katie Stevenson, London Review of Books
Penmans book is first class history: detailed, closely argued and ringing with the authority of one steeped in the period . . .Penman s scholarship is commendable, his style clear, his contribution to this field a truly original and quietly groundbreaking addition to the known facts of Robert the Bruce. It is essential reading as midsummer draws near and long after. --Rosemary Goring, The Herald
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