The Idea of Britain and the Origins of Scottish Independence: From the Picts to the Declaration of Arbroath

This book challenges the belief that the Scots were an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era. In fact, the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce. Dauvit Broun radically reassesses a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-? -vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. He also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's chronicle, the first full-scale history of the Scots, and offers an historical explanation of the inability to distinguish between England and Britain. Broun situates his history in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. When did Scots first think of Scotland as an independent kingdom? What did they think was Scotland's place in Britain before the age of Wallace and Bruce? The answers argued in this book offer a fresh perspective on the question of Scotland's relationship with Britain. Dauvit Broun challenges the standard concept of the Scots as an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era, but also provides new evidence that the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce. This leads to radical reassessments of a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-a-vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. It also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's Chronicle - the first full-scale history of the Scots - and offers a historical explanation of the widespread English inability to distinguish between England and Britain. All this is placed in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. The book concludes with a fresh perspective on the origin of national identity, and the medieval and specifically Scottish contribution to understanding what is often regarded as an exclusively modern phenomenon When did Scots first think of Scotland as an independent kingdom? What did they think was Scotland's place in Britain before the age of Wallace and Bruce? The answers argued in this book offer a fresh perspective on the question of Scotland's relationship with Britain. It challenges the standard concept of the Scots as an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era, but also provides new evidence that the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce. This leads to radical reassessments of a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-À-vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. It also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's chronicle, the first full-scale history of the Scots, and offers an historical explanation of the widespread English inability to distinguish between England and Britain. All this is placed in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. The book concludes with a fresh perspective on the origin of national identity, and the medieval and specifically Scottish contribution to understanding what is often regarded as an exclusively modern phenomenon When did Scots first think of Scotland as an independent kingdom? What did they think was Scotland's place in Britain before the age of Wallace and Bruce? The answers argued in this book offer a fresh perspective on the question of Scotland's relationship with Britain. It challenges the standard concept of the Scots as an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era, but also provides new evidence that the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce.This leads to radical reassessments of a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-à -vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. It also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's chronicle, the first full-scale history of the Scots, and offers an historical explanation of the widespread English inability to distinguish between England and Britain. All this is placed in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. The book concludes with a fresh perspective on the origin of national identity, and the medieval and specifically Scottish contribution to understanding what is often regarded as an exclusively modern phenomenon. When did Scots first think of Scotland as an independent kingdom? What did they think was Scotland's place in Britain before the age of Wallace and Bruce? The answers argued in this book offer a fresh perspective on the question of Scotland's relationship with Britain. It challenges the standard concept of the Scots as an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era, but also provides new evidence that the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce. This leads to radical reassessments of a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-à-vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. It also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's chronicle, the first full-scale history of the Scots, and offers an historical explanation of the widespread English inability to distinguish between England and Britain. All this is placed in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. The book concludes with a fresh perspective on the origin of national identity, and the medieval and specifically Scottish contribution to understanding what is often regarded as an exclusively modern phenomenon When Did Scots First Think Of Scotland As An Independent Kingdom? What Did They Think Was Scotland's Place In Britain Before The Age Of Wallace And Bruce? The Answers Argued In This Book Offer A Fresh Perspective On The Question Of Scotland's Relationship With Britain. Dauvit Broun Challenges The Standard Concept Of The Scots As An Ancient Nation Whose British Identity, Only Emerged In The Early Modern Era, But Also Provides New Evidence That The Idea Of Scotland As An Independent Kingdom Was Older Than The Age Of Wallace And Bruce.--jacket. The Idea Of Britain -- Ancient Kingdoms And Island Histories -- Alba As Britain After 900 And The Pictish Antecedents Of The Kingdom Of The Scots -- Independence -- The Church And The Beginning Of Scottish Independence -- Whose Independence? : Bishop Jocelin Of Glasgow (1175-99) And The Achievement Of Ecclesiastical Freedom -- Sovereign Kingship -- The Inauguration Of Alexander Iii (1249) And The Portrayal Of Scotland As A Sovereign Kingdom -- From Client King To Sovereign -- National History -- The Principal Source Used By John Of Fordun For His Chronicle Of The Scottish People -- The Scots As Ancient And Free : Proto-fordun, Veremundus, And The Creation Of Scottish History -- From British Identity To Scottish Nation. Dauvit Broun. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [285]-305) And Index. The Answers Put Forward In This Book Provide A Fresh Perspective On Scotland's Relationship With Britain. Broun Challenges The Idea That The Scots Were An Ancient Nation Whose British Identity Only Emerged Later On, In The Early Modern Era, And Provides New Evidence That The Idea Of Scotland As An Independent Kingdom In Actual Fact Predated Wallace And Bruce. This Leads Him To Radically Reassess Several Fundamental Issues: The Fate Of Pictish Identity And The Origins Of Alba; The Status Of Scottish Kingship Vis-a-vis England; The Papacy's Recognition Of The Independence Of The Scottish Church; And The Idea Of Scottish Freedom. He Also Sheds New Light On The Authorship Of John Of Fordun's 'chronicles', The First Full-scale History Of The Scots And Explains, In Historical Terms, The Widespread English Inability To Distinguish Between England And Britain. Broun Places His Arguments In The Wider Context Of The Concepts Of Ultimate Secular Power In Britain And Ireland And The Construction Of National Histories Which Were Emerging In The Middle Ages. In Conclusion, He Casts A Fresh Aspect On How A Scottish National Identity Emerged And How The Medieval Era And, More Specifically The Scottish Nation, Contributed To What Is Often Regarded As An Exclusively Modern Phenomenon. This book challenges the belief that the Scots were an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era. In fact, the idea of Scotland as an independent kingdom was older than the age of Wallace and Bruce. Dauvit Broun radically reassesses a range of fundamental issues: the fate of Pictish identity and the origins of Alba, the status of Scottish kingship vis-a-vis England, the papacy's recognition of the independence of the Scottish Church, and the idea of Scottish freedom. He also sheds new light on the authorship of John of Fordun's chronicle, the first full-scale history of the Scots, and offers an historical explanation of the inability to distinguish between England and Britain. Broun situates his history in the wider context of ideas of ultimate secular power in Britain and Ireland and the construction of national histories in this period. Broun provides a new perspective on Scotland's relationship with Britain, challenging the idea of the Scots as an ancient nation whose British identity only emerged in the early modern era. He completely recasts our view of how Scottish national identity emerged and how the medieval era kick-started what we view as an entirely modern phenomenon.