Winner of the Saltire Society's 2007 History Book Award
Scottish heraldry can be said to begin in the mid-twelfth century, when material of Scottish interest first appears in a number of English and Continental rolls-of-arms, and as the years passed it developed an increasing complexity and sophistication, establishing itself as a subject in its own right in the seventeenth century with the appearance of the Lyon register. This volume is the first to link heraldry to major events in Scottish history and to the families that took part in them. It uses a wide range of sources to chart its growth, some of which have been rarely explored previously, thus bringing much new material into the corpus of Scottish heraldry. It also covers the major families and clans - Stewarts, Douglas, Murrays, Hamiltons, Gordons and MacDonalds - and examines a host of other issues, both technical and historical. Throughout it is richly illustrated with some two hundred chart pedigrees and fully-coloured coats-of-arms.
Reviews
A mine of stimulating heraldic information which should be brought into the mainstream of historical research. THE COAT OF ARMSMakes a weighty contribution to its subject [and] will no doubt prove to be a valuable addition to research collections and libraries and will bear consulting on a variety of issues. MEDIEVAL REVIEW
This book is long awaited and should be on your bookshelf. TAK TENT
A pioneering fusion of history, heraldry and genealogy, which makes it innovative, interesting and important. [...] It is a cornucopia of delights for the heraldist, the genealogist and the historian. It is undoubtedly the most important work in the field of Scots heraldry to be published in the last 300 years. [...] This mammoth book deserves the attention of all those interested in Scottish heraldry. Its breadth is amazing. THE SCOTTISH GENEALOGIST
A useful source of information on the heraldry of many families. FINDS RESEARCH GROUP NEWSLETTER
