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David I: The King Who Made Scotland
Few kings more than David I deserve the reputation as “maker” of his kingdom. Although he is overshadowed in popular memory by his descendant, the later “saviour” of Scotland, Robert Bruce, it was David who laid the foundations of the medieval Scottish monarchy and set in motion the changes that created the kingdom that vied with England for mastery of the British Isles. In a reign spanning nearly three decades (1124–53), David moved his kingdom from the periphery towards the heart of medieval European civilization.
255 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
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About the author
Richard Oram
44 books8 followersProfessor Richard D. Oram F.S.A. (Scot.) is a Scottish historian. He is a professor of medieval and environmental history at the University of Stirling and an honorary lecturer in history at the University of Aberdeen. He is also the director of the Centre for Environmental History and Policy at the University of Stirling.
He received his undergraduate training at the University of St. Andrews, where he also carried out his doctoral research, on medieval Galloway. In 2000 he published The Lordship of Galloway (Birlinn). He has since written a biography of King David I of Scotland (Tempus, 2004), and the High Medieval volume, volume 3, in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series, entitled Domination and Lordship: Scotland, 1070-1230 (2011).
He received his undergraduate training at the University of St. Andrews, where he also carried out his doctoral research, on medieval Galloway. In 2000 he published The Lordship of Galloway (Birlinn). He has since written a biography of King David I of Scotland (Tempus, 2004), and the High Medieval volume, volume 3, in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland series, entitled Domination and Lordship: Scotland, 1070-1230 (2011).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 28, 2025
Other kings appear more frequently in history books but since Christopher Harvie rated him so highly in his history of Scotland, I needed to learn more. The author provided excellent detail in the challenges David faced during his reign and how he faced them. The family relationships added to his success in facing those challenges. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested Scotland's past.
December 9, 2013
This is a clearly written and highly informative view of the reign of David I.
Personally, I came at this book with some familiarity with the reigns of Henry I and Stephen/Empress Matilda. This book greatly clarified for me the nature of the Scottish kingdom of the period, helping me to understand the close links between David and the Norman dynasty. Much explanation is given for the transition of Scotland from Celtic fringe realm to a more modern monarchy (from the standpoint of the period).
This will make for an interesting read for anyone interested in learning about Scotland and its monarchy during one of its most amazing periods of transformation.
Personally, I came at this book with some familiarity with the reigns of Henry I and Stephen/Empress Matilda. This book greatly clarified for me the nature of the Scottish kingdom of the period, helping me to understand the close links between David and the Norman dynasty. Much explanation is given for the transition of Scotland from Celtic fringe realm to a more modern monarchy (from the standpoint of the period).
This will make for an interesting read for anyone interested in learning about Scotland and its monarchy during one of its most amazing periods of transformation.
November 21, 2010
Well balanced and readable account of a great but relatively obscure King of Scots.
January 5, 2020
Interesting, if a trifle dry at times. Despite being two hundred pages long, I felt the book could have gone further, exploring the world as well as the politics and battles of David's reign. That being said, this was a glimpse into a king's reign which before I had no idea of, and was fascinating.
December 16, 2018
Richard Oram's David I: The King Who Made Scotland provides an objective analysis of the David's genealogical roots, his early life in England and France (Norman influence), his rise to rule Scotland in 1124, his sociopolitical impact during his rule in Scotland and in northern England (i.e., Cumberland and Northumberland), and his treatment by historians after his death in 1153 to the present.
Oram's presentation, from a historical perspective, is remarkably well-balanced. Rather than providing subjective conclusions given known facts, many of which are spotty at best, Oram provides many angles of thought in attempting to justify David's actions as King of Scotland. Oram neither glorifies nor condemns the various action David took while king, such as the establishment and support of numerous abbeys, his lobbying for an archbishopric for Scotland, implementation of feudalism, establishment of principles of justice, and incursion into Cumberland and Northumberland to establish Scotland's borders southward to England's Midlands.
The book is well written and edited. The maps and genealogy charts provided at the beginning of the book were particularly helpful sources of reference in understanding relationships and places while reading the book. I particularly enjoyed reading the last chapter, which is essentially an analysis of other historians' view of David as King of Scotland and his impact of the development of the country after death. Oram provides point-counterpoint arguments to the conclusions made by other historians; and he appears to follow the advice David Dalrymple who wrote in his Annals of Scotland (1776): "We out to judge of the conduct of men according to notions of their age, and not ours."
It should be noted that Oram's David I represents a broad exploration and analysis of the king's life; it does not go into deep detail about specific events, people, and places associated with David. Oram's coverage of David's influence on the development and establishment of Edinburgh as the ruling center of Scotland, for example, is nearly nonexistent. Instead, the focus is on how David shaped Scotland during his rule and how that shaping influenced today's Scotland.
Oram's presentation, from a historical perspective, is remarkably well-balanced. Rather than providing subjective conclusions given known facts, many of which are spotty at best, Oram provides many angles of thought in attempting to justify David's actions as King of Scotland. Oram neither glorifies nor condemns the various action David took while king, such as the establishment and support of numerous abbeys, his lobbying for an archbishopric for Scotland, implementation of feudalism, establishment of principles of justice, and incursion into Cumberland and Northumberland to establish Scotland's borders southward to England's Midlands.
The book is well written and edited. The maps and genealogy charts provided at the beginning of the book were particularly helpful sources of reference in understanding relationships and places while reading the book. I particularly enjoyed reading the last chapter, which is essentially an analysis of other historians' view of David as King of Scotland and his impact of the development of the country after death. Oram provides point-counterpoint arguments to the conclusions made by other historians; and he appears to follow the advice David Dalrymple who wrote in his Annals of Scotland (1776): "We out to judge of the conduct of men according to notions of their age, and not ours."
It should be noted that Oram's David I represents a broad exploration and analysis of the king's life; it does not go into deep detail about specific events, people, and places associated with David. Oram's coverage of David's influence on the development and establishment of Edinburgh as the ruling center of Scotland, for example, is nearly nonexistent. Instead, the focus is on how David shaped Scotland during his rule and how that shaping influenced today's Scotland.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews