The Hammer of the Scots: Edward I and the Scottish Wars of Independence

by David Santiuste

Known to posterity as Scottorum Malleus – the Hammer of the Scots – Edward I was one of medieval England’s most formidable kings. This book offers a fresh interpretation of Edward’s military career, with a particular focus on his Scottish wars. In part this is a study of personality: Edward was a remarkable man. His struggles with tenacious opponents – including Robert the Bruce and William Wallace – have become the stuff of legend. But David Santiuste also explores the wider context of Edward’s Scottish campaigns. He describes the effects on people at all levels of society, providing a richly detailed portrait of the British Isles at war.

Genres: Medieval History, History, Scotland, Research, Military History, Medieval, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2015

About the author

David Santiuste is a historian of late medieval Britain. His interests include Anglo-Scottish relations, pilgrimage and the Wars of the Roses. He currently teaches history at the Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Jerome Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and well-researched work.

Santiuste does a good job explaining context, showing how the story was impacted by events in France. The military campaigns are ably covered, as are questions of logistics and finance. The book ends with Edward’s death on the verge of another Scottish campaign, with Robert the Bruce’s rise left to a brief summary.

The narrative is vivid, well-written and moves along at a good pace. His rendition of events is perceptive and he does a good job describing events and their consequences.

An engaging and readable work.

[Diane Magras · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing history that puts the Scottish Wars of Independence into context, starting with the point that battles are only a blip on the historical landscape and surrounding events, people, and pressures mean everything. This book gave me a new understanding of the battles in Scotland during Edward I's life, as well as what he faced in France and how that had a major impact on Scotland. David Santiuste's research was immaculate and clearly presented, and he has a very engaging writing style. I love reading a history as good as this when I'm researching a period.

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book concentrates on Edward I and his role in the Scottish Wars of Independence, squaring him off against those legendary patriots William Wallace and Robert The Bruce. I found the book to be well-researched and cautious with sensible conclusions. For a popular history, the author has been careful to use a wide variety of primary and secondary sources. The author has an engaging style and is very readable. Recommended.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Wanted to read the real story of Braveheart. Certainly got it here and must say it's an inspiring one in its own right.