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Montrose
John Buchan describes Graham, Marquis of Montrose’s command of the royalist forces during the 1644 to 1650 war with the Covenanters. Montrose’s exceptional strength, leadership and military genius are brought to life. Buchan also illustrates an important period in Scottish history, adding his own measure of adventure to this study.
419 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1950
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About the author
John Buchan
1,788 books471 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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December 14, 2016John Buchan is the enthusiastic president of the James Graham Marquis of Montrose Fan Club. I am the woman who happened to find herself in the village hall when said fan club was meeting, got trapped in the third row when the speeches started, and stuck around because it was actually quite interesting.
Proper review to follow.
Proper review to follow.
March 14, 2022
I love the fact that John Buchan tries to enter into a totally different time and culture to write a truly historical biography: it is refeshing that he does not try to present a story we can all relate to easily because it is 'modern'. Buchan presents a view of Montrose as a product of his complex, confused times, and as a man who rose above, far above, those times. Buchan suggests that in a time of extremism Montrose grasped the fundamental need for a state to have a careful balance of powers in order to be both stable and progressive. Montrose had the courage to undertake to fight for his ideals, and the military genius to achieve glory and renown, against all odds. Or so it seems from Buchan's writing. I did start to wonder whether Montrose was too ill a judge of character, particularly Charles I and Charles II, to be really that admirable. He seemed to hold to a notion of kingship that was more noble than any reality, and those he served failed him. I also thought it odd that Buchan wrote almost nothing about Montrose's family life. I remember a TV documentary saying that after the death of their eldest son with his father on a campaign Montrose's wife sought to end their marriage. This less than ideal story does not make it into Buchan's pages.
June 27, 2022
Written only three miles from where I live, in Elsfield, John Buchan sought to rehabilitate a forgotten Royalist commander in Scotland from the time of the Civil Wars.
James Graham, Earl of Montrose, was a signatory to the National Covenant (demanding a presbyterian church for Scotland) and claimed always to uphold it. He separated from the Scottish Parliament when he considered they went beyond its scope in trying to rule Scotland without King Charles. His loyalty to his monarch caused him to lead a series of campaigns in Scotland, mainly with the support of a Roman Catholic force from Ulster, and Highland Scots, against the Scottish Parliament. Briefly he seemed to have conquered Scotland but he was unable to consolidate his victory due to the weakness of Charles in England and then a defeat at Philiphaugh. Leaving for the Continent he returned after Charles' exectuion for a final, doomed campaign which ended in his capture and execution.
The irony behind his faithful service was that, if Charles I had won, he would have torn up the National Covenant Montrose claimed to defend; and also that the futility of his final campaign was due to Charles II negotiating behind his back with Montrose's opponents and leaving him unable and unwilling to support Montrose in the field.
Buchan's foil is the Scottish Parliament and General Assembly which he regards as having developed a theocracy at this time (Buchan's views are clearly latitudinarian). However this is not a book about the politics of Scotland at this time and it is not clear if this is a fair assessment. He does, though, credit the main Scottish Covenanter Argyll with having had a conversion experience prior to a key General Assembly. He does indeed, for all his faults, seem to have been a man of faith.
As might be expected the book is full of names, battles and movements so don't expect an novelistic read.
Interestingly Buchan says he was aware of three portraits of Montrose, one of which was destroyed in a fire at the end of the 1800s. Had he but visited Broughton Castle, a few miles up the road, and historic home of the Lords Saye and Sele, he would have found another!
James Graham, Earl of Montrose, was a signatory to the National Covenant (demanding a presbyterian church for Scotland) and claimed always to uphold it. He separated from the Scottish Parliament when he considered they went beyond its scope in trying to rule Scotland without King Charles. His loyalty to his monarch caused him to lead a series of campaigns in Scotland, mainly with the support of a Roman Catholic force from Ulster, and Highland Scots, against the Scottish Parliament. Briefly he seemed to have conquered Scotland but he was unable to consolidate his victory due to the weakness of Charles in England and then a defeat at Philiphaugh. Leaving for the Continent he returned after Charles' exectuion for a final, doomed campaign which ended in his capture and execution.
The irony behind his faithful service was that, if Charles I had won, he would have torn up the National Covenant Montrose claimed to defend; and also that the futility of his final campaign was due to Charles II negotiating behind his back with Montrose's opponents and leaving him unable and unwilling to support Montrose in the field.
Buchan's foil is the Scottish Parliament and General Assembly which he regards as having developed a theocracy at this time (Buchan's views are clearly latitudinarian). However this is not a book about the politics of Scotland at this time and it is not clear if this is a fair assessment. He does, though, credit the main Scottish Covenanter Argyll with having had a conversion experience prior to a key General Assembly. He does indeed, for all his faults, seem to have been a man of faith.
As might be expected the book is full of names, battles and movements so don't expect an novelistic read.
Interestingly Buchan says he was aware of three portraits of Montrose, one of which was destroyed in a fire at the end of the 1800s. Had he but visited Broughton Castle, a few miles up the road, and historic home of the Lords Saye and Sele, he would have found another!
January 25, 2025
James Graham (1612- 1650) war der erste Marquess von Montrose. Er kämpfte im englischen Bürgerkrieg auf der Seite des Königs und wurde 1650 in Edinburgh hingerichtet.
John Buchan erzählt in seinem Buch nicht nur die Geschichte von Montrose, sondern auch die Geschichte Schottlands, vom Einfluss der Kirche und der verschiedenen Clanchefs. Im ersten Drittel wurde Montrose nur wenig erwähnt. Der Ausflug in die schottische Geschichte war interessant, aber auch sehr kompakt. John Buchan setzt Vorwissen voraus und wenn man das nicht hat, ist man von der Menge an Namen und Orten und den Zusammenhängen fast schon überfordert.
Ich konnte mir lange kein wirkliches Bild von James Graham machen. Anfangs hatte ich den Eindruck, als ob er seine Seite im Krieg nicht bewusst gewählt hat, sondern durch die Ereignisse dazu gebracht wurde. Seine Fähigkeiten als Feldherr entwickelte er definitiv erst während des Kriegs. Gerade am Anfang hat ihm das Glück oft mehr geholfen als wirkliches Können. Seinen Platz hat er erst später gefunden.
Die Beschreibungen der Schlachten fand ich sehr beeindruckend. John Buchan zeigt das Geschehen von der Seite der Kämpfer, aber auch von der Seite der Unbeteiligten, in deren Nähe die Kämpfe stattfanden. Aber insgesamt fand ich die Biografie zu überladen an Informationen. Von Montrose selbst habe ich zu wenig erfahren.
John Buchan erzählt in seinem Buch nicht nur die Geschichte von Montrose, sondern auch die Geschichte Schottlands, vom Einfluss der Kirche und der verschiedenen Clanchefs. Im ersten Drittel wurde Montrose nur wenig erwähnt. Der Ausflug in die schottische Geschichte war interessant, aber auch sehr kompakt. John Buchan setzt Vorwissen voraus und wenn man das nicht hat, ist man von der Menge an Namen und Orten und den Zusammenhängen fast schon überfordert.
Ich konnte mir lange kein wirkliches Bild von James Graham machen. Anfangs hatte ich den Eindruck, als ob er seine Seite im Krieg nicht bewusst gewählt hat, sondern durch die Ereignisse dazu gebracht wurde. Seine Fähigkeiten als Feldherr entwickelte er definitiv erst während des Kriegs. Gerade am Anfang hat ihm das Glück oft mehr geholfen als wirkliches Können. Seinen Platz hat er erst später gefunden.
Die Beschreibungen der Schlachten fand ich sehr beeindruckend. John Buchan zeigt das Geschehen von der Seite der Kämpfer, aber auch von der Seite der Unbeteiligten, in deren Nähe die Kämpfe stattfanden. Aber insgesamt fand ich die Biografie zu überladen an Informationen. Von Montrose selbst habe ich zu wenig erfahren.
January 13, 2022
If you're wanting to find out about the heroic James Graham, the First Marquis of Montrose, this biography covers his life from birth to his death in 1650, especially his role in Scottish politics and why he took up arms for King Charles I.
Montrose's exceptional strength, leadership and military genius helped win several battles during the 'Year of Miracles' in Scotland from 1644 to 1645 whilst the Royalists south of the border suffered tremendous defeat at Marston Moor and Naseby.
However, when King Charles I surrendered to the Scots, Montrose went into exile where he heard the fateful news of his sovereign's death.
Montrose offers his services to the exiled Charles II and raises the Royal Standard, only to be abandoned and executed for treason in Edinburgh whilst the new King Charles makes a disastrous deal with the Covenanters to regain his throne.
This book includes Montrose's view on the principles of government in a letter addressed to 'Noble Sir.'
This biography of the dashing, brave and cultured Montrose is definitely a 'must-read' for anyone interested in 17th Century history, especially the Civil Wars and 'the Year of Miracles'.
Montrose's exceptional strength, leadership and military genius helped win several battles during the 'Year of Miracles' in Scotland from 1644 to 1645 whilst the Royalists south of the border suffered tremendous defeat at Marston Moor and Naseby.
However, when King Charles I surrendered to the Scots, Montrose went into exile where he heard the fateful news of his sovereign's death.
Montrose offers his services to the exiled Charles II and raises the Royal Standard, only to be abandoned and executed for treason in Edinburgh whilst the new King Charles makes a disastrous deal with the Covenanters to regain his throne.
This book includes Montrose's view on the principles of government in a letter addressed to 'Noble Sir.'
This biography of the dashing, brave and cultured Montrose is definitely a 'must-read' for anyone interested in 17th Century history, especially the Civil Wars and 'the Year of Miracles'.
December 24, 2021
A biography written by a man worthy of his subject, and itself worthy of its subject.
April 11, 2016
When Montrose was appointed by King Charles a general, he had no army. Yet he eventually takes Scotland in a series of brilliant tactical wins. He is one of the most underrated military minds, and never became a hero in Scotland perhaps only because he was on the wrong side of the history writers. But the deeper interest is the man himself...
A mark of great historical writing is the ability to truly get inside the sensibilities of people from a different age, the shedding of the modern perspective to understand the way people saw their world and acted within it. The sense of manhood that emerges, the deep conviction of conscience and the courage that comes with it - is so foreign to our current frame of reference, where principle and values are readily traded, like Montrose was, for 'oats and gold'. My doorway into this book was through the Steeleye Span song, Montrose.
A mark of great historical writing is the ability to truly get inside the sensibilities of people from a different age, the shedding of the modern perspective to understand the way people saw their world and acted within it. The sense of manhood that emerges, the deep conviction of conscience and the courage that comes with it - is so foreign to our current frame of reference, where principle and values are readily traded, like Montrose was, for 'oats and gold'. My doorway into this book was through the Steeleye Span song, Montrose.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2012
Considered the best book on James Graham, The 1St Marquis of Montrose of the 20Th century. A must for every student of Scotland's civil wars and the conflict between King Charles and the Covenanters. Interesting and well written history of the 17Th century Scotland.
October 29, 2015
The author reveres Montrose too much. I see a naive aristocrat a bit too enamored with a Quixotic cause.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews