Who was St Columba? Why was Mary, Queen of Scots executed? When were the Jacobite risings? Where was the new Scottish Parliament built? Scotland's vibrant and bloody past captures the imagination. But there is far more to Scottish history than murder and mayhem, tragedy and betrayal. In Scotland's History, historian Fiona Watson looks back across thousands of years into the lives of the people of Scotland. She captures the critical moments and memorable personalities known throughout the world - from the Picts to Bonnie Prince Charlie, and from Macbeth to the Battle of Bannockburn - revealing the truth behind the myths.
Fiona Watson is a Scottish historian, author and broadcaster. A former senior lecturer at the University of Stirling, she fronted a ten-part BBC television history of Scotland in 2001 and has made numerous radio programmes, including a series on The Enlightenment and another using original sources to highlight the experience of war across the ages entitled Voices from the Front. She is currently a presenter of Making History on BBC Radio 4. Her books include Under the Hammer:Edward I and Scotland, 1286-1307 (1997), Scotland: A History 8000 BC - AD 2000 (2001) and Macbeth: A True Story (2010).