At the start of the twelfth century, the Scottish monarchs were caught in the net of England’s Norman kings and seemingly incapable of siring heirs. As yet another son of Malcolm III came to the throne, would Alexander I be able to steady the ship and set Scotland on a new course?
Listen to Alexander’s episode here or read on to find out more.
Alexander I of Scotland
Malcolm III’s long reign (and in particular his marriage to Margaret of Wessex) was crucial in the development of medieval Scotland. However, with the dramatic events of 1066, there was a new power in the form of the Normans with whom Malcolm would repeatedly clash in the disputed areas around Carlisle and Durham. Would Malcolm come out on top or would the Scots be another victim of the Norman Conquest? To find out more, listen to Malcolm’s episode here or read on to find out more.
While everyone has heard of Macbeth, Lulach’s name does not, perhaps, resonate quite as strongly in the annals of Scottish history. Lulach’s was not a long reign, it was not a particularly notable reign, in fact it was barely even a reign at all. But still, his name is just about on the king list and he deserves his (albeit rather brief) moment in the spotlight. Click here to listen to his podcast episode or read on to find out more.
Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays but there was a real life king behind the murderous villain of the ‘Scottish Play’. Was the real Macbeth the evil tyrant as depicted by Shakespeare or has his reputation been unjustly sullied? You can listen to his podcast episode here or read on for more information.
A 19th century imagining of Macbeth
According to William Shakespeare, Duncan was a kindly old king murdered in his bed by the villainous Macbeth, but what was the real story? Duncan’s grandfather had ruled Scotland for nearly thirty years but the reign had ended with dynastic conflict. Would Duncan prove the wise king of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, or was the reality of history rather less glorious. Listen to his podcast episode here or read on to find out more.
Duncan in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, portrayed by David Thewlis
The Scottish monarchy was thrown into crisis and civil war when Kenneth II, having tried to ensure that the succession would pass from father to son, was killed in 995. After ten years of conflict, Kenneth’s son, Malcolm II, has finally become king, but was it worth the wait? To find out how Malcolm II fared as king, listen to his podcast episode here or read on to find out more.
Rex Factor 