OLD DUFFER'S BOOK CORNER:

James IV

Norman MacDougall for Tuckwell Press

This is one of the series on the Stewart (sic) Dynasty in Scotland. As such it reminds one that Scotland is a foreign country where they do things differently. This is "thick" history where the lineaments of the period are taken as read and the detail supplied. So we have many characters all sharing an acute shortage of christian names and patronyms (Red Sorley McVasey of Castle Bloodknock et al). James came to the throne (like the Tsar Alexander) by the murder of his father. James III being rubbed out after the "battle" of Sauchieburn (near the site(s) of Bannockburn).

For once able to tap reasonable sums of money the King set off to establish a Scots fleet and to make a big noise in Europe. In fact he ended up dead dead dead at Flodden, but as MacDougall makes clear this end was by no means in his beginnings. Indeed at the moment James was doing his Begbie act on an English bill Henry was fighting before Therouanne. Had Henry died his male heir was (tadum) James IV as husband of his sister, whereas James had a son then living. This is not a very accessible book but it has its moments. Marginally better than the Nigel Trantor novel.

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