Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 22 on 10/08/2005.

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A tale of two kingdoms

James Irvine Robertson delves deep in to history to explain the fundamental cultural divisions of Scotland

The great cultural division in Scotland was once Pict and Scot. It lasted for some three and a half centuries and is forgotten.

Asimilar gulf, now virtually petered out after lasting somewhat longer was, in the language of one of them, Gael v Gall. The Gall were the southerners, the sassenachs speaking Scots, a language closely related to English. The Gael were the northern and westerners, the Gaelic speakers.

Vying for control of the nation was, on one side, the King of Scots. And on the other were the Lords of the Isles. The king won but his victory was not straightforward.

In some ways it was a rivalry between an elephant and a whale. When pushed the elephant could put 10,000 men in the field with armoured knights and disciplined footsoldiers able to form schiltroms, bristling with pikes.

But the lordship of the isles was a sea power. Its knights had fleets of galleys; its footsoldiers manned the oars – 15 each side.

So the twain need rarely meet. And when they did the issue was uncertain.

The lordship could tap the terrifying gallowglasses, mercenary troops from northern Ireland, many Irish Macdonnells, and the armies of the king were beaten by them on three occasions in the 1400s.

The lordship’s view of the world was different too. The king saw himself in a small country unfortunately attached to immensely richer and more powerful England. At the edge of his dominion lay the Gaels.

To the Lord of the Isles, the King of Scots was but one ruler who bordered his eno.....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scottish History

Page number : 20