In this collection, we present the 15 most important of the 21 monarchs to rule Scotland from the 11th to 16th century. For the first time forging a unified kingdom, the monarchs of this period were often warrior-kings who conquered the remoter parts of the northern British Isles and fended off their ever-envious southern neighbour England. The period also saw the formation of the two great Scottish royal houses: the Canmores and Stewarts. In this set of biographies, we examine how these monarchs came to power, how they held on to it, what lasting institutions they created and, in the case of many, the events which caused their downfall.
The Scottish monarchs of the Late Middle Ages were:
- Macbeth, King of Scotland (r. 1040-1057)
- Lulach, King of Scotland (r. 1057-1058 CE)
- Malcolm III of Scotland (r. 1058-1093)
- Donald III of Scotland (r. 1093-4 & 1094-1097 CE)
- Duncan II of Scotland (r. May-Nov 1094 CE)
- Edgar, King of Scotland (r. 1097-1107 CE)
- Alexander I of Scotland (r. 1107-1124 CE)
- David I of Scotland (r. 1124-1153 CE).
- Malcolm IV of Scotland (r. 1153-1165 CE)
- William I of Scotland (r. 1165-1214 CE)
- Alexander II of Scotland (r. 1214-1249 CE)
- Alexander III of Scotland (r. 1249-1286 CE).
- John Balliol (r. 1292-1296)
- Robert the Bruce (r. 1306-1329 CE)
- David II of Scotland (r. 1329-1371 CE).
- Robert II of Scotland (r. 1371-1390)
- Robert III of Scotland (r. 1390-1406 CE)
- James I of Scotland (r. 1406-1437)
- James II of Scotland (r. 1437-1460)
- James III of Scotland (r. 1460-1488)
- James IV of Scotland (r. 1488-1513)
