Latest news with #Broun
The Herald Scotland
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
So Scots felt they were British centuries before the Union? Hmm
Scottish identity and a desire for independence among many Scots is also ever changing, with Oxford University professor Danny Dorling, an expert in human geography, claiming recently that a form of independence is already in progress, due to an ever increasing political and cultural divide between England and Scotland. However, new research by University of Glasgow professor Dauvit Broun surprised many people. He explores the idea of Britishness in relation to Scottish independence and identity in the Medieval period, offering a different insight into contemporary debates surrounding national identity. Broun examines the ideas of Scottish academics and historians in the 1380s and 1520s of Britain as an extension of the Scottish Kingdom. Broun makes use of a recently discovered early 16th century homemade compendium booklet of king-list, chronicles and origin-legend material. Read more He also analyses John Mair, who is often believed to be the first Unionist thinker and his belief in a Scottish kingdom which could grow to include England while being ruled by a Scottish monarch, highlighting that the idea of Britishness was based on the shared island rather than a shared Unionism. Additionally, he questions whether instead of a shared Britishness there has been unique Scottish, English and Welsh versions of Britishness for centuries. Broun argues that these new discoveries emphasise the possibility for both Scottish independence and Britishness to exist at the same time in today's national identity. He says Scottish identification with Britain exists far before the political Union of 1707, highlighting Britain is just as much a geographical concept as a political one. Broun states: 'Rather than 'banal unionism', there was 'banal Britishness' based ultimately on sharing the same island.' This new research suggests the possibility of retaining a British identity in an independent Scotland, as was foreseen in the late medieval period. This concept is not dissimilar to Scandinavia, Norway is no less Scandinavian now than it was pre independence from Sweden in 1905. It brings to mind Alex Salmond's call, during the 2014 referendum, for a social union with the rest of the UK. But could Scots, in any future independent state, still retain their sense of Britishness? The imposition of the Union of 1707 received an overwhelmingly hostile response from the Scottish public with anti-Union demonstrations being commonplace alongside riots in Glasgow and Edinburgh. This reaction begs the question how could Britain be Scottish when the majority of Scots were against this political Union and felt no identification with the label of British. P.H Scott in The Union of 1707 argues: 'England had obtained their centuries-long objective of asserting control over Scotland, not by conquest, but by intimidation and ingenious and diverse means of bribery.' The high point of the British Union and a shared British identity was in the mid 20th century with the Second World War bringing a sense of shared sacrifice and the nationalisation of key industries like the railways, coal and steel under labour. However, no one can deny these links have been taken apart one by one, ironically by the Conservative and Unionist party under Margaret Thatcher who, in selling off the UK's assets, diluted a sense of shared purpose. What shared identity is Britain left with to tie us together aside from a BBC that no one watches? There no longer remains the shared political unity of post-war support for Labour, instead Scotland and England have not voted the same way since the 1980s, with increasingly different party support and political preferences. Ultimately, we must recognise that identity changes and as Scotland and England continue to grow increasingly apart, both politically and culturally, we must consider our future. As Scotland's foremost historian Sir Tom Devine said: 'Only through sovereignty can we truly develop a truly amicable and equal relationship with our great Southern neighbour.' Isobel Scott is studying Modern History at the University of St Andrews
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Scotsman
05-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Medieval Scots thought 'Scottish independence was compatible with being British'
Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A leading historian has suggested that Scottish independence has long been compatible with being British following his analysis of medieval texts. Professor Dauvit Broun, of the University of Glasgow, has found Scottish historians and writers in the 1380s and early 1500s regarded the Scottish kingdom as equivalent to Britain. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Malcolm III and Queen Margaret of Scotland. New research has illuminated the perspective that the Scottish royal line's connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole. PIC: CC. | CC This was not as common as the tendency to refer to Britain as England, but it was similar, he said. While England's identification with Britain has existed for over a millennium, Prof Broun has discovered a parallel tradition where Scots envisioned Britain as an extension of Scotland. Professor Dauvit Broun, Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow. | Photographic Unit University of Prof Broun's findings follow the recent discovery of a booklet from the early 16th century that illuminates this unexpected relationship between Scottish independence and British identity that has, until now, been overlooked. READ MORE: Manuscript that sheds light on William Wallace and Wars of Independence made public for first time Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The academic, writing in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, said these Scottish writers articulated a vision where Britain could be a kingdom ruled by the Scottish monarchy – effectively a Scottish kingdom expanded to island-wide scale. The professor of Scottish history said: 'A close reading of work by medieval Scottish historians and scholars shows they firmly believed that Scottish independence was entirely compatible with British identity. 'In this era, Britain was not seen as an English-dominated kingdom, as is often how it is viewed today, but rather a space that could be ruled by the Scottish monarchy. This idea of Britain as fundamentally Scottish is a surprising and provocative viewpoint in today's often polarised debates around national identity.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A key figure in Prof Broun's analysis is John Mair, the so-called 'founding father of Scottish unionism'. Prof Broun, in his paper, said Mr Mair's vision was essentially a Scottish kingdom expanded to include England. Mr Mair advocated for a marriage-based union between Scottish and English royal houses. Prof Broun has now argued Mr Mair envisioned this primarily from a Scottish perspective, with the assumption that a Scottish king would rule Britain. Prof Broun also analysed a previously unpublished manuscript booklet, the St Andrews Chronicles, which dates from around 1511 and gives rare insight into how ordinary educated Scots engaged with these ideas. The St Andrews Chronicles is a startling manuscript (Pic: University of St Andrews) This homemade booklet contains a collection of historical texts about Scottish and British origins, king-lists and chronicles, suggesting these British-Scottish connections were of interest beyond elite scholarly circles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The physical characteristics of the booklet suggest it was created for personal use indicating a practical interest in these historical connections. The booklet appears to have copied an earlier compilation that itself may have expanded upon an even earlier collection of texts. This suggests these British Scottish historical perspectives were being transmitted and expanded by ordinary educated Scots over time, Prof Broun added. The arrangement of historical material in the booklet combines Scottish royal dynasty and events with outlines of Britain as a kingdom from ancient times similar to Mr Mair's approach, but predating his work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad READ MORE: 13 Kings of Scotland and why they are remembered to this day The manuscript's significant focus on Malcolm III and St Margaret – appearing twice in different sections – mirrors the view the Scottish royal line's connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole. This reinforces the distinctly Scottish-centric view of British history articulated particularly by the Scottish historian John of Fordun in the 1380s, he added.
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
Britain 'extension of Scotland', medieval texts uncovered by historian suggest
Research by the University of Glasgow's Professor Dauvit Broun has revealed that Scottish historians and writers in the 1380s and 1520s regarded the Scottish kingdom as equivalent to Britain, adding it was not as common as the tendency to refer to Britain as England, but it was similar in effect. Professor Broun argues that this discovery challenges the modern understanding of British identity, and that the research suggests that Scottish independence can be entirely compatible with being British. He added that the findings also question whether, rather than a shared Britishness, there have for centuries been distinct Scottish, English, and Welsh versions of being British. READ MORE: Glasgow set for skyscraper boom as new guide identifies suitable sites Professor Broun's revelation comes from a recently discovered booklet from the early 16th century, which helps to reveal the unexpected relationship between Scottish independence and British identity that has been overlooked. While England's identification with Britain has existed for over a millennium, Professor Broun has discovered a parallel tradition where Scots envisioned Britain as "an extension of Scotland". Writing in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, which was published on Wednesday, three Scottish writers outlined a vision of Britain as a kingdom ruled by the Scottish monarchy – effectively a Scottish kingdom expanded to island-wide scale. Scottish History professor Broun said: 'A close reading of work by medieval Scottish historians and scholars shows they firmly believed that Scottish independence was entirely compatible with British identity. 'In this era, Britain was not seen as an English-dominated kingdom, as is often how it is viewed today, but rather a space that could be ruled by the Scottish monarchy. 'This idea of Britain as fundamentally Scottish is a surprising and provocative viewpoint in today's often polarised debates around national identity.' The so-called 'founding father of Scottish unionism', John Mair, was a key figure in Professor Broun's analysis as he held a vision of a Scottish kingdom which expanded to include England. While advocating for a marriage-based union between Scottish and English royal houses, Professor Broun argues that Mair envisioned this primarily from a Scottish perspective with the assumption that a Scottish king would rule Britain. Professor Broun's analysis includes a previously unpublished manuscript booklet – St Andrews Chronicles, which is now held at the University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums, from around 1511 which provided a rare insight into how ordinary educated Scots engaged with these ideas. (Image: University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums) The homemade booklet contains a collection of historical texts about Scottish and British origins, king lists and chronicles which suggested British-Scottish connections were of interest beyond elite scholarly circles. Researchers said the physical characteristics of the booklet suggest it was created for personal use. The booklet also appeared to have copied an earlier compilation, which itself may have expanded upon an even earlier collection of texts, Professor Broun said. He added it suggests that British Scottish historical perspectives were being transmitted and expanded by ordinary educated Scots over time. The arrangement of historical material in the booklet combines Scottish royal dynasties and events with outlines of Britain as a kingdom from ancient times similar to Mair's approach but predating his work. The manuscript's significant focus on Malcolm III and St Margaret – appearing twice in different sections – mirrors the view that the Scottish royal line's connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole. Professor Broun said it reinforces the distinctly Scottish-centric view of British history articulated particularly by the Scottish historian John of Fordun in the 1380s. Writing in the journal Professor Broun said that 'appropriating Britain as an extension of your country was not, therefore, unique to England: the Scots did it, too'. Professor Broun finishes by asking 'if there is such a thing as a shared Britishness beyond the mere fact of inhabiting the same island: are there only Scottish, English and Welsh British identities, each with their own spectrum which have only occasionally intersected to become a common Britishness?'
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
Medieval scholars believed Britain was fundamentally Scottish
Research by the University of Glasgow's Professor Dauvit Broun has revealed that Scottish historians and writers in the 1380s and 1520s regarded the Scottish kingdom as equivalent to Britain, adding it was not as common as the tendency to refer to Britain as England, but it was similar in effect. Professor Broun argues that this discovery challenges the modern understanding of British identity and that the research suggests that Scottish independence can be entirely compatible with being British. He added that the findings also question whether, rather than a shared Britishness, there have for centuries been distinct Scottish, English and Welsh versions of being British. READ MORE: Glasgow set for skyscraper boom as new guide identifies suitable sites Professor Broun's revelation comes from a recently discovered booklet from the early 16th century, which helps to reveal the unexpected relationship between Scottish independence and British identity that has been overlooked. While England's identification with Britain has existed for over a millennium, Professor Broun has discovered a parallel tradition where Scots envisioned Britain as an extension of Scotland. Writing in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, which was published on Wednesday, three Scottish writers outlined a vision where Britain could be a kingdom ruled by the Scottish monarchy – effectively a Scottish kingdom expanded to island-wide scale. Professor Broun, Professor of Scottish History, said: 'A close reading of work by medieval Scottish historians and scholars shows they firmly believed that Scottish independence was entirely compatible with British identity. 'In this era, Britain was not seen as an English-dominated kingdom, as is often how it is viewed today, but rather a space that could be ruled by the Scottish monarchy. 'This idea of Britain as fundamentally Scottish is a surprising and provocative viewpoint in today's often polarised debates around national identity.' The so-called 'founding father of Scottish unionism', John Mair, was a key figure in Professor Broun's analysis as he held a vision of a Scottish kingdom which expanded to include England. While advocating for a marriage-based union between Scottish and English royal houses, Professor Broun argues that Mair envisioned this primarily from a Scottish perspective with the assumption that a Scottish king would rule Britain. Professor Broun's analysis includes a previously unpublished manuscript booklet –St Andrews Chronicles, which is now held at the University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums, from around 1511 which provided a rare insight into how ordinary educated Scots engaged with these ideas. (Image: University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums) The homemade booklet contains a collection of historical texts about Scottish and British origins, king-lists and chronicles which suggested British-Scottish connections were of interest beyond elite scholarly circles. Researchers said the physical characteristics of the booklet suggest it was created for personal use. The booklet also appeared to have copied an earlier compilation, which itself may have expanded upon an even earlier collection of texts, Professor Broun said. He added it suggests that British Scottish historical perspectives were being transmitted and expanded by ordinary educated Scots over time. The arrangement of historical material in the booklet combines Scottish royal dynasties and events with outlines of Britain as a kingdom from ancient times similar to Mair's approach but predating his work. The manuscript's significant focus on Malcolm III and St Margaret – appearing twice in different sections – mirrors the view that the Scottish royal line's connection to Anglo-Saxon royalty gave Scottish kings a claim to Britain as a whole. Professor Broun said it reinforces the distinctly Scottish-centric view of British history articulated particularly by the Scottish historian John of Fordun in the 1380s. Writing in the journal Professor Broun said that 'appropriating Britain as an extension of your country was not, therefore, unique to England: the Scots did it, too'. Professor Broun finishes by asking 'if there is such a thing as a shared Britishness beyond the mere fact of inhabiting the same island: are there only Scottish, English and Welsh British identities, each with their own spectrum which have only occasionally intersected to become a common Britishness?'
