one of the first adherents of the new king. Both Neil and Domnhall stayed loyal to Bruce in the depths of defeat and fought at Bannockburn. Sir Neil died in 1316.
Craw, Sim
A real character — though Sim of Leadhouse is mentioned only once in history, as the inventor of the cunning scaling ladders with which James Douglas took Roxburgh by stealth in 1314. Here, he is Hal of Herdmanston’s right-hand man, older than Hal, powerfully built and favouring a crossbow as a weapon.
Dog Boy Fictional character, a peasant of age with the young James Douglas, with whom he was brought up in Douglas Castle. It is becoming clear to them both that the lowly Dog Boy is in fact a bastard son of Sir William Douglas and that Jamie is his half-brother. War has brought a sense of his own worth to the Dog Boy — and will elevate him further in the service of the Bruce.
Douglas, James
Son of Sir William ‘The Hardy’ Douglas by his first wife, a Stewart whom he simply sent off to a convent in order to marry his second, Eleanor de Lovaigne. After the capture and death of his father, James went to Paris under the auspices of Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews. He returned as a young man in the retinue of Lamberton, trying to persuade Edward I to restore his lands, now held by Clifford. Impatient, impassioned and angry, he joined Bruce’s rebellion, rising to become one of Robert the Bruce’s most trusted commanders. A slim, dark youth with a lisp, his courtly manner is at odds with the near-psychotic rage that possesses him in battle, fuelled by an undying hatred for the English.
Duns, John
A Franciscan priest, known as Duns Scotus, he was one of the more important theologians and philosophers of the Middle Ages, nicknamed Doctor Subtilis for his penetrating thought. His involvement with the emergent Bruce and Church-fomented rebellion is pure fiction on my part — but he was expelled from the University of Paris for siding with then Pope Boniface in his feud with Philip the Fair of France over the taxation of church property. He died in 1308; the date of his death is traditionally given as November 8 and the same tradition has it that he was actually buried alive following a lapse into a coma. In the sixteenth century, his teachings were dismissed as ‘sophistry’ and gave rise to the word ‘dunce’, meaning someone incapable of scholarship. The typical dunce’s hat came from his own conical monk’s cap. See Bernard of Kilwinning, below.
Edward I
King of England and the oldest ruler with the longest reign so far. At the time of this novel he is facing the prospect of failure: failing to become ruler of a united Britain, and above all failing to achieve his true amibition, a Crusade to free the Holy Land. He is also aware that his son and eventual heir is terribly flawed. Yet there is still power and cunning in the old pard…
Edward II
A tragic figure in many ways, overshadowed by his father — whom he seems to have loved and hated in equal measure — and ignored by him save when it mattered. Probably as a direct result of that tortured relationship, his character was deeply flawed, the main fault being a tendency to become obsessively possessive with others, the favourites and promoting them at the expense of others. At this time, the favourite was Piers Gaveston.
Kilwinning, Bernard of
A Tironensian abbot in the time of the Scottish wars, he first appears as Abbot of Kilwinning in 1296, then vanishes for a decade before re-emerging as Bruce’s Chancellor, then Abbot of Arbroath. There is no evidence that he was clerk to John Duns — but he is the one generally credited with drafting the Declaration of Arbroath and later became Bishop of the Isles. He died in 1331.
Kirkpatrick, Roger
Fictional character, but based on the real Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, whom I have as kin to the fictional one. This is because my Kirkpatrick is a staunch Bruce supporter from the outset and the real Sir Roger was not — he even fought for Clifford in the English retinue at Falkirk. In later years, he adopted the words ‘Mak’ siccar’ (make sure) as a motto and a bloody hand holding a dagger as his heraldic device.
Lamberton, Bishop
Bishop of St Andrews and now thought to be one William Cunningham from Kilmaurs, he owed his elevation to Wallace and supported both him and Robert the Bruce. Chosen as the third Guardian, to stand between Bruce and Red John Comyn in 1299, he was used as a diplomat and envoy, while diverting the funds from his vast diocese to help the Cause.
Lamprecht Fictional character, a relic-seller and pardoner from Cologne, who speaks lingua franca, that mix of common Latin, French, Spanish and other Mediterranean languages originally used by crusaders to make themselves understood. Lamprecht pretends to be a pilgrim who has travelled to Jerusalem — but he has only ever been into Moorish Spain and has learned lingua franca while moving around the countries bordering the Mediterranean. A sometime spy and agent of those who pay most, he becomes involved in the Buchan plot against Hal of Herdmanston.
Malenfaunt, Sir Robert
Real family, fictional character — a knight of dubious renown who is smarting over being duped by Bruce, Hal and others into releasing Isabel MacDuff, captured at Stirling Bridge, to what he assumes is her husband. This makes him a suitable tool for use by the Comyn and Buchan.
Montailliou, James of
Montailliou is a real place, but this is a fictional character — a physicker of dubious standard, who professes to be a doctor but is probably no better than a barber-surgeon. Nevertheless, he is Bruce’s physician and seemingly loyal because he is a Cathar, a heretical Christian whose sect is being persecuted in Langue D’Oc, and owes his safety to his position. He is also party to the Bruce fears of leprosy, a dangerous secret to hold…
Segrave, Sir John
Black John, appointed Governor of Scotland at one time and, with his son Stephen, much hated English commander who was responsible for taking Wallace back to London in chains.
Sientcler, Sir Henry of Herdmanston
Fictional character. Known as Hal, he is the son and heir to Herdmanston, a lowly tower owing fealty to their kin, the Sientclers of Roslin. He is typical of the many poor nobles of Lothian who became embroiled in the wars on both sides of the divide. Hal himself is torn by doubts as to who he can trust, even between Wallace and Bruce, in a kingdom riven by family rivalries and betrayals. The Sientclers of Herdmanston are a little known branch of that family, appearing prominently for one brief moment in 15th century history. Herdmanston is now an anonymous pile of stones in a corner of a ploughed field and any descriptions of it are pure conjecture on my part.
Sientcler, Sir Henry of Roslin
In reality, held as a hostage for ransom by the English, with his father also held in the Tower. Eventually ransomed he later fought in the Battle of Roslin Glen alongside Red John Comyn and Sir Simon Fraser and against the English of Segrave and others, a famous victory for the Scots in 1303, when victories were scarce.
Thweng, Sir Marmaduke
Lord of Kilton in Yorkshire, a noted knight and married to a Lucia de Brus, distant kin to Bruce himself, Sir Marmaduke is the accepted, sensible face of English knighthood. A noted thief-taker — bounty hunter — in his own realm, he was also part of the tourney circuit with the young Robert Bruce. Fought at Stirling Bridge and was one of few to battle his way back to Stirling Castle, where he was eventually taken prisoner. Took part in subsequent campaigns against the Scots including Bannockburn, where, in his 60s, he fought until he could surrender personally to Bruce and was subsequently released without ransom.
Valence, Aymer de
Eventual second Earl of Pembroke, de Valence was related to the French royal house and was one of the Lords Ordainers who attempted to curb the power of Edward II and Gaveston. At this time he was the young, thrusting commander (knighted only in 1297) and trusted by Edward I with control of the English army in Scotland.
Wallace, William
The legend who led Scottish forces to victory at Stirling Bridge and defeat at Falkirk was forced to relinquish his Guardianship and eventually betrayed to the English. Described as a ‘chief of brigands’ at the time of the rebellion, he was barely of the nobility of Scotland and accepted by them unwillingly and only while he was winning. He was, however, the only one of them all who never gave in, or changed sides. The arguments regarding his
