Review: The Highland Battles by Chris Peers

Synopsis: The wars fought in Scotland's northern and western highlands between the ninth and fourteenth centuries were a key stage in the military history of the region, yet they have rarely been studied in-depth before. Out of this confused and turbulent period came the more settled and familiar history of the region. The Highlands and islands were controlled by the kings of Norway or by Norse or Norse-Celtic warlords, who not only resisted Scottish royal authority but on occasion seemed likely to overthrow it.

Chris Peers explores the international background to many of these conflicts which had consequences for Scotland's relations with England, Ireland and continental Europe. At the same time he considers to what extent the fighting methods of the time survived into the post-medieval period. 

I think this book will send me off to become even further immersed in Scottish history. And whilst I considered myself sufficiently well read on this particular topic, there was still plenty to be learned. 

The battles themselves were detailed and included the events leading up to each particular battle, the engagement itself, and the aftermath. Not all were fought on land, some were on the water - which is not something that I feel many readers would be familiar with nor would the use of what is termed "guerilla warfare" which was one of the key components leading up to the battle known as the Field of Mam Garvia. Not all battles had an obvious outcome - oft times the victor did not live long enough to enjoy the spoils of war. Indeed, with regards to Tankerness, Peers comments that "... few of the participants were destined to die peacefully ...".

The structure of the armies, weapons and equipment is covered off fairly early on - to save repetition - as there is a lot of detail here. Use of archaeological evidence contemporary chronicles and the sagas add colour to the naval and land battles detailed within. It was rather an eye-opener to discover that the battle of Clairdon c.1198 was considered to be the " ... last full scale Viking battle fought on British soil ..." Peers also provides details at the end of each chapter for visiting the each of the battle sites or alludes to a probable site when the location is not as clear cut as we would like it to be.

As the synopsis states: "... The Highlands and islands were controlled by the kings of Norway or by Norse or Norse-Celtic warlords, who not only resisted Scottish royal authority but on occasion seemed likely to overthrow it ...". The participants belonged to the dynasties of Orkney, Man, Scotland and Norway and their offshoots. It was interesting to discover just how close those familial ties were amongst this group of protagonists, and often the feud carried on for a number of generations on both sides, especially between the Earls of Orkney and the Kings of Scotland, and the Kings of Norway and the Earls of Orkney.

The names of many of the protagonists were known to me: Thorfinn, Sigurd, Macbeth, Somerled, Alexander, Malcolm, Haakon. I myself have a number of biographies on the notable characters but Peers book ties them all in to the locations where they were dominant and shows the interaction and interpersonal relationships between them all. 

I was pleasantly surprised at the role of women with regards to the battle of Tankerness (c.1136). "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" comes readily to mind. Though in the Sagas we often read about women taking on the role of avenger or ensuring that any slight is revenged, so their role should not be discounted.

The reader will appreciate the map of battle sites, the appendices which list the kings of Scotland, Norway, the Isles and Man, and the Earls of Orkney. Each chapter also included the name of the battle, date and location, and the protagonists involved - and the outcome (though how it leads there is not so clear cut).

The Highland Battles is a well presented, well researched book, featuring seven lesser known military events in Scottish history from the 9th to 13th century which the reader will find rewarding. Definitely one for the Scottish history shelf of my library!