Mighty Subjects: The Dunbar Earls in Scotland c.1072-1289

Tracing the heritage of Gospatric—the former earl of Northumbria who was granted the fortress of Dunbar and the lands in Lothian in the late 11th century by Malcolm III, king of Scots—this concise account examines how Gospatric's descendants became leading members of the Scottish aristocracy, conspicuous for their power and wealth as lords of vast estates in southeast Scotland. Drawing on evidence of their charters and contemporary chronicles, this lucid analysis spans the careers of seven successive earls at Dunbar from the period of the Norman Conquest of England to the eve of the Scottish Wars of Independence. Recreating the Dunbar lordship in 12th- and 13th-century Scotland by exploring the landscape and economy of the earldom, the web of social relationships, and the tug-of-war with the Church, this engaging chronicle provides glimpses of long-vanished castles and echoes of battles, crusades, tournaments, and sieges, ultimately uncovering the intriguing timeline of a great family in the evolving kingdom of the Scots.