This book is the first volume to scrutinise in detail the history of the Highlands and Islands incorporating the most up-to-date research. It examines the evolution of the idea of'Celtic Scotland', tracing the historiography of the Gaidhealtachd through the Caledonians, the Picts and the first medieval writings in the area.It investigates such areas as Galloway as well as surveying politics, culture and the church in the context of the great medieval lordships such as those of the Isles, Argyll, Moray and Ross and demonstrates how the histories of such provinces were integrated into that of Scotland at large.

Edward Cowan is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies in Dumfries. Until 2009 he was Professor of Scottish History and Director of the Crichton Campus.He has written widely on the history of Viking Scotland, early modern Scottish political thought, Scottish popular culture and Scottish emigration history. He lives in Glasgow.R. Andrew McDonald is Professor of History at Brock University, Canada, where he was the founding director of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. He is the author of many books, book chapters and articles on medieval Scottish, Hebridean and Manx history, including The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard, c.1100c.1336, and is co-editor of The Viking Age: A Reader and Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages.