A History of Scotland | Language is Power (S1 E4)

The difference between the highland and lowland cultures are considerable and it all began as a feud between two families in 15th century Scotland: the Stewarts and the MacDonalds. Alexander MacDonald was lord of the isles and King of the Hebredes who had backed the Bruces and had the luxury of 10,000 armed men. It proved to be a time for artistic development with strong cultural and family ties to Ireland. Ties to the Scottish kingdom to the east were not so strong. James Stewart, King of the Scots, was a prisoner of the English from the age of 12. Scots were not prepared to barter for him - something the English had been doing for centuries - and even allied themselves with the French defying James' direct orders to the contrary. In 1424, the 30 year-old James Stewart was finally released by the English. James - woefully short of cash - met with Alexander at Inverness but it was a trap and the MacDonalds were imprisoned. Upon his release, Alexander burned Inverness and resigned his titles and claims to his lands. James then decided to extend his authority but MacDonald's men defeated and ultimately assassinated him. From that point the Stewarts gained ever greater authority until the time of James IV when he married Margaret Tudor marking the emergence of Scotland as a major power. Gaels however came to be seen as rebels and outsiders.