The moral right of Richard Oram to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to many friends and colleagues who have endured my waxing lyrical about many of the finer points of Alexander IIs reign over the last two years as this work has finally come together. Particular thanks are owed to Alasdair Ross, whose research on Moray has transformed thinking about the relationship of this region with the crown and with Alexanders MacWilliam rivals, and Michael Penman, whose work on Alexanders personal faith made me rethink many of my preconceptions on the kings relationship with the Church across his reign. My greatest thanks, however, are to my friend and colleague Richard Fawcett, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of Scottish medieval architecture and abundant generosity with his time, and with whom close research collaborations on Scottish medieval parish churches, the abbeys of Melrose and Dryburgh, and most recently Elgin Cathedral, have hugely enriched my understanding of the cultural achievements of Alexanders day. Thanks are also very much due to Hugh Andrew for his patience in waiting for this text whilst I worked on an overdue commitment to another publisher, to Mairi Sutherland who has helped to steer the book to its final stages, and to all the other staff at Birlinn/John Donald whose patience I have tested thoroughly over the years.
To my son, Alasdair, who thankfully is neither named after Alexander II nor shares his more unpleasant characteristics, this book is dedicated to you.
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