James the Good: The Black Douglas

By David R. Ross

Sir James the Good, one of the finest soldiers Scotland ever produced, is sometimes better known by the name given to him by the English - the 'Black Douglas'. He terrified the northern shires of England throughout the reign of King Robert the Bruce and the Wars of Independence. When Robert the Bruce died Sir James, as his champion, was entrusted with his heart which he carried on the Crusades. David R Ross brings history alive as he tells the story of Sir James' life. Ross' research found him retracing Sir James' journey to the Holy Land and rediscovering battle grounds, providing a personal view of history. With a refreshing look at the subject, and featuring all new information and research, interesting maps, battleplans and photographs, this book will make Scottish history accessible and understandable for the casual reader, while delighting history buffs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Luath Press
• Release date: Apr 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781912387977

David R. Ross

David R. Ross is a prolific author and motorcycle historian. His spare time is spent travelling around historic sites, battlefields and castles exploring the spots where the great, and not-so-great, Scots of history stood. Passionate about Scottish history he works to promote it through magazine contributions and regularly appears on the History and Discovery channels, in the UK and North America. He is particularly interested in Scotland's great leaders and is the convenor of the Society of William Wallace. His Walk for Wallace in 2005 attracted worldwide media attention.

Reviews for James the Good

[EJ Palmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating details about a hero of Scotland I didn’t know about until seeing this book in the gift shop at Bannockburn. Also great for those visiting the border country, abbeys, battlefields and castles are detailed with locations and history.

[shuffy2_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Who was the Black Douglas and why did the English fear him? The Black Douglas, or to the Scots James the Good became one of Robert the Bruce’s most trusted men. His childhood home became known as Castle Dangerous and English mother’s had to reassure their children at bedtime that they were safe… Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye,Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,The Black Douglas shall not get ye. Douglas played an integral part in the War for Scottish Independence yet few people today know about his exploits and achievements. During a treacherous time, he was a loyal guardian of Scotland and fought for the people. While there are plenty of accounts on the life of Bruce and Wallace, Douglas is another story which is why I was glad when I discovered this book. The book details the life of James Douglas, jam packed with historical details as well as personal opinions of the author. It is an easy read that draws you into history, entertaining you while learning something along the way. Hardcore historians may be a bit disappointed but it is a great place to start if you are interested in Scottish history.

[lisa.schureman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed it and the author's passionate exploration of Scotland's past and what the battle and event sites currently look like. It's part history and part travel guide so that if you want to follow in the footsteps of James Douglas and David R. Ross you can. Unfortunately David R. Ross died within the last few years so we'll have no more books from him. Our loss.