Scotland's Merlin: A Medieval Legend and its Dark Age Origins

Description

In this book, Merlin's origins are traced back to the story of Lailoken, a mysterious 'wild man' who is said to have lived in the Scottish Lowlands in the sixth century AD. The book considers the question of whether Lailoken belongs to myth or reality. It looks at the historical background of his story and discusses key characters such as Saint Kentigern of Glasgow and King Rhydderch of Dumbarton, as well as important events such as the Battle of Arfderydd.

Tim Clarkson gained a PhD in medieval history (2003) from the University of Manchester. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and a member of the editorial board of the Heroic Age online journal. He is the author many books on medieval history including Scotland's Merlin, The Picts: A History, The Makers of Scotland and Aethelflaed: Lady of the Mercians.

'Tim Clarkson should be congratulated on producing a book which marries together painstaking and detailed research with common-sense and open-minded analysis ... The book that emerges succeeds in cutting through centuries of confusion and complexity in a way that is deeply impressive' - Undiscovered Scotland