To those members who are really into Scotlands' History I would like to mention that whilst in Scotland last October I watched one of the series "The Clans" the night I watched it it was about the Clan Campbell and one of the asides they brought up was that they seem to have proof that Robert the Bruce was a Leper. This fact was of course kept secret from the people at the time as no one would have followed him and History would have taken a far different course. In the movie Braveheart (piece of garbage) it was his father that was portrayed as having Leprosy.
Camac, Garbage.... ah, but what drama, what soul stirring cinematography, heartwretching emotions, glorious heights for man. Heck, it is what it is, a movie for entertainment yanked from the history of man. You yank anything and you don't get the whole thing nor is it always identifiable. Did you know to this day people still find the mansion on the Beverly Hillbillies tv show and stop and ask for Jed. LOL On the Clan Campbell, Clan MacNaughton has a long history intertwined with them. History is always better than the movie.
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Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Plato(427-347 BC) Philosopher and Educator
Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. Henry James (1843-1916) Writer
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. -Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) Theology Professor
Camac, no one has proof one way or the other as to the question of Bruce and leprosy. There have been claims and counter claims for nearly seven hundred years now. In my opinion, he did not. It is true that virtually no one would follow a leper. It is also true that it would have been impossible for Bruce to hide the fact that he had it. He lived for many years in the field, with his men in very primative conditions. In those circumstances, no one would be able to keep a physical defect secret.
As to the origin of the rumor, there has been some speculation that it was started by the English to try and discredit Bruce. No one will ever know the true origin of the rumor, but the consensus of historians has come to the view that it was false.
Yeah! History is always a thousand times better than a movie. If they had followed the life of Wallace closer they would have made a real blockbuster. The MacNaughten, Campbell, MacArthur, and MacGregor are all "guid Argyllshire men".
Camac, You are so right! I have gotten so far behind in my reading because of an addiction to movies on tv. I will watch one more movie tonite "Waking Ned Devine" and then I will give up tv for my books again.
Next to read is: The Scotch Irish A Social History by James G. Leyburn
Then: The People With No Name - Ireland's Ulster Scots, America's Scots Irish, and The Creation Of A British Atlantic World 1689-1764 by Patrick Griffin
Up until now I have been pot shoting my reading from early Scottish history, clan history, Isle history, etc.
I think what I am going to do is read backwards into time.
I just finished Taverns and Turnpikes of Blandford, Massachusetts 1733-1833 and UlsterScots and Blandford Scouts, both by Sumner Gilbert Wood.
If you have not already read it and do not mind the suggestion read "How the Scots Invented the Modern World" by Arthur Herman . It might surprise you.
To those members who are really into Scotlands' History I would like to mention that whilst in Scotland last October I watched one of the series "The Clans" the night I watched it it was about the Clan Campbell and one of the asides they brought up was that they seem to have proof that Robert the Bruce was a Leper. This fact was of course kept secret from the people at the time as no one would have followed him and History would have taken a far different course. In the movie Braveheart (piece of garbage) it was his father that was portrayed as having Leprosy.
Camac.
I don't think we'll ever really know what exactly it was, not without "forensic" testing anyway! History states he had an "unclean" disease, which could mean leprosy, syphillis, psoriasis, some sort of neuropathic malady even. Who's to know?