January 2, 2010

David R. Ross, (February 28, 1958 to January 2, 2010) was the  author of popular histories: books expressing his love for his native land of Scotland.

Among his many books we cite A Passion for Scotland (2002), a passion writers such as Ross nourish. We see his simple and clear prose style in this excerpt:

The royal badge of Scotland was originally the wild boar. ...This symbol lasted until the days of William I, or The Lion as he came to be known.
William reigned around the time of the Crusades. It is possible someone purchased lions at this time and either sold or gifted them to the King of Scots....William was especially fond of Stirling Castle and part of the castle is still known today as the Lion's Den. This is where the royal lions were originally kept. William was so taken with the king of beasts that he changed the symbol of Scots royalty from the wild boar to the lion rampant....
It is a pity that William did not have the same powerful qualities as his nickname 'The Lion.' He was not as effective a king as his name might suggest.
The Lion Rampant would be carried on the battlefield from this time on, to signify the King of Scots' position.

Some of his books describe his motorcycle tours to places associated with Scottish history:

On the Trail of William Wallace (1999)
On the Trail of Robert the Bruce (1999)
On the Trail of Bonnie Prince Charlie (2001)
On the Trail of Scotland's History (2008)

No doubt these books will have an effect on the referendum on Scottish independence scheduled in 2014.