Montrose.

BUCHAN, John.

Item Number: 126809

London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd., 1935.

Early printing of Buchan’s fascinating biography of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with portraits and maps including tissue-guarded frontispiece. Signed by John Buchan on the title page. Very good in a very good price-clipped dust jacket with early bookseller’s ticket. Ownership inscription, bookplate and related periodical clippings tipped in.

Montrose is a detailed account of the life of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose who sought to combine adherence to Scotland's 1638 National Covenant with loyalty to Charles I. As Charles's lieutenant-general in Scotland, Montrose was, argues Buchan, a skillful general during a series of Highland and Lowland battles in 1645-46, but who was ultimately thwarted later in 1646 by the disaster of Philiphaugh. Buchan then goes on to consider the aftermath, Montrose’s new campaign in the North for Charles II after his father’s execution in 1649, and his defeat, betrayal, trial and finally his own execution. A.L. Rouse considered the book to be a masterly historical biography, Buchan’s chief contribution to historical research, written wholly from original sources.