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Introduction

Steve Murdoch
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews
Alexia Grosjean
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews
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Summary

Field Marshal Alexander Leslie and the majority of his fellow Scottish generals who served in the Thirty Years' War (1618–48) rose from predominantly humble social origins to make an impact on not only the campaigns of the continental conflicts in which they fought but also those that swept across the British Isles in the 1630s and 1640s. These men did so despite living in a contemporary culture dominated by the activities of Scotland's noble elite – a culture very often reimagined by a historiography solely concerned with the activities of the upper echelons of society. Through the study of Leslie and his contemporaries, however, a narrative emerges that demonstrates that the practice of military service, while helping to maintain the dominance of certain noble families within Scotland, also offered an effective vehicle towards social advancement for the soldiering class, both at home and abroad. This book does not suggest an alternative to the social structuring of society in early modern Scotland, but it does offer what has been lacking in previous biographies of Leslie and his contemporaries: an understanding of where and how they developed their military skills, and why they might have needed to immerse themselves in the art of war in the first place.

Tracing the origins of Alexander Leslie is not straightforward. His biographer, C. S. Terry, presents scant information on Leslie's roots or early years and lacks definite information on Alexander Leslie's parentage and place of birth.

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Publisher: Pickering & Chatto
First published in: 2014

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  • Introduction
  • Steve Murdoch, University of St Andrews, Alexia Grosjean, University of St Andrews
  • Book: Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618–1648
  • Online publication: 05 December 2014
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  • Introduction
  • Steve Murdoch, University of St Andrews, Alexia Grosjean, University of St Andrews
  • Book: Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618–1648
  • Online publication: 05 December 2014
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Steve Murdoch, University of St Andrews, Alexia Grosjean, University of St Andrews
  • Book: Alexander Leslie and the Scottish Generals of the Thirty Years' War, 1618–1648
  • Online publication: 05 December 2014
Available formats
×