[The Normans 03] • Caging the Lyon

The young Malcolm IV of Scotland is no match for Henry Plantagenet of England but when Malcolm dies aged twenty two his brother, William the Lyon, proves to be a much stronger king of the volatile Scots. The loss of Northumberland, of which his father was earl, has always rankled with William so, when Henry II’s sons rise in rebellion on the Continent, William seizes the chance to invade; a decision which was to have disastrous consequences for Scotland for the next two centuries.

This turbulent period of history is brought to life through the tale of two branches of the same family – the de Cuilles – who are divided by the River Tweed; one branch living in Northumberland and the other on the Scottish side of the border. They prosper until the disastrous Battle of Alnwick, after which both families suffer misfortune and tragedy, which they overcome in different ways. Intertwined in the plot is the tale of Robert of Locksley, the outlaw of Sherwood Forest, who is eventually forced to flee the forest and seek refuge in the borderlands.