Scottish Blog

The Davidian Revolution is a name given to the changes bought forward to the Scottish nation under the reign of King David I.

As a monarch, King David I is a unique icon in Scottish history. Cumulatively, his accomplishments were labelled the Davidian Revolution. To this day, his impact on Scottish society can be felt.

The Davidian Revolution is a term penned by two major historians, it has come to be the name historians generally use to refer to the years 1124 to 1153. As a summary the Davidian Revolution was described as “to surround his fortified royal residence and its mercantile and ecclesiastical satellites with a ring of close friends and supporters, bound to him and his heirs by feudal obligation and capable of rendering him military service of the most up-to-date kind and filling administrative offices at the highest level"

In more detail, the Davidian Revolution is characterized by the foundation of improvements to society.

Of these improvements, one of the most important is the foundation of burghs. David I came to be known as David the town builder. Many towns that currently make up Scotland were formed under the command of King David I. In turn more surrounding towns were constructed. In time collection of towns or even areas of great population were granted burgh status. Of these, some of most important currently are Edinburgh and Stirling. Unfortunately not all records of the works commissioned by King David during the Davidian Revolution, so the exact number of burghs established by King David I is still unknown.