William Robertson

William Robertson (September 19, 1721 – June 11, 1793) was a Scottish historian and Principal of the University of Edinburgh. He was a significant figure in the Scottish Enlightenment.He was a member of the Poker Club., whose members included Joseph Black, Adam Ferguson, John Home, David Hume and Adam Smith.

As a historian, he achieved acclaim with his first major work The History of Scotland during the Reigns of Queen Mary and James VI, published in 1758; followed by his History of Scotland 1542 - 1603, in 1759. Edward Gibbon is quoted as saying "The Praise which has ever been the most flattering to my ear is to find my own name associated with the names of Robertson and Hume."

Robertson was born at Borthwick, Midlothian and educated in Dalkeith. In 1735, he entered the University of Edinburgh, where he studied divinity. In 1743 he became minister at Gladsmuir in Haddington, East Lothian) and later at Lady Yester's Kirk and Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. A staunch Presbyterian and Whig, in 1745 he volunteered to defend the city against the Jacobites led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart. He became Royal Chaplain to George III (1761).

Robertson’s political connections and academic standing led the Edinburgh town council to elected him as Principal of the University on 10 March 1762. This event is often viewed as a significant step towards institutionalising enlightenment in Edinburgh during the eighteenth century. In 1763, he became also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1763, and Royal Historiographer in 1764.

He is buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, close to the William Robertson Building on George Street, part of the University of Edinburgh.

"The transactions in Mary's reign gave rise to two parties, which were animated against each other with the fiercest political hatred, embittered by religious zeal. Each of these produced historians of considerable merit, who adopted all their sentiments, and defended all their actions. Truth was not the sole object of these authors. Blinded by prejudices, and heated by the part which they themselves had acted in the scenes they describe, they wrote an apology for a faction, rather than the history of their country. Succeeding Historians have followed these guides almost implicitly, and have repeated their errors and misrepresentations. But as the same passions which inflamed parties in that age have descended to their posterity; as almost every event in Mary's reign has become the object of doubt or of dispute; the eager spirit of controversy soon discovered, that without some evidence more authentic and more impartial than that of Historians, none of the points in question could be decided with certainty." (from the preface to Robertson's 'History of Scotland')

Further reading

Robertson, William. The history of Scotland, during the reign of Queen Mary and King James VI. till his accession to the crown of England. With a review of the Sottish history and original letters. Google books