Alan Young gained a PhD in History from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. His research into the political role of the Comyns in Scotland in the thirteenth century has continued to fascinate him for forty years. He has written biographies of William Wallace and Robert Bruce and, from this wider perspective on 'patriot heroes' in Scottish history, has returned, in this book, to evaluate the Comyn family in the Scottish independence movement. He is a freelance writer and lecturer. George Cumming gained a BA and MA in French and Linguistics from Simon Fraser University, Docteur en Linguistique from the University of Paris, and a Law degree from University College London. He is a qualified barrister and is currently a lecturer in European Union Law at the London Diplomatic Academy.