Book excerpt: This is the 1,000-year saga of the remarkable Scottish family, who began as stewards, then became Stewarts, the Royal Stewarts, and finally Stuarts. They were remarkable not only for the continuity of the male line, which went for 26 generations without a break, but also for the 340 years that they held on to sovereign power. Yet, despite the longevity of the dynasty, the lives of many individuals were violent and short. Of the fourteen Stewart monarchs, eight failed to reach the age of fifty. Six of the fourteen died violent deaths, two were murdered, two executed and two killed in battle. Because of the tendency towards early death, the average age of accession was onlyl twenty-three, and six came to the throne before they were ten. Of the non-royals, over 100 were murdered and over 200 executed. It is a remarkable tale of tenacity and adaptability that has seen the family survive for 1,000 years. The Rises and Falls of the Royal Stewarts tells their fascinating tale with verve and drama.