On this day in history - Author and historian Nigel Tranter was born

Scottish author and historian Nigel Tranter OBE was born on 23 November 1909 in Glasgow.  Tranter was educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh and first trained as an accountant, before joining the Royal Artillery during World War Two - continuing with this writing during his wartime service.

He published his first book, The Fortalices and Early Mansions of Scotland, in 1935 at the age of 25. His subsequent five-volume series The Fortified House in Scotland covered the history and structure of more than 650 Scottish castles. His work on his non-fiction books, which involved substantial research into Scotland's history, was also to inspire many novels, including The Queen's Grace and the Master of Gray Trilogy.

Tranter wrote more than 100 books of fiction and non-fiction, with some titles under his pen name Nye Tredgold. He received an OBE for services to literature in 1983 and was named Scot of the Year in 1989.

Tranter died on 9 January 2000 at the age of ninety.

QUICK LINK: Five favourite castles of the Stewart monarchs