The death of Alex Salmond is, of course, a profound personal tragedy for those who loved him but the status of the man means it’s so much more than that.
The former First Minister’s mark on Scotland is indelible.
He may have led Yes Scotland to defeat in the 2014 independence referendum but during that campaign he raised support for secession from less than 30 per cent to 45.
Ten years on, that Yes vote remains solid.
Salmond might not have realised his political dream but he, more than any other nationalist politician, made independence a genuine possibility.
Salmond’s death, aged 69, at a conference in North Macedonia last weekend was a tragedy of national significance.
For many Scots, he remains a hero in death. In the weeks to come, emotion will dominate the discussion of his legacy.
The split in the nationalist movement – caused by Salmond’s estrangement from his protege Nicola Sturgeon after allegations of sexual assault were levelled against him – was bitter and deep.
The anger of his allies stands to make that division worse.
There was, of course, much unity in the tributes to Salmond from colleagues and opponents.
Friends are to continue Salmond’s fight to restore his good name
His achievements as leader of his former party and his gifts as a debater and public speaker were widely recounted.
But Salmond’s closest allies have also made it clear they intend, on behalf of their lost friend, to continue the fight to restore his good name, more than three years after he was cleared of a number of sexual assault charges.
Salmond was in the process of suing the Scottish government over a botched investigation into harassment complaints against him when he died of a heart attack on Saturday.
Last November, the former FM lodged a petition with the Court of Session in Edinburgh, seeking £3 million in damages and loss of earnings.
Previously, he had been awarded more than half-a-million in costs against the Scottish Government over its mishandling of the complaints, which led to a police investigation and his subsequent trial.
The acting leader of Alba – the party Salmond founded after quitting the SNP – has said he hopes a legal action launched by Salmond continues, despite his passing.
Kenny MacAskill said he would support Salmond’s family if they chose to pursue the case.
Salmond’s close friend, the Tory MP David Davis has also vowed to secure “justice” for the ex-SNP leader.
Grief is the most powerful of emotions and so it’s understandable a number of those closest to Salmond wish to pursue his battle on his behalf.
But, I fear, they are mistaken if they believe they can restore his reputation to what it once was.
The truth is he was a flawed man who used his office to bully others
The truth, and it is a difficult one, is that although Salmond was cleared in court in 2021 of any criminal behaviour, he was a flawed man who used his office to bully and intimidate others.
There was no grand conspiracy to fit-up the former First Minister. Rather, he behaved inappropriately with a number of younger women and some of them decided to speak up.
Despite the howls of protest from Salmond’s friends, his flaws were – to some degree – admitted in court by his defence QC during that criminal trial.
Gordon Jackson told the jury that, had the former First Minister been a better man, none of them would have been in court.
“I’m not here,” said Jackson, “to suggest he always behaved well or couldn’t have been a better man on occasions. That would be a waste of my time. I’m dealing, not with whether he could have been a better man because he certainly could have been better.
“I’m dealing with whether or not it was established he was guilty of serious, sometimes very serious, criminal charges.”
The sad reality is that Mr Salmond’s reputation cannot be restored.
Indeed, there is a very good chance that it will be further tarnished in the days and weeks to come.
The fact that, after losing his seat in the 2017 general election, Salmond took the Kremlin Rouble and signed up as a presenter on the Russian propaganda channel RT cannot be erased.
Nor can the fact that female civil servants were advised, while he was in office, to avoid working alone with him.
If friends of Salmond’s move forward with plans to “clear his name”, all they will do is bring a fresh focus to the deep flaws in his character.
Alex Salmond’s death has devastated many people who shared his dream of breaking up the United Kingdom.
Those allies will not enhance the memory of their friend by continuing a battle to restore a reputation destroyed by his own actions.
Euan McColm is a regular columnist for various Scottish newspapers
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