Scotland’s Path to the 1707 Union with England

Posted on Apr 5, 2025 in Modern Languages and Translation

Scotland Before the 1707 Act of Union

Early Settlements and Kingdoms

  • Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement existed, but there is no archaeological evidence of Celtic culture until approximately 150 BC.
  • The highest population density was historically in the north-east.

Key Rulers and Events (11th Century)

  • 1005-1034: Malcolm II incorporated the South-East into the kingdom.
  • 1034: Duncan I ruled most of modern mainland Scotland, excluding the islands.
  • 1040: Duncan I was killed by Macbeth, who then became king.

Language, Culture, and Norman Influence

  • Scotland never possessed a single, unified national language throughout its history.
  • Scottish Gaelic likely expanded to cover 60-70% of the territory during the 11th century.
  • South of the Firth of Forth, Middle Scots (a Germanic language) was prevalent.
  • During the 12th century, King David I introduced significant Norman influence, particularly in the Scottish Lowlands.
  • A cultural and political distinction often existed between the Lowlands and the Highlands.
  • Succession systems differed: Primogeniture (inheritance by the firstborn son, common in Normanised areas) contrasted with Tanistry (a Gaelic system where an heir was chosen from eligible males).
  • Scotland often maintained an alliance with France (the “Auld Alliance”), primarily against English interests.

Conflict with England (1296-1542)

  • Wars of Scottish Independence (1296-1357):
    • William Wallace achieved a notable victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297.
    • In 1304, Wallace was captured and executed in London.
    • Robert the Bruce secured a decisive Scottish victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
  • Later Conflicts:
    • The Battle of Flodden in 1513 resulted in a devastating defeat for Scotland, including the death of King James IV.
    • Both James IV and his successor, James V, engaged in warfare against England.

Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Reformation

  • Upon the death of James V in 1542, his heir, Mary, Queen of Scots, was only six or seven days old.
  • A proposed marriage between the young Edward VI of England and Mary, Queen of Scots (part of the “Rough Wooing”), was refused by the Scots.
  • Mary was sent to France for safety and education, where she later married the Dauphin of France.
  • Her mother, Mary of Guise (from a powerful French family), acted as Queen Regent in Scotland.
  • 1560: A pivotal year:
    • Mary of Guise died, weakening the French Catholic influence.
    • The Franco-Scottish alliance effectively ended.
    • A Calvinist coup, supported by English troops and led by figures like John Knox, seized control. The Scottish Parliament adopted the Protestant Scots Confession, establishing Presbyterianism.
    • Catholicism was largely outlawed.
  • 1561: The widowed Mary Stuart returned to Scotland to rule a newly Protestant nation.
  • Mary married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Darnley was later murdered in mysterious circumstances.
  • Following political turmoil and suspicion regarding Darnley’s death, Mary was forced to abdicate and fled to England seeking protection from her cousin, Elizabeth I.
  • Mary remained imprisoned in England for nearly two decades and was executed in 1587 for alleged involvement in plots against Elizabeth I.

The Personal Union of the Crowns

  • James VI, Mary’s son, became King of Scotland in 1567 (though he only gained effective personal control from around 1583).
  • 1603: Upon the death of the childless Elizabeth I of England, James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones, becoming James I of England and Ireland. This created a “Union of the Crowns,” uniting the kingdoms under a single monarch, although they remained legally separate countries. James VI/I died in 1625.

Civil War and the Cromwellian Era

  • Charles I (James VI/I’s son, who grew up primarily in England and believed strongly in the divine right of kings) attempted to impose Anglican-style liturgy and church governance (bishops) on the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
  • 1639-1640: This led to the Bishops’ Wars between the Scottish Covenanters (defending Presbyterianism) and the Crown.
  • During the English Civil War, Scottish Covenanters initially allied with the English Parliament and Oliver Cromwell against Charles I. However, they later switched sides, supporting Charles II after Charles I’s execution.
  • Oliver Cromwell defeated the Scots, imposed a temporary political union, and occupied Scotland during the Commonwealth period.

The Later Stuart Period

  • 1660: The Restoration of Charles II (Charles I’s son) dissolved the Cromwellian union and largely returned Scotland to its pre-Civil War political status, though religious tensions persisted.
  • 1685-1688: James VII of Scotland (James II of England), Charles II’s brother and a Catholic, reigned. His attempts to grant religious toleration to Catholics (and Dissenters) caused significant opposition in both Scotland and England.
  • 1688-1689: The Glorious Revolution deposed James VII/II. William of Orange and his wife Mary II (James’s Protestant daughter) were invited to take the throne. A Jacobite rising in Scotland in 1689, supporting the exiled James, was suppressed.
  • 1692: The Glencoe Massacre occurred, where government soldiers (primarily Campbells) billeted with the MacDonalds of Glencoe slaughtered their hosts, ostensibly for delaying in taking an oath of allegiance to William and Mary. This event became notorious for its brutality and perceived treachery.

The Act of Union (1707)

  • Motivations for Union:
    • Scotland: Faced severe economic problems, including the aftermath of bad harvests and the disastrous failure of the Darien Scheme (an attempt to establish a Scottish colony in Panama), which resulted in massive national debt and currency instability. Scots were also excluded from lucrative trade within England’s growing colonial empire.
    • England: Concerned about the succession after the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714), who had no surviving direct heirs. England wanted to secure the Protestant Hanoverian succession and prevent Scotland, under a potentially separate monarch, from supporting the claim of the exiled Catholic Stuarts (Jacobites).
  • 1707: The Acts of Union were passed by both the Scottish and English Parliaments, formally creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.
  • Consequences:
    • For Scotland: Gained access to English colonial markets, potentially alleviating economic hardship. However, the Scottish Parliament and national flag were abolished. Crucially, Scotland retained its distinct legal system, educational system, and the established Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
    • For England (now part of Great Britain): Secured Scottish acceptance of the Hanoverian succession, significantly reducing the threat of a Jacobite restoration supported by Scotland.

Timeline of Relevant Monarchs

  • Tudors (England): Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
  • Stuarts (Scotland, then Scotland & England/Ireland):
    • James VI (Scotland 1567-1625) / James I (England & Ireland 1603-1625)
    • Charles I (1625-1649)
  • Commonwealth (England, Scotland, Ireland):
    • Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector 1653-1658, dominant figure 1649-1658)
    • Richard Cromwell (Lord Protector 1658-1659)
  • Stuarts (Restored):
    • Charles II (1660-1685)
    • James VII (Scotland) / James II (England & Ireland) (1685-1688)
    • William III (William II of Scotland) (1689-1702) & Mary II (1689-1694) (Joint monarchs)
    • Anne (1702-1714) (Became Queen of Great Britain in 1707)
  • House of Hanover (Great Britain): George I (1714-1727)