The Kingdom of Scotland (843-1707) was an absolute monarchy located in northern Britannia. With its capital at Perth until 1452 and Edinburgh afterwards, Scotland's history was plagued with clan conflicts, religious wars, and invasions by England and Ireland.
History[]
Scottish clans
Traditionally, it is said that Scotland was united by Kenneth I of Scotland in 843. Scotland's early years consisted of warfare between the clans, with King Kenneth III of Scotland's death at the hands of Malcolm II of Scotland in the Battle of Strathearn in 1005 causing many wars that ended in Malcolm's murder at the hands of Duncan I of Scotland in 1034. Scotland was united fully thereafter, although Norwegian invasion and clan clashes continued to rock the country.
In the 1200s, Scotland reached its zenith. Under the rule of Alexander III of Scotland, the Scottish crown retook much of the rebel lands in Scotland's present-day borders, including Dunstaffnage from the Balliols and Wick from the Kingdom of the Isles (Norway). Scotland was plunged into turmoil in 1286 when King Alexander died, causing a succession crisis that ended in an invasion by England that left Scotland in the hands of King Edward I of England. The English rule was contested from 1297 to 1305 by William Wallace and by Robert the Bruce from 1305 to 1314, when Scottish independence was secured in the Battle of Bannockburn. Scotland was independent, but continued to fight wars with England until 1575. The last major battle, the Raid of the Redeswire, was a mere border clash; Scotland's fate had been sealed since the 1514 Battle of Flodden Field when James IV of Scotland was killed by the English army of Catherine of Aragon.
The Kingdom of Scotland was united with England by James I of England, also James VI of Scotland, in 1604. He was a Catholic, and reintroduced the Catholic Church to England after years of exile. The Scots lived in peace until his son Charles I of England attempted to force Episcopalianism on the Presbyterian Scottish nobles, resulting in the Bishops' Wars of 1638-1639 and 1642. Scottish generals like James Graham fought against England, but after the English Commonwealth took power in 1649, the Scots decided to invade England to prevent a Protestant takeover of Scotland. The Scottish were subdued in the Battle of Dunbar in 1651, but after the restoration of the Stuart family of James and Charles in 1658, the Scots again became allies of England.
Scotland became fiercely opposed to England when William III of England seized power, as he was previously the Stadtholder of the United Provinces and was a Protestant Dutchman. Supporters of King James II of England, called "Jacobites", rose up in rebellion in 1689-1690 and 1715-1746, but they were crushed in Ireland and Scotland both times. In 1707, Scotland's semi-independence ended when the kingdom was united with England and Ireland in Great Britain.
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