The History of Scotland

Have you ever thought beyond all the sayings of going to discover on yourself a whole
history of a land which probably is one of the most interesting country in our world and surely
one with a wide variety of myths, legends and traditions? Well, I did, and in this chapter I am
going to witness you what I have discovered while searching the great and fantastic history of the
Scotland country.
Most people think that history is boring and I was absolutely sure about this too. However,
we don’t see the importance of the history and how interesting it is, especially when it affects
the underlying actual goings-on. Did you know that “Scotland has experienced extraordinary
growth and change during the course of its existence”? “It’s a place that has been invaded and
settled many times and that has made great contributions to culture and society”.
The history of Scotland is fascinating and complex; there are Roman soldiers, Vikings,
noble clansmen, powerful ruling monarchs and even enlightened philosophers who impressed me
very much. It is known to have begun by the end of the last glacial period (in the Paleolithic also
known as the Stone Age), roughly 10,000 years ago, actually when the hunter gatherers hunted
for fish and wild animals and gathered fruit, nuts, plants, roots and shells.
Scotland’s recorded history began with the arrival of the Roman Empire. Despite building
two impressive fortifications – Hadrian’s Wall to defend the northern border, and the Antonine
Wall across Central Scotland to advance it forward – the Romans never truly conquered
Caledonia. Unable to defeat the Caledonians and Picts, the Romans eventually withdrew and
over time retreated away from Britain. Much of the 60km Antonine Wall survives and it was
inscribed as a World Heritage Site, one of six in Scotland, since 2004.
As we all know about the “famous” Vikings, which were accomplished seamen at this point
in history, and around 800 AD they began migrating from Norway and Denmark, crossing the
treacherous North Sea to trade and settle in Scotland. While Vikings began to settle in the west,
the Picts were forging a new kingdom: the Kingdom of Alba.
In the 12th century the Kingdom of Alba continued to grow and became a feudal society. The
Treaty of Falaise, signed by William I, ushered in a period of relative peace in Scotland. During
the reigns of Alexander II and then Alexander III, more land was turned over to agriculture, trade
with the continent bolstered the economy and monasteries and abbeys grew and flourished
around the country.

Fighting for the independence

Scotland's relations with its larger neighbour have often been difficult, none more so than in
the "wars of independence" 700 years ago led by William Wallace and then Robert the Bruce,
who defeated Edward II, then attempting to subjugate Scotland, at Bannockburn in 1314. After
other cross border disputes, including Scotland's defeat at Flodden by the English in 1513, the
Scottish and English crowns were unified in 1603 when King James VI of Scotland became
overall monarch of the British isles.
In 1707, that union was cemented by Scotland and England's political union, forced on
Scotland in part by a financial crisis following the abject failure of its colony in Panama, the so-
called Darien adventure. All political power moved to London, but Scotland retained its own
legal system, churches and universities. In 1745, the pretender to the British throne, Bonnie
Prince Charlie, led the Jacobite revolt against Hanoverian rule by London. Despite reaching as
far south as Derby, that ended in crushing defeat at Culloden in 1746.
 In the 1800s, Scotland's economy strengthened, its cities boomed and its citizens took a
leading role in the British empire. But proposals to give Scotland some form of "home rule"
within the UK have been live since William Gladstone's era as Liberal leader in the 1880s. After
several failed attempts at Westminster, notably in 1913 and 1979, a Scottish parliament was
finally reestablished in 1999 in Edinburgh with wide-ranging policy making and legal powers
but dependent on a direct grant from London.
In May 2011, Salmond and the SNP unexpectedly won an historic landslide victory giving the
nationalists majority control of the Scottish parliament, enabling the first minister to demand that
independence referendum.

The Union of the Crowns

Until the early 17th century England and Scotland were two entirely independent kingdoms.
This changed dramatically in 1603 on the death of Elizabeth I of England. Because the Queen
had died unmarried and childless, the English crown passed to the next available heir, her cousin
James VI, King of Scotland. England and Scotland now shared the same monarch under what
was known as a union of the crowns. James was not satisfied with this arrangement. He wanted a
complete or perfect union that brought the two kingdoms into a single, enlarged and unified
state, so he prepared in may 1603, within weeks of arriving in London, the way by issuing a
proclamation for the uniting of England and Scotland.
A commission of English and Scottish MPs was set up in October 1604 to consider how a
perfect union might be created. James was quick to grasp that it could not be achieved overnight,
and that only modest steps should be taken at first.
But the idea of the unification of the laws, parliaments and economies of both kingdoms met
with little enthusiasm at Westminster.
The commissioners' recommendations were debated long and hard at Westminster between
November 1606 and July 1607. Although there was agreement on the repeal of hostile laws
against the Scots, there was none on union.
James accepted defeat on the issue, but never forgave the English Parliament, describing it as
"barren by preconceived opinions". James's failure to win hearts and minds with his vision of a
single British kingdom under one imperial crown meant that he had to be content with symbolic
reforms and gestures.
In October 1604 he decreed that he would in future be known by the style and title of King of
Great Britain and not by the divided names of England and Scotland.
In 1606 he gave orders for a British flag to be created which bore the combined crosses of St
George and of St Andrew. The result was the Union Jack, Jack being a shortening of Jacobus, the
Latin version of James.

The 20th Century and Beyond

Scottish soldiers played a significant role in the First World War and Glasgow’s Clyde side
was an important centre during the war as well – products from the shipyards, steel works and
iron foundaries were vital to the war effort.
 The drilling of the first North Sea oil well was considered a major industrial achievement of
the time, creating a huge supporting industry in Scotland and giving the UK access to oil made at
home for the first time.
Films like Braveheart and Trainspotting helped to establish Scotland as a cultural
powerhouse; authors, artists and musicians from Scotland were enjoying renewed success. J.K.
Rowling wrote the global phenomenon Harry Potter in Edinburgh, and in 1997 scientists from
the Roslin Institute successfully cloned the first mammal from an adult cell, Dolly the Sheep.