January 1 1600
First celebration of New Year in Scotland on this date (March 25 till then). November 19 1600
King Charles I born in Dunfermline.
February 7 1603
Battle at Glenfruin when the MacGregors slaughtered a number of Colquhouns - the origins of the banning of the MacGregor name.
March 24 1603
Union of the
Crowns of England and Scotland on the death of Queen Elizabeth I and the succession of King James VI of Scotland.
April 2 1603
King James VI leaves Edinburgh to travel to London.
July 25 1603
King James VI
crowned as King of Great Britain and Ireland at Westminster Abbey, London.
November 4 1605
Guy Fawkes arrested under the Houses of Parliament with 20 barrels of gunpowder to blow up parliament and the king.
Parliament declared 5 November a day of public thanksgiving.
March 21 1613
Lord Maxwell executed for the murder of the head of the Johnstone family (the son of the Johnstone involved in the Battle of Dryfe Sands
in December 6, 1593 above).
April 4 1617
John Napier, inventor of logarithms, died in Edinburgh.
June 17 1617
Articles of religion, introducing Anglican principles into Scottish worship, endorsed by
Scottish parliament.
September 29 1621
Charter granted to Sir William Alexander of Menstrie to colonise the "Baronetcy of Nova Scotia".
February 12 1624
George Heriot, goldsmith to King James VI and founder of George Heriot's School, died.
August 10 1624
Death of Esther Inglis, calligrapher and minituarist.
March 27 1625
King James VI died at Theobalds Park, Hertfordshire and buried at Westminster Abbey.
February 2 1626
Charles I crowned at Westminster Abbey.
May 29 1630
King Charles II born at St James' Palace, London.
June 19 1633
Coronation of King Charles I at Holyrood.
October 14 1633
King James VII born at St James' Palace, London.
July 23 1637
A new Scottish Prayer Book creates social unrest and disorder.
February 28 1638
Second National Covenant signed in Greyfriars Churchyard.
May 14 1639
The "Trot of Turriff" in which the Royalists scattered a Covenanting force.
June 18 1639
Pacification of
Berwick, Charles I forced to withdraw from Scotland and recognize an independent Scottish Parliament.
August 27 1640
Scottish army under Alexander Leslie routed Royalist forces of Charles I at Newburn Ford.
March 28 1642
The Scots Guards Regiment formed.
September 1 1644
Solemn League and Covenant made with the English parliament to assist in the establishment of a Presbyterian church in England.
September 1 1644
Battle of Tippermuir, in which Marquis of Montrose defeated Covenanters .
September 13 1644
Battle of Aberdeen, in which the Marquis of Montrose captured the city.
October 13 1644
Battle of Aberdeen, James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, sacked the city.
October 18 1644
Marquis of Montrose overcame a Covenanter force at Fyvie.
February 2 1645
Battle of Inverlochy, Marquis of Montrose defeated Covenanters, killing 1,300.
May 4 1645
Marquis of Montrose victorious at Battle of Auldearn.
July 2 1645
Battle of Alford, Marquis of Montrose defeated
Lieutenant-General Baillie; Lord Gordon killed.
August 15 1645
Battle of Kilsyth where the Marquis of Montrose was again victorious.
September 13 1645
Marquis of Montrose defeated by Covenanters led by David Leslie at Battle of Philiphaugh.
May 5 1646
King Charles I surrenders to Lord Leven.
August 17/19 1648
Battle of Preston in which Duke of Hamilton
at the head of an army of 20,000 crossed into England in support of Charles I. Scots defeated by Cromwell, 2,000 killed, 8,000 captured and Hamilton surrendered on 25 August (and beheaded in March 1649).
January 30 1649
King Charles I executed at Whitehall.
April 27 1650
Battle of Carbisdale, Montrose's last battle.
May 21 1650
James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, executed at Mercat Cross, Edinburgh.
September 3 1650
Cromwell defeated Scots at Battle of Dunbar.
January 1 1651
Charles II crowned King of Scots at Scone, the last coronation on Scottish soil.
June 17 1652
Great Fire of Glasgow, destroying nearly one third of the city.
December 16 1653
Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.
May 4 1658
General George Monk proclaimed the Protectorate at Mercat Cross.
January 12 1659
A frisky camel caused a sensation in Edinburgh.
May 29 1660
King Charles II returned to England. Royal Oak Day.
June 19 1660
"Day of Public Thanksgiving" on Restoration of Charles II as king.
April 23 1661
Charles II crowned at Westminster Abbey.
February 6 1665
Queen Anne, last of the Stuart monarchs, born.
November 28 1666
Battle of Rullion Green in Galloway, in which the King's army, led by Sir Thomas Dalzell, defeated the Covenanters.
November 21 1673
King James VII married Mary of Modena.
October 1 1677
Battle at Romanno Bridge between two gypsy tribes, Faas and Shaw.
August 6 1678
First Glasgow/Edinburgh coach service began from White Horse Inn, Edinburgh.
September 23 1678
Earl of Mar raises a regiment which later becomes the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
May 29 1679
"Declaration of
Rutherglen" in which the Covenanters rode in to Rutherglen to put out the fires celebrating the anniversary of the restoration of King Charles II.
June 1 1679
Covenanters defeated John Graham of Claverhouse at Drumclog.
June 22 1679
Duke of Monmouth subdued Covenanters at Bothwell Bridge.
November 25 1681
General Tam Dalyell raises a regiment which later became the Royal Scots Greys.
February 6 1685
King Charles II died.
April 23 1685
James VII crowned at Westminster Abbey.
October 15 1686
Birth of poet Allan Ramsay, father of Allan Ramsay the painter.
May 29 1687
Order of the Thistle founded by King James VII.
October 19 1687
First sedan chairs available for public hire introduced to Edinburgh.
February 17 1688
James Renwick, last Covenanter to be executed.
June 10 1688
James Francis Stuart born. In honour of the "Old
Pretender", this is known as "White Rose Day" in Jacobite circles.
November 5 1688
William of Orange landed in South-West England.
December 23 1688
King James VII deposed and fled, dropping the Great Seal into the river Thames.
January 22 1689
William of Orange and Mary become joint sovereigns of the UK.
March 15 1689
Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh
founded Advocates' Library "equipped with works written by lawyers".
March 18 1689
Earl of Leven raises a Border regiment which later becomes the King's Own Scottish Borderers.
April 4 1689
Scottish Parliament declared that James VII had forfeited the Scottish throne.
April 19 1689
Earl of Angus forms the Cameronians into a regiment.
July 27 1689
Battle of Killiecrankie in which Viscount
Dundee (John Graham of Claverhouse) leading a force of Jacobite Highlanders overcame the forces of King William, led by General Hugh Mackay. Viscount Dundee was killed leading the charge.
August 21 1689
Battle of
Dunkeld when the newly formed Cameronians defended the town against 3,000 Highlanders.
May 1 1690
Battle of Cromdale, Jacobites defeated by government troops.
July 12 1690
William III defeated James VII in the Battle of the Boyne, Ireland, 1690
February 13 1692
Massacre of 38 of the Clan Macdonald by government order at Glencoe.
March 15 1693
Hackney cabs (horse-drawn taxis) were authorised for the first time in Glasgow.
June 26 1695
Darien Company formed to set up a Scottish colony in Panama.
November 1 1695
Bank of Scotland founded by an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
July 12 1698
Darien expedition left Leith for Panama.
November 3 1698
The Darien Expedition landed at "Caledonia" in Panama
