List of significant events in the history of Scotland
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This is a timeline of Scottish history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Scotland and its predecessor states. See also Timeline of prehistoric Scotland.
To read about the background to many of these events, see History of Scotland. More information can also be found in the list of Scottish monarchs, list of British monarchs, list of First Ministers of Scotland, and list of years in Scotland.[1]
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.
Nechtan mac Der-Ilei expels Ionan clergy from Pictland and adopts Roman usages with the aid of Bishop Curetán; masons sent by Abbot Ceolfrid of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Priory help build stone churches at Restenneth, Rosemarkie and elsewhere in eastern Scotland.
724
Drust and Nechtan mac Der-Ilei fight civil war (to 729).
732
Death of Nechtan mac Der-Ilei; Óengus mac Fergusa becomes King of the Picts.
735
Óengus mac Fergusa, King of the Picts, campaigns against Dál Riata, and seizes and burns the royal centre of Dunadd.
736
Battle of Cnoc Coirpi between Fortriu and Dál Riata.
741
Battle of Druimm Cathmail between Fortriu and Dál Riata; the "smiting of Dál Riata", in which Dál Riata is subdued by Óengus mac Fergusa.
747
St Andrews founded by this time, death of Abbot Túathalán.
750
Picts defeated by Britons at the Battle of Catohic.
756
Óengus mac Fergusa allied with the English of Northumbria attacks the Britons; the English army is destroyed.
761
Death of Óengus mac Fergusa.
763
Battle takes place in Fortriu between Ciniod and Áed Find; result unknown.
778
Death of Áed Find, King of Dál Riata.
794
Annals of Ulster report the "wasting" of "all the islands of Britain by gentiles [Vikings]".
9th century[]
Year
Date
Event
802
Iona burned by Vikings.
806
The monasteries under Iona are attacked by Vikings, killing 68 monks.
Battle of Brunanburh English victory in 937 by the army of Æthelstan, King of England, and his brother Edmund over the combined armies of Olaf III Guthfrithson, the Norse-Gael King of Dublin, Constantine II, King of Scots, and Owen I, King of Strathclyde.
940
Saint Catroe of Metz leaves Scotland.
943
Causantín mac Áeda abdicates to become a culdee at St Andrews.
952
Death of Causantín mac Áeda.
954
Indulf captures Edinburgh from Northumbria.
11th century[]
Year
Date
Event
1058
After defeating Mac Bethad and Lulach, Máel Coluim III is proclaimed king.
Southern Scotland occupied by the English Commonwealth's New Model Army following Scottish defeats at the Battle of Dunbar 1650 and the Battle of Hamilton during the Third English Civil War
1651
3 September
Battle of Worcester was a victory for New Model Army over the last major Royalist field army. Most of the Royalist officers and men who fought at Worcester were Scottish. For the next ten years, apart from some mopping up operations and a few insurrections, (all of which were easily suppressed) there was not further military resistance to rule from London.
Oliver Cromwell issued a proclamation at the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh. Oliver Cromwell was the Protector of England Ireland and Scotland, that Scotland was united with the Commonwealth of England (Tender of Union) and there was a general pardon with some exceptions for the people of Scotland for any actions taken during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (Cromwell's Act of Grace).
1660
14 May
The monarchy is restored in Scotland and Scotland resumes its status as a separate kingdom.
1661
May
Four men were executed for high treason for their actions against the Crown during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Archibald Campbell, 8th Earl of Argyll, James Guthrie, William Govan were all executed in May 1661 (the fourth Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston fled abroad but returned to Scotland and was executed on 22 July 1663).
1661
6 September
The restoration of the Episcopacy was proclaimed by the Privy Council of Scotland.
1662
During the parliamentary session the Church of Scotland was restored as the national Church and all office-holders were required to renounced the Covenant.
1662
9 September
The Scottish parliament passed the Act of indemnity and oblivion. It was a general pardon for most types of crime that may have been committed by Scots, between 1 January 1637 and before 1 September 1660, during what the Act called "the late troubles" (the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the Interregnum).
1679
James, Duke of Monmouth defeats Covenanters at the Battle of Bothwell Brig.
1689
Jacobite rising of 1689 Highlanders defeat army of William III at Killiecrankie, but are halted at Battle of Dunkeld.
The Claim of Right and the re-establishment of Presbyterianism.
1692
The Massacre of Glencoe.
1695
The Bank of Scotland is created by an Act of the Parliament.
1696
Education Act of 1696 ordains a school in every parish (successful; act governs education until the 1872 act).
18th century[]
Year
Date
Event
1707
The Union of the Parliaments: the Acts of Union are passed by both the Scottish and English parliaments.
1715
Jacobite rising of 1715.
1745
Jacobite rising of 1745.
1746
The Battle of Culloden ends the last Jacobite rising.
1748
David Hume publishes An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding.
1754
Joseph Black discovers "fixed air" (carbon dioxide).
James Watt patents idea for separate condensing chamber in the steam engine.
1775
Passage of the Colliers and Salters (Scotland) Act 1775 commences the removal of life bondage of coal and salt workers.[2]
1776
Adam Smith publishes The Wealth of Nations.
19th century[]
Year
Date
Event
1802
John Playfair publishes summary of James Hutton's theories of geology.
1805
The Glasgow Herald newspaper first published.
1817
The Scotsman newspaper first published.
1820
The "Radical War".
1822
Visit of King George IV to Scotland organized by Sir Walter Scott.
1832
The Reform Act enlarges the franchise.
1843
The Disruption in the Church of Scotland (over the issue of patronage).
1846
Beginning of the ten-year Highland Potato Famine.
1847
The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland is established.
1864
James Clerk Maxwell presents equations describing electromagnetic fields.
1874
Patronage abolished in the Church of Scotland.
1878
Collapse of the City of Glasgow Bank.
1879
William Ewart Gladstone conducts the Midlothian campaign as part of a political comeback.
The Tay Bridge disaster.
1885
Creation of the Scottish Office and the post of Secretary for Scotland, later Secretary of State for Scotland.
1890
Opening of the Forth Railway Bridge.
1896
Opening of the Glasgow Subway.
20th century[]
Year
Date
Event
1929
The Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland unite.
1934
Scottish National Party founded.
1938
The Empire Exhibition, Scotland is held at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.
1941
The Clydebank Blitz (13–15 March).
1943
Creation of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to bring electricity to all parts of the Highlands and Islands.
1945
First Scottish NationalistMP is elected.
1947
Nationalisation of the railways – the Scottish Region of British Railways is created.
The first Edinburgh International Festival is held.
1950
The Stone of Destiny is removed from Westminster Abbey.
1957
Scottish Television starts broadcasting.
1968
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland permits the ordination of women as ministers.
1975
Local government reorganisation (replacing Counties and Burghs for administrative purposes with Regions and Districts).
1978
Launch of BBC Radio Scotland.
1979
Referendum to create a Scottish Assembly wins a majority but fails to win 40% of electorate. Act is therefore repealed without being put into effect.
1988
Terrorists blow up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie with the loss of 270 lives, including 11 residents of the town.
1995
Local government reorganisation (replacing the Regions and Districts with single-tier councils).
1996
The Stone of Destiny is permanently returned to Scotland, to be housed in Edinburgh Castle.
1997
Newly elected LabourUK Government under the leadership of Scots-born Prime Minister Tony Blair legislates for a referendum on a devolved Scottish Parliament which is passed by a large majority.
1999
A Scottish Parliament sits for the first time in 272 years. Donald Dewar of the Scottish Labour Party elected as First Minister and forms Scottish Executive in coalition with the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
21st century[]
Year
Date
Event
2004
9 October
Opening of the new Scottish Parliament Building.
2007
The Scottish National Party become the largest party in the Scottish Parliament and forms a minority government.
2011
The Scottish National Party under Alex Salmond gain an overall majority of the Scottish Parliament.
2013
The Church of Scotland's ruling General Assembly votes to allow actively gay men and women to become ministers.
2014
18 September
Scotland has a referendum on national independence. Result is to remain part of the UK, by 55% to 45%.
2015
The Scottish National Party wins 4.7% of the popular vote in the UK General Election, securing 56 out of the 59 seats in Scotland out of 650 seats in total across the UK.