History Guy
Number Six
OK, I edited it. Is this OK?
The earliest evidence of Scottish civilization dates back to 3500 BC, in the Orkneys. The site of Scotlands capital, Edinburgh, was itself first inhabited at about 1000 BC, making it one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in northern Europe today. At that point, Scotland was inhabited by a tribe known as the Picts. When the Romans invaded in 80 AD, the Picts went into battle, uniting under Calgacus. Though he was defeated, the Romans were never able to occupy Scotland, and by 122 AD, the Romans themselves flung up Hadrians Wall just to keep out these fearsome warriors. By the late 4th Century AD, the Picts had joined up with a bunch from Ireland known as the Scots, and they soon together launched invasions of Roman Britannia. After the Romans left in the late 300s, the Scots and the Picts settled down to do some inter-tribal warring. This conflict was finally brought to a close when the High King of Dal Riata, Kenneth MacAlpin, finally united Scotland in 843 AD. Kenneths descendents kept up his empire-building attitude, only to be defeated in battle at Brunanburgh during a Scottish invasion.
In 1286 AD, Scotland again entered the worlds stage. The Scots came together to choose a new High King, but they seem to have had quite a tough time doing so, so much so that they called in the King of England, Edward I to settle the issue. Edward chose for them John Balliol (after Balliol informed Edward that hed be forever in his service). Unfortunately for Scotland, Balliol had a short memory, allying with Edwards enemies. Enraged, Edward, invaded Scotland, booting out Balliol, carrying off the Sacred Stone of Scone, and declaring himself master of the kingdom. A few Scots were a bit peeved by the idea, William Wallace and Robert Bruce being the most famous. After Wallace was defeated and executed, Bruce took over, being crowned King. In 1314, Robert Bruce destroyed an English army under Edwards son. Then, he truly unified Scotland as a whole. The next couple of centuries served as a period of unification and improvement of Scotland by its kings. Things changed in 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of Great Britain, thus uniting England and Scotland. James moved his capital from Edinburgh to London, and started up the Stuart dynasty of kings. After the Restoration of the Stuarts, and then their ultimate ousting by the Hanoverians, Scotland again played a part in world history. This happened in 1745, when the grandson of the last Stuart king, Charles Stuart (known better as Bonnie Prince Charlie), returned to Scotland in order to launch an invasion of England and kick those Germans out. Despite initial successes, the Jacobites, as Charlies followers were known, were forced to retreat back to Scotland, and were finally defeated at Culloden. From that time on, Scotland played a major figure (under British rule) in the Industrial Revolution, producing some of the great minds of the time: James Watt, Alexander G. Bell, David Hume, and Adam Smith. In 1997, Scotland finally got itself the freedom to convene its own parliament at Edinburgh.
The earliest evidence of Scottish civilization dates back to 3500 BC, in the Orkneys. The site of Scotlands capital, Edinburgh, was itself first inhabited at about 1000 BC, making it one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in northern Europe today. At that point, Scotland was inhabited by a tribe known as the Picts. When the Romans invaded in 80 AD, the Picts went into battle, uniting under Calgacus. Though he was defeated, the Romans were never able to occupy Scotland, and by 122 AD, the Romans themselves flung up Hadrians Wall just to keep out these fearsome warriors. By the late 4th Century AD, the Picts had joined up with a bunch from Ireland known as the Scots, and they soon together launched invasions of Roman Britannia. After the Romans left in the late 300s, the Scots and the Picts settled down to do some inter-tribal warring. This conflict was finally brought to a close when the High King of Dal Riata, Kenneth MacAlpin, finally united Scotland in 843 AD. Kenneths descendents kept up his empire-building attitude, only to be defeated in battle at Brunanburgh during a Scottish invasion.
In 1286 AD, Scotland again entered the worlds stage. The Scots came together to choose a new High King, but they seem to have had quite a tough time doing so, so much so that they called in the King of England, Edward I to settle the issue. Edward chose for them John Balliol (after Balliol informed Edward that hed be forever in his service). Unfortunately for Scotland, Balliol had a short memory, allying with Edwards enemies. Enraged, Edward, invaded Scotland, booting out Balliol, carrying off the Sacred Stone of Scone, and declaring himself master of the kingdom. A few Scots were a bit peeved by the idea, William Wallace and Robert Bruce being the most famous. After Wallace was defeated and executed, Bruce took over, being crowned King. In 1314, Robert Bruce destroyed an English army under Edwards son. Then, he truly unified Scotland as a whole. The next couple of centuries served as a period of unification and improvement of Scotland by its kings. Things changed in 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of Great Britain, thus uniting England and Scotland. James moved his capital from Edinburgh to London, and started up the Stuart dynasty of kings. After the Restoration of the Stuarts, and then their ultimate ousting by the Hanoverians, Scotland again played a part in world history. This happened in 1745, when the grandson of the last Stuart king, Charles Stuart (known better as Bonnie Prince Charlie), returned to Scotland in order to launch an invasion of England and kick those Germans out. Despite initial successes, the Jacobites, as Charlies followers were known, were forced to retreat back to Scotland, and were finally defeated at Culloden. From that time on, Scotland played a major figure (under British rule) in the Industrial Revolution, producing some of the great minds of the time: James Watt, Alexander G. Bell, David Hume, and Adam Smith. In 1997, Scotland finally got itself the freedom to convene its own parliament at Edinburgh.
