1406

James I captured by the English.

24 Jul 1411

Battle of Harlaw, Inverurie, where the Royal forces, under the Earl of Mar, faced a Highland Host led by Donald Lord of the Isles. Heavy casualties were inflicted on both sides but eventual victory went to the Lowlanders as the Highlanders withdrew.

1412

St. Andrews University founded by Bishop Wardlaw.

22 Mar 1421

Scottish and French troops under the Earl of Buchan defeated English forces at Bauge in Anjou, France.

4 Dec 1423

Treaty of London provided for the release of James 1 from English captivity, for ransom of £40,000 paid in 6 annual instalments, and for the cessation of reinforcements to Scottish troops in France.

1424

James I allowed to return to Scotland from captivity in England. Commencement of a further golden period in Scots history, with the introduction of new laws, increased trade with the continent, and many improvements to the realm.

December 1437

James I assassinated at Perth. James II accedes to the throne.

7 Jan 1451

Glasgow University founded by a bull of Pope Nicolas V, at the suit of James II and Bishop Wiliam Turnbull.

1460

King James II killed by an exploding canon during the siege of Roxburgh.
James III (1460 - 1488) takes the throne.

20 Feb 1472

Orkney and Shetland annexed to the crown of Scotland as security for the dowry of Princess Margaret, daughter of Christian 1, King of Norway and Denmark, and wife of James 111 of Scotland.

1488

Assassination of James III by rebels. He was murdered after being accused of surrounding himself with evil advisors who encouraged him to bring Englishmen into Scottish affairs. James IV (1488 - 1513) becomes King of Scotland.

1493

Forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles. End of the Lordship and much of the
independence of the Isles.

1494

King's College, University of Aberdeen founded by Bishop Elphinstone.

1496

Education Act passed.

1502

King Henry VII of England gives his daughter in marriage to James IV of Scotland.

8 Aug 1503

The Marriage of the Thistle and the Rose - the wedding of James IV and Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, from which the Stewarts made claim to the English crown.

4 Apr 1508

The earliest known book printed in Scotland by Edinburgh printers Walter Chapman and Andrew Millar.

1512

Under the terms of a treaty with France all Scottish citizens became French and vice versa.

1513

The Battle of Flodden. James IV killed in battle along with much of the aristocracy of Scotland and thousand of Highlanders and Lowlanders by English forces of Henry VIII. James V prepares for throne, but Scotland is ruled by a regent until the boy is older. (r 1513-1542)

29 Feb 1528

Patrick Hamilton, student of Parid, Louvain, St Andrews, Marburg, Abbot of Fearn, burned at St Andrew for heresy, the first Reformation martyr in Scotland.

6 Jan 1540

First performance of Sir David Lyndsay's play 'Ane Satyre o the Thrie Estaites' in Linlithgow

1542

At the Battle of Solway Moss, the Scots are routed. Death of James V. Mary, Queen of Scots, born at Linlithgow Palace.

1544

The "Rough Wooing": England, pushing her territorial ambitions through a
proposed marriage and alliance, is sharply rebuffed, and thus resorts to
the more aggressive policy known as the "rough wooing" and aggression
towards Scotland. The Scot/English Border wars and conflicts, already
present, reach their height during this time as bloody Border conflicts abounded.

1547

Battle of Pinkie. 15,000 English under the Duke of Somerset defeated by the Scots.

1550

Death of MacKinnon, the last abbot of Iona.

1558

Mary marries Francis II (Dauphin) of France.

1559

John Knox's sermon at Perth - regarded as the start of the Reformation in Scotland.

1561

Mary returns to Scotland from France (r 1542 - 1567).

1565

Mary marries Henry, Lord Darnley.

10 Feb 1567

Murder of Henry, Lord Darnley, estranged husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, in Kirk o Field.

17 Jun 1567

Mary, Queen of Scots, imprisoned in Lochleven castle by the Council of Scotland and compelled to abdicate in favour of her son (James VI).

29 Jul 1567

James VI was crowned at Stirling. Regarded as 'The Wisest Fool in Christendom' he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. He subsequently only revisited his Northern Kingdom once.

1567

Knox's Liturgy translated into Gaelic by Bishop Carswell.

13 May 1568

Battle of Langside, the final defeat of Mary, Queen of Scots, in her attempt to regain the throne from her son, James V1, and his supporters. She fled to England and was imprisoned until her execution in 1587.

23 Jan 1570

James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland, assassinated by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh at Linlithgow.

1579

Bible printed in Scotland for the first time.

28 Jan 1580

King James VI signed the Confession of Faith, "The King's or Negative Confession", later incorporated into the National Covenant of 1638.

1582

University of Edinburgh founded.

24 Nov 1589

Marriage of Anne of Denmark, daughter of Frederick II, to James VI, King of Scots, in Oslo.

1 Jul 1592

Charter granted to Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth to found a university at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.

2 Apr 1593

The College of New Aberdeen, founded by the Earl Marischal of Scotland, George Keith of Inverugie, now part of the University of Aberdeen.

1598

Highland Landowners ordered to "prove" their right to possess titles.

1600

Scotland adopts Gregorian Calendar.

1603

Union of the Crowns: James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England, bringing about the Union of the Crowns. This was not an altogether welcome move in much of Scotland or England.

1617

James VI (on his only return to Scotland) tactlessly lectures his countrymen
on the "superiority of English civilisation".

1618

The "Five articles of Perth". James VI imposes Bishops on the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in an attempt to integrate it with the Church of England. This move was deeply unpopular.

1625

Death of James VI and I of Britain. Charles I (r 1625 - 1649) becomes King on the death of his father. Although born in Scotland, Charles had no interest in the country and dealt with Scottish affairs with even less tact than his father, causing discontent.

24 Apr 1633

Warrant from the Privy Council to Sir John Hepburn to raise regiment of 1200 men to fight in the French service. The recruits came mainly from the Scottish mercenaries of Gustavus Aldolphus in the Thirty Years' War. The cops ultimately became the First Regiment of Foot, the Royal Scots.

1637

The Scottish prayer book written. Charles attempts to further anglicise the Church of Scotland by introducing a new prayer book, which causes riots at St.Giles in Edinburgh.

1638

The National Covenant. A Protestant (mostly Lowland, later called Presbyterian) movement forms. Charles regards protests against the prayer book as treason, forcing Scots to choose between their church and the King. A "Covenant", swearing to resist these changes to the death, is signed in Greyfriars Church in Edinburgh. The covenant is accepted by thousands of Scots.

1639

The First Bishops' War. Charles calls a General Assembly, effectively abolishing the unpopular Scottish Bishops.

1640

The Second Bishops' War. Charles's peace collapses; the Scots Covenanting Army led by David Leslie shows force by marching on Newcastle.

1642

Civil war breaks out in England. The Scottish Covenanters side with the
English rebels who take power. The Earl of Montrose sides with King Charles
so civil strife also spilled into Scotland. It was as much of a religious war as
a civil war.

1643

The Solemn League and Covenant signed.

1644

Scottish invasion of England. Battle of Tippermuir.

2 Feb 1645

Royalist army led by James Graham, 5th Earl and 1st Marquis of Montrose routs the Earl of Argyll's Covenanting forces in the Battle of Inverlochy.

1649

Execution of Charles I. Charles II proclaimed king (reigned 1649-85).

1 Jan 1651

King Charles II crowned at Scone. The last coronation in Scotland.

1651

Scotland now under the command of the Commonwealth. The rule of Cromwell (1651-58).

1653

Scotland taken under the Protectorate (Cromwell).

1660

Restoration of the Monarchy. Charles II restored to the throne.

18 Dec 1661

The "Elizabeth" of Burntisland lost off the English coast with the Scottish records aboard, being returned from London to which they had been taken by Oliver Cromwell.

1682

Founding of the Advocates' Library, later to become the National Library of Scotland.

1685

Death of Charles II. James VII (II in England) (r 1685-1688).

1689

James VII and II deposed. William III (William of Orange) and Mary (Stewart or Stuart) II (r 1689-1694). Battle of Killiecrankie - Highlanders under leadership of "Bonnie Dundee" (John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee), defeats the Williamite forces of General Hugh MacKay. Dundee is killed in battle.

13 Feb 1692

Under orders from King William a Royalist force, under the command of Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, carried out the Massacre of Glencoe which resulted in the death of 38 MacIan MacDonalds.

26 Jun 1695

Formation of the Company which undertook the Darien Scheme and came to ruin five years later through English obstruction, Spanish hostility and Scottish mismanagement. To compete with the English East India Trading Company, the Scots formed a similar organisation, Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies. Known in London as the Scottish East India Company, investors championed the proposal. It settled in Panama with some poor planning, and when native Indians, Spaniards and disease nearly wiped them out, they called on the English fleet to rescue them (they were after all supposed to be a Union), but received no help from the English and only 75 Scots returned alive.

17 Jul 1695

Establishment of the Bank of Scotland under an Act of the Scottish Parliament, The Three Estates.

1696

Act for settling schools passed, called Education Act.