Overview of Scottish history under the Commonwealth of England
Oliver Cromwell, whose military victories at Dunbar and Worcester opened the way for the creation of the union of the Commonwealth and who emerged as its dominant figure as Lord Protector
Scotland under the Commonwealth is the history of the Kingdom of Scotland between the declaration that the kingdom was part of the Commonwealth of England in February 1652, and the Restoration of the monarchy with Scotland regaining its position as an independent kingdom, in June 1660.
After the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Scottish Parliament declared his son Charles II to be King of Scotland, England and Ireland. The English responded with an invasion led by Oliver Cromwell, resulting in defeats for the Scots at Dunbar and then at Worcester, opening the way for the English conquest of the country. Under the Tender of Union, Scotland was declared part of a Commonwealth with England and Ireland in 1652, but despite repeated attempts, an act was not passed in Westminster to ratify the union until 1657. Under the terms of the union, the Scots gained 30 members of parliament, but many posts were not filled, or fell to English agents of the government, and had very little say at Westminster. Initially the government was run by eight commissioners and adopted a policy of undermining the political power of the nobility in favour of the "meaner sort". From 1655 it was replaced by a new Council of Scotland, headed by Irish peer Lord Broghill, and began attempts to win over the traditional landholders. The regime built a series of major citadels and minor forts at immense cost. The Scottish legal system was suspended, but some courts and institutions were gradually restored. Generally the regime was successful in enforcing law and order and suppressing banditry. There was a major Royalist rising in the Highlands in 1653–1655 led by William Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn and John Middleton. After initial success, it suffered from internal divisions and petered out after defeat at the Battle of Dalnaspidal in 1654.
The Commonwealth extended toleration to Protestants, including sectaries, but the only significant group were a small number of Quakers. The Kirk that had been established at the Reformation and had been largely united since the Declaration of the Covenant in 1638, was divided into Resolutioners and more hard line Protesters by the issue of co-operation with the crown. The regime tended to favour the Protestors giving them control over the universities. The country was relatively highly taxed, but gained access to English markets. The era was remembered by one Presbyterian divine as one of prosperity, but not everywhere benefitted from economic expansion. There was an attempt to create national symbols with the revival of the union flag and unite coin. After the death of Oliver Cromwell and the fall of his son Richard's regime, General Monck marched the army in Scotland south and facilitated the Restoration of Charles II in 1660.
and 26 Related for: Scotland under the Commonwealth information
ScotlandundertheCommonwealth is the history of the Kingdom of Scotland between the declaration that the kingdom was part of theCommonwealth of England...
TheCommonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed...
victory anthem of Team Scotland at theCommonwealth Games in 2010, replacing "Scotlandthe Brave". This trend continued to theCommonwealth Games in 2014 where...
of theCommonwealth of Nations. She was elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and took office on 1 April 2016. She is the first...
May 1659, under which the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with their associated territories were joined together in theCommonwealth of England...
victory anthem of Scotland at theCommonwealth Games since 2010, replacing "Scotlandthe Brave". "Flower of Scotland" was written in the mid-1960s by Roy...
Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's...
TheCommonwealth of Nations, often simply referred to as theCommonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which...
(1660) Scotland Interregnum (Scotland) Scotland in the Early Modern Era Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms ScotlandundertheCommonwealth Restoration...
TheScotland national football team represents Scotland in men's international football and is controlled by theScottish Football Association. It competes...
TheCommonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from theCommonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not...
TheCommonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of theCommonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating...
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within theCommonwealth that has Charles III as its monarch and ceremonial head of state. All the realms are...
The 2014 Commonwealth Games (Scottish Gaelic: Geamannan a' Cho-fhlaitheis 2014), officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow...
teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. The only Commonwealth members to have never taken...
Scotland to represent the country at theCommonwealth Games Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Scotland at...
although still legally known as a Commonwealth, the republic, united with the former Kingdom of Scotland, operated under different institutions (at times...
England, Scotland and Ireland, then separate entities united in a personal union under Charles I. They include the 1639 to 1640 Bishops' Wars, the First...
England and Scotland by the 10th century. England was conquered by the Normans in 1066, after which Wales also gradually came underthe control of Anglo-Normans...
TheCommonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 sovereign states, referred to as Commonwealth countries. Most of them were British colonies...
the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states over the course...
The Royal Commonwealth Pool is a category-A-listed building in St Leonard's, Edinburgh, Scotland that houses one of Scotland's main swimming pools. It...
The republics in theCommonwealth of Nations are the sovereign states in the organisation with a republican form of government. As of June 2022[update]...
Cromwell, followed by the Royalist invasion of England, and the absorption of Scotland into theCommonwealth of England. Scottish invasions of England...
affiliated with the World Union of Karate Do Federations (WUKF). See also under Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Scottish Athletics is the governing body...
The majority of the countries of theCommonwealth of Nations, formerly known as the British Commonwealth, still criminalise sexual acts between consenting...