First "Scottish" king was Calgacus, recorded by Roman Tacitus, Pictish ("painted" ie woad), defeated in battle nr Aberdeen AD84 but never conquered. Quoted as saying "they create a desolation, and call it peace." Ruled north of the Tay.
Venerable Bede talks in the 7th century about 5 nations - English, Britons, Scots, Picts, and Latins. English refers of course to Angles; "Britons" were the natives who were Romanised, possibly Christian, probably spoke Latin. So not clear where exactly the Picts came from, Venerable Bede says Scythia! Probably a variety of different tribes and kingdoms. Ruled North and West between 3rd and 9th centuries. Left writing and pictures on stone, Celtic "tree" script of Ogham, lots of straight lines on edge of stone. Picts left no manuscripts. Carved many stones, often stylised animals but also objects and symbols. Probably codified language.
Although some Romans described blue tattoos, there is little evidence for this, and other accounts don't mention any distinguishing features.
Class II pictish stones have designs in relief rather than carved into stone, and usually feature designs on both sides, often with one side being a cross. Class III more obviously Christian without elaborate Pictish designs.
Designs on crosses like mazes came from Mediterranean. Ring crosses from Western Scotland esp Iona. Cross slabs are slabs with crosses carved on them.
Probably painted bright colours, for visibility, as often used to mark territory (inscribed names).
500 yrs later Bridei mac Maelchu met St Columba, ruled up to Orkney.
Battled with kingdom of Dalriada (Celtic, in Argyll and N Ireland, going back to mythical king Fergus 300BC), and becoming the Scots; Angles from Northumbria (held on to Lothians until 924); British kingdom of Strathclyde (Dumbarton Rock). Greatest Pictish king was Unuist mac Urguist in 700s. But all traces of the Picts disappeared from written records after 9th century.
Greatest king of Dalriada Aedan mac Gabrain, raided as far as Orkney & Isle of Man, made in-roads into Pictish lands.
Gododdin kingdom based in Edinburgh, took the Angles on before getting wiped out at Catterick in Yorkshire.
Rheged kingdom at Carlisle Celtic, drove the Angles to Lindisfarne in 590 but as victory seemed certain, King Urien was murdered by his rival Morcant, and the Angles managed to fight back. Eventually subsumed by marriage alliances.
Kenneth macAlpin emerged from a Dalriada under attack by Norsemen in the 850s, in fact a shadowy alliance with a Norse ruler in the Hebrides helped his rise to power. When a fierce Norse attack killed the leading members of the Pictish royal family Kenneth simply stepped in to become the first proper Scottish king. The relics of Columba were moved for safety to Dunkeld creating a centre of power in central Scotland: palace at Forteviot in Perthshire, Scone with its strange sacred stone, Pictish religious centre was St Andrews.
Picts & Scots united to fight Northumbrians. Meanwhile Dalriada disintegrated under Norse colonization. Kenneth often seen as first Scottish king but limited power - brother Donald who succeeded him forced Picts to obey Gaelic law and pushed north (commemorative Pictish stone "Sueno's stone" near Forres).
Kenneth's son Constantine colluded with Olaf the White, Norse ruler of Dublin, in attacking Strathclyde and killing their king Arthgal. Eventually killed in battle when the pact broke down.
His brother Aed followed (old Celtic practice of tanistry, most mature first degree relative, not always the son) but killed by countryman Giric, who unusually ruled in partnership with Eochaid, son of the king of Strathclyde. Marked the end of Strathclyde as separate ruler. The two of them deposed by descendants of Kenneth.
Constantine II (900-943) was the one who really put Scotland together. He wiped out the Norsemen who had been forced out of Dublin and captured Dunkeld instead. He supported the Northumbrians against the Norse of York, so extending influence over the Borders. Athelstan Of Wessex invaded from the South and got as far as Dunottar Castle, but the castle would not yield and he retreated. First time that the name Alba applied to the land.
Tanistry encouraged regicide. Macbeth's father, the Mormaer of Moray mudered by his nephews in 1020. Macbeth had the new Mormaer + 50 others burnt alive. Then married his widow. Fought Thorfinn the Mighty over Caithness & Sunderland, went to Rome on pilgrimage. Beaten at Dunsinnan in Perthshire by Malcolm Canmore & English allies. Was the last great Celtic king without any connection to England.
By end of 9th Century Orkney was chief of Norse mini-kingdoms (first under Norwegian then Danish control). Thorfinn the Mighty was part Scot through his Mother. Somerled ruled sea kingdom incl most of Argyll & parts of Hebrides but owed allegiance to Scotland and Norway. Battle of Largs 1263 took Western Isles off Norway, Orkney/Shetland not until late 15thC.
Malcolm III "Canmore" (cearn mhor, great chief) 1058-1093 was murderer of Macbeth. Sheltered Edgar, heir to the English throne when shipwrecked fleeing the Normans. In exchange for protection he married his sister Margaret. She was very religious, encouraged Malcolm to give up his feasting, fighting and fornicating and embrace church and charity insted. She transformed the court, with silk wall hangings, silver tableware (her mother was German-Hungarian). Children given Anglo-saxon names. Hence Queen Margaret hospital in Dunfermline.
By 1280 a robust market economy and a nation state, regardless of ethnic-cultural differences. William Wallace born to common landowners in Renfrewshire (or possibly Ayrshire!) in 1270. A giant of a man. After death of king Alexander, infant grand daughter Margaret a princess of Norway is heir but dies on way to Scotland. Nobles argue over successor, King Edward I of England asked to arbitrate which he gladly does but insists that the new king swear allegiance to him. But new king John Balliol makes pact with France & refuses to join English war so fighting breaks out.
Wallace gets involved when his wife (?mistress) Mirren Braidfute is killed by English Sheriff of Lanark, he kills him & starts rebellion same time as Andrew de Moray starts in Highlands. Andrew Murray (de Moray) is from the Black Isle, took Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness from Edward. Wins battle of Stirling Bridge (9/11) vs 30 000 army (incl 2000 cavalry, Welsh archers). Wallace held his 10 000 army on Abbey Craig above Forth, English impatiently began to cross narrow bridge. But Scots attacked before most of the cavalry were across, ground soft so unable to charge.
Wallace sent word to Europe that Scotland free from English control and open for trade. Knighted and appointed guardian, still loyal to Balliol. Foolishly took on Edward's army at Falkirk a year later, without much cavalry (Scottish nobles becoming suspicious of his influence and aims). Story told of meeting Bruce afterwards: "honourable liberty with danger, rather than ignominious slavery with security... I shall live free, or freely die". Embarks on diplomatic mission to France and Rome. Continues resistance for 6 years, but finally French abandon Scotland to win English support in Flanders. Executed 1305.
Robert the Bruce was competitor of John Balliol for throne, after Wallace's defeat and the exile of Balliol (quietly shuffled off to France) he took up the resistance. 3 of his brothers were executed by the English. Supposedly fighting on the same side, Bruce fought with Balliol's principal John Comyn. Once, after Wallace had gone abroad without their permission as guardians, Comyn's friend wanted to seize his estate as punishment; Bruce blocked him, daggers were drawn, Comyn even grabbed Bruce by the throat. But it was later that Bruce actually killed him, in a church in Dumfries, which led to his excommunication and triggered civil war.
Few turned up for his coronation. After his defeat at Methven he was declared an outlaw, hid in Western Isles, saw the spider in cave (says Walter Scott) and planned guerilla war instead of pitched battles. Took out English garrisons one by one, finally confronted Edward II at Bannockburn in 1314. The Scots were outnumbered by two or even to one, but they took on Edward's cavalry early with schiltroms (banks of pikes) before they could charge, then advanced with the English bogged down between the Forth and the burn. Died of leprosy. Bruce's body buried at Dunfermline, his heart was taken on a crusade to Granada before being buried at Melrose Abbey.
Declaration of Arbroath 1320 was a letter sent to Pope by nobles & land owners, declaring their right to freedom, regardless of the actions of their leaders: power lies with the Community of the Realm, not the king.
Edward I (Longshanks) was a committed warrior who took himself off on a crusade for 4yr although he arrived a bit too late for the main action. Died en route to fight Robert the Bruce but ordered that his bones shoud be carried into battle and no proper burial be given until Scotland defeated - hence buried in a plain sarcophagus in Westinster Abbey.
Stewarts came next after the last Bruce died without an heir. James IV was the model renaissance king - medicine, alchemy, printing. Pious on the outside, travelled the country with jesters, minstrels visiting an array of mistresses. Married Margadet Tudor but still supported France against Henry VIII. Died in shock defeat at Flodden, 1513, along with 5000 others.
6ft, redhead, French mother, father died when she was a baby making her Queen. Grand-daughter of Margaret Tudor, hence claim to English throne. A favourite in the French court where she grew up - loved poetry, music, dance. Had 4 childhood friends (all called Mary) to practise her Scots with. Married off to Dauphin (short, weak, stutter) aged 15 but he died soon after so treated as no longer necessary, an asylum seeker. Back in Scotland, turned Holyrood into lavish palace but had no interest in affairs of the nation. The printing press encouraged education & Protestantism esp in the towns hence resistance to her claim to throne. Picked on by John Knox, married an effeminate, prob bisexual, violent drunk (Darnley, in line to English throne, hence further threat to Elizabeth). He reportedly had one of Mary's ladies in waiting as a mistress, and conspired with protestants to murder David Riccio, Mary's Italian servant, suspected of encouraging her Catholic activism. Married Bothwell (who was unpopular) only 3 months after Darnley was murdered but only evidence she was having an affair contained in 8 "casket letters" no longer extant. Already married (got an annulment). Open war broke out against Protestant forces, imprisoned on island in Loch Leven. Escaped, raised army of 6000 (so still lots of support) but incompetent commanders lost battle of Langside to an inferior force in just 45 minutes. Fled to England, imprisoned for 19 years. Babington plot against Elizabeth concocted to indict her for treason but known to be generous, compassionate, high spirited. Wore tawny velvet and satin to her execution, colours of Catholic martyrdom.
John Knox brought Lutherism to Scotland in 1559, a message of fire and brimstone, an assault on the excesses of the Catholic church. The one compensation for all this was direct access to God, and power in the hands of the congregation. They could elect its own elders, and its own minister. He was contemptuous of monarchs, and they needed his approval eg marriage of Mary and Darnley.
James VI knew neither of his parents (Darnley), was crowned a protestant king at 1yr of age. He was tutored by George Buchanan, who studied at the University of Paris with Calvin and Loyola, and despite being a layman became a Moderator of the Kirks General Assembly, wrote a book claiming that ultimately political authority belonged to the people, and hence justified the right of the people to overthrow a tyrant... but ahead of his time). But James remained loyal to his mother and enforced crown control in religious, social & economlc affairs, contrary to the Scottish ideal. Came to English throne as Elizabeth had no heir, returned only once to Scotland afterwards but instituted centralized tax, laws, official language, Royal Mail. Began campaign against Scots & Gaelic speaking communities, seen as outsiders: planted Scottish protestants in Ulster as well as Lewis. All very unpopular.
Charles I just made it worse. Reintroduced episcopacy (Catholic style top down hierarchy of bishops) and Anglican prayer book. Riot in St Giles, Edinburgh, 1637 - started by Jenny Geddes who threw a stool at the minister. National Covenant drawn up at Greyfriars kirk, demanding that the king defend the reformed Church of Scotland, virtually the whole country flocked to sign up. Taken up by resentful nobles (Charles had seized many nobles' lands) who saw in its words a call for less royal control. Civil war exploded through Ulster, Scotland & England. With hoes and scythes they fought off Charles' mercenaries and forced him to back down. Nobles changed sides when perceived loss of power to commoners, esp as Covenanters instituted strict moral laws incl repentance stool in kirk for sinners. Charles executed by English parliament for his absolutist delusions.
Oliver Cromwell punished them all, unifying the Kingdom properly for the first time, created a republic lasting 10years, but everyone hated him. Charles II used pro-Stuart Highland clans to stamp out the New Covenanters.
James VII was start of Jacobitism. Brother of Charles, he had not been groomed for kingship but was a linguist and scientist. Declared himself a Catholic! Revived Scottish court, founded Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, promoted art & learning. Tried to extend tolerance to Catholics and radical Presbyterians both but Church rebelled anyway, declared his heir illegitimate and invited William of Orange (king's nephew) from Holland with his army. James wimped out & fled, interpreted as abdication. William wrote a clever appeal for support whereas James demanded obediance, which didn't inspire people to join him. Jacobite forces suffered a string of defeats incl battle of the Boyne in Ireland. James retired to St Germain en Laye.
Jacobite support in highlands was challenged by new garrison at Fort William. Clan chiefs bribed & forced to sign oath of allegiance. But exiled James only released the clans from their oaths at last moment. The chief of the Glencoe MacDonalds was detained by local forces loyal to William on his way to sign, made him miss the deadline by 5 days. Orders given to Campbells of Glenlyon to "fall on the rebels... and put all to the sword under 70".
William and Mary brought some respite from religious persecution but their exploits on the continent created dissent. But by now economics favoured England and their empire spread from the New World to Asia, while Scotland had barely enough food for itself, precious little to trade, and Englands wars had disrupted trade with France. William Patterson started the Darien Company as a way into international trade, English businesses campaigned against it, and despite many misgivings about the whole venture (to create a trading post in Panama) a huge sum of money was invested by many of the big families, mostly as a show of defiance! Some 2000 people set out for the mosquito infested swamp, the English and Spanish in Jamaica and Havana blockaded them, and virtually none survived. Scotland was bankrupted, at the same time as its harvests failed. The king's failure to support the Darien venture stirred the Jacobite flames even more.
Queen Anne, last Stewart monarch, James VII's daughter, inherited the throne from her brother in law but was married to protestant Prince of Denmark and refused to convert to Catholicism to support her mother, a source of eternal guilt. Pregnant 18 times but few survived and when prince died age 11, wrangling started over what should happen in case no heir survived, with English favouring distant Hanover cousins in Germany. Scots insisted on retaining right to adopt a different successor - English retaliated by blocking Scottish trade. Elsewhere in Scotland Union with England was seen as the only way to move the country forward. The English saw it as a way of containing Jacobite sympathies. Anne gave assent to act of Union 1707, scottish parliament bribed into passing it, but equally the Kirk instead of resisting gave its consent, presumably as a less evil prospect than a Roman Catholic Stuart King. The final signing of the treaty was done in a cellar opposite the Tron to avoid mobs.
First Stuart Rebellion in 1715 was against Union and the protestant George of Hanover (cousin of Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch), 20 000 strong force, about half lowlanders so not a highland thing. But inept military leadership, and retreated at battle of Sherrifmuir. Despite more taxes (including malt and whisky) there was better public order, roads, navy, army abroad, all good for international and national trade.
Knox also instituted parish schools, so that people could learn to read Scripture, and in theory for free. Act of parliament at the end of the 17th century established schools. By the end of the 18th century, Scotlands literacy rate was the highest in the world. Robert Burns was a ploughman, the son of a poor farmer, but he learnt Latin and French, read Shakespeare, Pope, Locke, agriculture, chemistry. Book trade became an important part of urban economy, and the universities of Scotland became centres of popular education attracting middle class, non-Episcopalians from all over Europe who could not get into Oxford, Cambridge or Trinity in Dublin. You only had to know Latin, and the fees were a tenth of those in England.
Encyclopedia Britannica was first published in Edinburgh in 1768. Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities were freed of Kirk influence, moved away from theology towards science, medicine, maths. Hobbes (wrote Leviathan) described society as being torn apart by conflict until a system of authority (any) was established; his cynicism was countered by Frances Hutcheson (an Ulster Scot), who said that man is a moral being by design, with innate compassion for others, and so finds happiness in acts of affection. This was actually seen as irreligious, contradicting original sin and the ten commandments. He also taught in English, discussing with studenst, instead of the usual reciting in Latin. In A System of Moral Philosophy he argued that each indiviual has a natural right to exert his power as he sees fit, as long as they do not hurt others; he was the first true liberal, and inspired the anti-slavery movement.
Scottish law encourages judges to establish the actual events, not just the adequacy of the evidence; and to use principles of fairness not precedent. Training involved study of philsophy and law at university, whereas in England barristers were trained as apprentices at the Inns of Court. Lord Kames (honorary title, for being a judge) liked food, drink and discussion with such as Adam Smith (pupil of Hutcheson), Boswell, David Hume. He asked where do laws come from, and why Hutchesons ideal society does not exist. His answer was that laws become necessary depending on the nature of society; as cultures turn towards cooperation (farming) laws are needed to bind people into the community, or in a market economy, laws are needed to protect property. But with commercial society comes affluence and politeness (mutually beneficial!) and so awe-inspiring figures eg monarchs are no longer needed.
Joseph Knight was an African born slave sold in Jamaica, brought to Scotland in 1769 by his master. After hearing of a ruling in England that slavery was illegal, he challenged his master to pay him a wage. When his master refused, he tried to run away, but was arrested. Boswell, Johnson and Kames were all involved, and pronounced slavery, indeed any kind of perpetual obligation of service, to be illegal.
Clans are a relic of feudalism, not tribalism. Although originally a family, by the 18th century only the rent-collectors were typically of the same family as the chieftain; the rest however were expected to share the chieftains songs, stories, slogan and badge (usually a plant). Fraser, Drummond, Montgomery etc are all Norman knights. The peasants worked the land and paid rent for it; the chieftains saw themselves as being aristocrats, went to universities, wore fine clothes and ate fine meals. They enjoyed the power of life and death over the people on their land. Colluding in this was the Scottish monarchy; there was no ancient loyalty, just mutual self interest. The crown supported their rights of ownership, inheritance and status; in exchange, the king could exert some control over far flung places, and enjoy setting one clan against another as suited (eg the death sentence on the MacGregor, who were driven out of Glen Lyon, including Rob Roy, the massacre of MacDonalds by the Campbells at Glencoe both on royal order). In 1745, loyalty to the British was determined by who was doing well out of the Union (eg Campbells) and who was not. The only compensation for the grinding poverty was the reputation as a warrior. For generations the highlands had supplied mercenaries for the armies of Europe, in Ireland, Holland and Germany. Were they good soldiers? They were probably fit and good with weapons, but actual clan warfare had died out more than 50 years previously.
Jacobitism was not just a Scottish issue. When George of Hanover, Queen Annes cousin, was crowned instead of James, her son, many saw it as an illegal coup detat. But George was Protestant, and James Catholic. Many in the Church of England, many landowners and Tories were Jacobites. Their political philosophy was reactionary, supporting the virtues of a land owning class, in the face of a vulgar capitalist society.
Trade struggles in the West Indies triggered a war against the Spanish, and then the French. With Britains armies bogged down on the continent, France saw a chance to defeat Britain by supporting a Stuart rebellion. Bonnie Prince Charlie was the son of James who lost out to George; he had spent his whole life on the continent, mostly Italy. He was only 23 when he joined a 7000 strong force at Dunkirk. But the force never made it to English shores because of a storm and the English navy. Instead of waiting on another attempt, Charles decided to land in Scotland and raise his own army. He landed at Eriskay with just one ship; but the clans united could theoretically raise an army of 30 000, although the aim had always been to have a mainly French army. But the Highlanders were a mixed bag, with some chiefs bringing only 20-30 men, often conscripted else threatened with their homes being burned.
With a small army Charles marched to Edinburgh, using the roads built by General Wade after 1715 to help the English army move between forts, where he found little resistance, because the loyal clans had all obeyed the law to disarm; the English army was beaten at Prestonpans. Charles marched south with an army of Highlanders and Lowlanders, through Carlisle, Lancaster, Manchester, and finally Derby - within 130 miles of London. But he found far less support than he had hoped, and by now the English had recalled their forces from the Continent. Even the Scots were bored by now, not caring so much about a Stuart in London as they did about a Stuart in Edinburgh. They got caught up in a pointless siege of Stirling, and by the time of Culloden, had no money and no food.
14 000 men went to battle. Not really Scottish vs English; at least half of the "English" army were Scots (Glasgow had raised a militia to support the English - the middle classes had no interest in a backward looking regime), and the Jacobites were reinforced with French, Irish and English volunteers or deserters. There was a bunch of 180 tradesmen and apprentices from Manchester, recruited by an English ex-officer of the French army! Nearly all executed by the government, as an example.
The Lowland Scots in the Jacobite army, many of whom were recruited from Edinburgh, did not wear tartan and carried muskets; hardly the savage Highlander of English propaganda. And of course, many soldiers on both sides were there because they were poor and had been sold into the army or else on the run from debt and scandal...
The English had brought artillery, and had also learnt to fight back against the Highlander charge by attacking the man to the right, not straight ahead. When the English caught up with Charlie, the Jacobites knew they were up against the wall, they were outnumbered 2 to 1, but they went to battle from a sense of pride. The artillery barrage killed or scattered a third of the Scottish forces, and the charging Highlanders were decimated by gunfire. It was the last head on clash of modern and premodern armies on European soil.
The atrocities that followed lasted through the summer and autumn. Parliament banned weapons (again), tartan and the kilt. Charlie wandered in disguise for 5 months, returned to Italy and died an alcoholic.
Glasgow became the world centre for tobacco trade, with bigger imports than London and all other English ports combined, a third of all Scottish imports, and two thirds of exports (to the Mediterranean and Baltic). Half of the American tobacco trade was in Scottish hands. The big family names were Glassford, Spiers and Cunninghame. Spiers was one of the richest men in Britain. There success was less to do with being closer to the US (further away from the export markets), more to do with pure dynamic capitalism: they could raise capital through the new Scottish banks, buy the tobacco outright, and paid only a small amount of interest to investors leaving more to plough back into the business. These business people were well educated, and generously supported the arts, plus attracting consumer and luxury services into the city. The Merchant City is testament to the industries and the families of the time.
In Edinburgh a competition was run to design a New Town. It was won by a 21 year old mason called James Craig. The politics were clear: Princes St, Queen St, George St, Hanover St. Both St George and St Andrews had squares; each national flower (Rose and Thistle) a street. Most of the buyers were merchants, except for Sir Dundas, who built the mansion next to St James bus station. Otherwise there was no room for aristocrats and private parks. Unlike the Old town, there was no room for the working class either; instead of the servants in the attic and tradesmen on the streetlevel, a new geographical separation had appeared. The last part of the plan was Charlotte square, which became the swansong of Robert Adam.
Robert Adam was from Kirkcaldy, his father an architect responsible for the RIE and the Glasgow University library. His style was Palladian , after the renaissance Italian Andrea Palladio: clean lines, monumental, domes and steps. After the death of his father, he and his brother went on a marathon 4 year trip to Italy. His favourite place was the Palace of Diocletian in Split; although magnificent, he found the design light and elegant. Other influences were Pompeii and ancient Greece. Rebelling against the Palladian style, he introduced decorative features, and a sense of movement. Back in London he designed Harewood, Lansdowne and Syon Houses, including the interior design, bringing in Wedgwood, Chippendale etc. The Adam style was also brought to America where it influenced the Capitol, and to the Russian Royal family (Charles Cameron).
Among the many social (drinking) clubs in Edinburgh was the Select Society. It included David Hume, Adam Smith, Lord Kames. Members included virtually every prominent man of lettters, physician, architect, merchant and lawyer. It also included ministers, unusually for enlightenment societies. Hume is the first modern philsopher. His Treatise of Human Nature, written when he was 26, includes all his later themes. First, that man is essentially a being driven by emotion and passion, and that reason follows emotion; we simply learn which passions are likely to be destructive and which are likely to succeed. Morals are purely a frame of mind derived from habit and experience. Society learns to cope with all this self-gratification not by authoritarianism, but by subverting passions into socially acceptable forms eg marriage, sport, war, and especially commerce. There is no innate goodness, no natural morality. Liberty, commerce, refinement but liberty must always be counterbalanced by authority, else it consumes itself. There should be a constant struggle, with none emerging superior.
Adam Smith was also from Kirkcaldy. He saw how moral judgements follow on from our first appreciation that others are like ourselves; we internalize the responses we witness to create our own conscience. But it requires imagination, the appreciation of beauty, empathy for our fellow man. In his Wealth of Nations, he dissects the success of his fellow Scots: division of labour, followed by a cycle of analysis and improvement (including intellectual work and culture). In this way a great excess of productivity allows for wastage at the top and bottom of the social scale. He identified self interest as the engine of change in this, but saw how cooperation was essential for this self interest to be fully manifest in a commodified society. He criticized governments for interfering with markets, almost always to detrimental effect; not that the free market was perfect, only more rational. He did however see a role for a strong government to provide defence, law and order, particularly with regard to commerce and property. The beneficiaries of such a system, in his outlook, were not business people put customers. He also worried about the effects of disempowerment and alienation, particularly on the lower classes, and emphasized the role of government in maintaining standards of education and cutlure, without which ignorance takes root.
Another member of the Select Society, Adam Ferguson, took this latter idea further and brought the ideas of civilization and civil society to the fore. A chaplain to the Black Watch regiment, he studied primitive peoples, especially in the ancient world, and identified qualities that were far from primitive such as patriotism, stoicism, independence, yet in decline in modern society. He predicted that tyranny would be the outcome of a modern commercial society based on self interest; others such as Smith and Hume thought the benefits outweighted the dangers.
Clan system not formalised, "protection" of chief in return for service esp military. Gaelic idea of duthchas (loyalty). Pressure was increased prices with Napoleonic wars and debts, due to elites trying to maintain lifestyle with minimal revenue. Against emigration recruitment initially (people as assets) instead Sheep introduced. given crofts with limited (inadequate) land and encouraged to fish or collect kelp. Markets for both failed, then potato blight hit. Unlike Ireland, most chieftains actively involved in relief efforts but now liability.
Chieftains now try to call themselves landlords, and encourage emigration in exchange for arrears. Sense of divine punishment for sins rather than breach of clan duty, only later seen as unjust (as other campaigns against landlords become prominent, and as nationalism develops). Former Jacobite military often leading emigration recruitment (as clans demilitarised post 1745). Ex-army often given chance to own land in colonies and keen to attract workers.
An imperfect, obsessive, perverse and often misguided man.
He wrote lovely letters to his wife, but it was probably a marriage of convenience, at least to begin with. He risked their lives and health, and after Mary's premature death on the Zambezi, eventually dispatched the children back to a "wretched exile" in Britain.
He had extraordinary endurance. But 2 of his most disastrous judgements ended in serious loss of life. And his last journey was that of a frail, delusional old man, struggling to control a murderous batch of porters, eventually to die lonely in Chitambo village.
[Julie Davidson, Sunday Herald]