Scotland’s Unification History

Mary’s legacy to Scotland was give birth to James VI who became James I of England and so unified Scotland and England at last. However the religious split across the newly unified nation did not go away. The covenanters emerged and were persecuted for their beliefs, Britain was thrown into a bloody civil war which resulted in the protectorate of Cromwell. The Crown was soon restored but the troubles did not end there. the Stewart right to the throne was challenged and won by William of Orange. Scotland suffered a double blow after this; firstly in our darkest moment as the MacDonalds of Glencoe (above) were famously massacred and secondly in the ill fated Darien scheme. This failed venture to establish a trading colony in the new world all but bankrupted Scotland and lead indirectly to the Act of Union and the end of Scottish independence.