On this day in 1093, King Malcolm III of Scotland was killed during an ill-fated raid in Northumberland. Reigning from the 17th March 1058 until his death, Malcolm had spent most of his upbringing in the North of England – having taken refuge there after the murder of his father Duncan I by Macbeth and … More On This Day, 1093: Malcolm III of Scotland is Killed in Battle
On 19th July 1333, the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed lay under siege. Close to breaking point, the town’s Scottish defenders had agreed to surrender to the besieging English army on 20th July unless a relief force arrived. And in the gloom of the early morning salvation appeared on the horizon. 15,000 Scots under the command of … More The Scottish Disaster at the Battle of Halidon Hill
On 23rd June 1725, the streets of Glasgow were a scene of absolute chaos as the ‘malt tax riots’ erupted. The riots broke out in response to the extension of English taxes on malt across Scotland – a move which would have seriously impacted Scottish brewers and raised the price of beer for the average … More The Story of the Infamous Glasgow ‘Malt Tax Riots’
The life and story of Mary Queen of Scots verges on legendary. Love affairs, deceit, conspiracy, war and turmoil – it’s a tale steeped in romanticism and intrigue, and one that was made for Hollywood. Reigning amidst a period of social upheaval and religious unrest, Mary Queen of Scots is often remembered for the manner … More Five Facts About Mary Queen of Scots
From across the sea they came. The arrival of Norsemen on our shores heralded the beginning of a new, bloody era in British history. … More Land of Hope and Glory: Vikings and Saxon England
For the majority of Scottish monarchs, the end of their reign was marked by death. The reign of Constantine II is somewhat of an outlier in this sense, ending when the king abdicated to become a monk. … More Constantine II: The Scottish King Who Became a Monk
Scotland boasts a long, distinguished line of monarchs stretching from the modern day back to the early middle ages. From the Kenneth MacAlpin in the ninth century to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, many have ruled Scotland in its early and frequently fragmented forms. Notably, from the Acts of Union in 1707 to … More 5 of Scotland’s Longest Reigning Kings
Every year on 5th November, the skies above Britain are awash with colour as thousands of fireworks let out their brief, explosive bursts of light. Bonfires burn and Brits young and old recall the rhyme, “Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot”. The Gunpowder Plot reads like your quintessential Hollywood blockbuster; a … More Kings, Queens & Treacherous Schemes: The Gunpowder Plot
On the 26th October 1859, one of the fiercest storms of the 19th century raged in the Irish Sea, leaving behind a trail of destruction stretching from Devon to the west coast of Scotland. The Royal Charter Storm, also known as the Great Storm of 1859, claimed the lives of more than 800 people, twice … More The Royal Charter Storm: The Storm That Transformed Weather Forecasting
Fought on 10th September 1547, the Battle of Pinkie is a notable event in British history as it marks the final pitched battle between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England before the Union of the Crowns. … More On the Banks of the Esk: The Battle of Pinkie, 1547