1371 - 1509

1371
The Scottish Parliament gives the throne to Robert Stewart who reigns as Robert II, the first Stewart king. His weakness as ruler, however, begins the Scottish curse -- the conflict between nobility and Crown -- that is to afflict the nation for centuries.

1406
The accession of James I to the throne of Scotland gives his country a period of strength and stability; unfortunately, it will all come undone at his murder in 1437 when the long litany of murder, plot and counter-plot begins anew.

1411
The University of St. Andrew's is founded as a center for learning and the arts (it will be followed by the Universities of Glasgow (1451) and Aberdeen (1494).

1422
A long tradition of mutual respect and support begins between the kingdoms of Scotland and France: "the Auld Alliance." 1438 Scotland and England conclude a truce that will last for the next ten years.

1457
James II, in his zeal to promote archery, orders that "futeball and golfe be utterly cried down." He is eminently unsuccessful and both sports remain extremely popular in today's Scotland.

1460
James II, King of Scots, who had inaugurated his country into a period of political and economic growth, is blown to pieces after standing too near an exploding canon at Roxburgh. Another period of intrigue and counter-intrigue is set into motion.

1468
Orkney and Shetland become part of the kingdom of Scotland upon the marriage of James III of Scotland to Margaret, daughter of Christian I of Denmark. The islands will be annexed to the Scottish Crown by Parliament four years later.

1488
Albany and Mar, brothers to James III, lead an English army into Scotland. After a few indecisive years of fighting, James dies after falling from his horse and being stabbed by a passerby. The Regency continues under James IV, who will later prove himself a most able ruler and who learns to speak Gaelic, the language of many of his subjects. His commissioning of the "Great Michael" began the Scottish shipbuilding industry. 1492 Death of Blind Harry, the Minstrel, whose narrative verses make the name of William Wallace famous. This will have an enormous influence of shaping future negative Scottish opinion towards England.

1494
David Beaton, martyred Bishop, is born. His resistance to the proposed marriage of Mary Stuart to the future king Edward VI of England will frustrate King Henry VIII's plan to subjugate Scotland and thus help keep alive the Scottish nationalist movement.

The first written reference to the distillation of whisky in Scotland. It will not be the last.

1503
William Dunbar, the dominant figure in the golden age of Scottish poetry, publishes his masterpiece "The Golden Targe", perhaps the most vigorous poetry written in the English language during the early years of the Tudors.

1505
The College of Surgeons is established in Edinburgh.

1509
At the death of Henry VII of England, Henry VIII assumes the throne and will have his greedy eyes fixed on Scotland.