Scotland (An Honorable Retelling)

Kingdom of Scotland
Rìoghachd na h-Alba
Kinrick o Scotland
Scotland
Timeline: An Honorable Retelling
Kingdom of Scotland Rìoghachd na h-Alba; Kinrick o Scotland; ScotlandTimeline: An Honorable Retelling
Flag	Coat of arms
	Motto: ; In my defens, God me defend
	Anthem: ; Scotland the Brave https://althistory.fandom.com/wiki/File:Scotland_the_Brave_(1995)_-_Pipe_Band_-_United_States_Air_Force_Reserve_Band.mp3;
	Location of Scotland (green)
Capital	Edinburgh
Largest city	Glasgow
Other cities	Aberdeen, Inverness, Stirling, Dundee, Paisley, Dunfermline, Perth, Stonehaven, St. Andrews
Official languages	Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Manx
Regional languages	English
Demonym	Scottish
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Legislature	Parliament
Establishment
Currency	Scottish pound (£)
Drives on the	right
Patron saint	Saint Andrew

Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Alba), officially the Kingdom of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba) is a country located in Northern Europe. It borders England to the south, Ireland to the west and the North Sea to the east. It consists of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjacent islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. To the south-east, Scotland has its only land border, which is 96 miles (154 km) long and shared with England; The population in 2022 was 13,436,600. Edinburgh is the capital and Glasgow is the largest of the cities of Scotland. The official and most widely spoken language is Scottish Gaelic, however Manx, Scots, and English are also recognized.

The Kingdom of Scotland emerged in the 9th century. In 1603, James VI inherited the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Ireland, forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. On 1 May 1707 Scotland and England combined to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain, with the Parliament of Scotland subsumed into the Parliament of Great Britain. In 1715, Scotland declared independence during the Jacobite revolt, initially attempting to restore the Stuarts to the crown, but was unsuccessful in conquering all of Great Britain, sustaining only its independence on the northern half of the island. It created a colonial empire, and established territories and domains in Naomh Lazarus, New Caledonia, and Borneo. It fought alongside France in the Second Great War, but broke relations with them in the mid-19th century, and was a member of the Allied Powers in the Third and Fourth Great Wars. Since the 1960s, Scotland has remained one of the most economically and socially advanced nations in Europe. Despite this, it has maintained high levels of inequality and a staunch urban-rural divide in recent years.

Scotland's mainland is primarily divided into three areas: the Highlands, a mountainous region in the north and northwest; the Lowlands, a flatter expanse in the country's center; and the Southern Uplands, a hilly area bordering the south. The Highlands, the most mountainous area in the British Isles, boast the highest peak, Ben Nevis, at 4,413 feet (1,345 meters). This region is also home to numerous lakes, known as lochs, and the term extends to the saltwater inlets along the deeply indented western coast. The geography of the numerous islands varies greatly. Islands like Mull and Skye are renowned for their mountains, whereas Tiree and Coll are notably flatter.

Etymology[]

The name Scotland originates from 'Scoti', the Latin term for the Gaels. Initially, the Late Latin word 'Scotia', meaning 'land of the Gaels', referred to Ireland, and similarly, 'Scotland' in early Old English denoted Ireland. However, by at least the 11th century, 'Scotia' was used to describe the Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland north of the River Forth, along with 'Albania' or 'Albany', both of which are derived from the Gaelic 'Alba'. The terms 'Scots' and 'Scotland', encompassing the entirety of modern Scotland, became widely used in the Late Middle Ages.

History[]

Prehistory[]

Before the Roman Empire's arrival, prehistoric Scotland was a tapestry of diverse cultures. The land, now known as modern Scotland, was repeatedly glaciated, erasing any signs of human presence prior to the Mesolithic era. It's thought that the earliest post-glacial hunter-gatherer groups made their way to Scotland around 12,800 years ago, following the retreat of the ice sheets after the last Ice Age. During that era, Scotland was a land of dense forests, expansive boglands, with waterways serving as the primary means of transportation.

The initial settlers are credited with constructing the earliest permanent dwellings on Scottish ground approximately 9,500 years ago, and forming the first villages about 6,000 years ago. One of the most intact examples from this time is the village of Skara Brae on Orkney's mainland, dating back to this era. In the Northern and Western Isles, Neolithic sites for living, burial, and ceremonies are especially prevalent and well-preserved, owing to the scarcity of trees which necessitated the use of local stone for construction. The sophistication of pre-Christian religious practices is evidenced by monuments like the Callanish Stones on Lewis and Maes Howe on Orkney, erected in the third millennium BCE.

Early history[]

The earliest written mention of Scotland dates back to 320 BC by the Greek mariner Pytheas, who referred to the northern extremity of Britain as "Orcas," which inspired the name of the Orkney Islands.

Bridgeness slab detail — Roman cavalryman trampling conquered Picts, on a tablet found at Bo'ness dated to c. 142 and now in the National Museum of Scotland

While most of present-day Scotland was never part of the Roman Empire, Roman dominance in the region was intermittent and brief. The initial Roman foray into Scotland occurred in 79 AD under Agricola, who conquered a Caledonian army at the Battle of Mons Graupius in 83 AD. Following this triumph, Roman forts were temporarily established along the Gask Ridge near the Highland boundary, but within three years, Roman forces had retreated to the Southern Uplands. The remnants of Roman forts from the 1st century have been discovered as far north as the Moray Firth. Under Emperor Trajan (ruling from 98–117), Roman authority receded to the area south of a line from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. Here, Hadrian, Trajan's successor (ruling from 117–138), constructed Hadrian's Wall in northern England, and the Limes Britannicus formed the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. The Romans had a significant impact on the southern regions of the country and were responsible for introducing Christianity to Scotland.

Constructed from 142 AD by order of Antoninus Pius, Hadrian's successor (ruling from 138–161), the Antonine Wall served as a defense for the Roman-controlled part of Scotland against the unadministered northern territories, stretching between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. The Roman invasion of Caledonia from 208–210 was initiated by the imperial Severan dynasty in retaliation for the Caledonians' treaty breach in 197. However, the Romans' attempt to conquer all of Great Britain was thwarted by intense guerrilla warfare and the death of Emperor Septimius Severus (ruling from 193–211) in Eboracum (York) due to illness during the campaign. Despite the Roman army erecting forts during the Severan campaign close to those built by Agricola, clustered at the Highland glens' entrances, the Caledonians revolted again in 210–211, leading to the forts being overwhelmed.

Roman historians Tacitus and Cassius Dio referred to the Scottish Highlands and the area north of the River Forth as Caledonia. Cassius Dio identified the inhabitants as the Caledonians and the Maeatae. Other ancient writers used "Caledonian" to describe any northern or inland area of Britain, often noting the region's inhabitants, fauna, frigid climate, pearls, and a significant wooded hill region (Latin: saltus) which Ptolemy, the 2nd-century AD Roman philosopher, located southwest of the Beauly Firth in his work, Geography. The legacy of the name Caledonia persists in place names such as Dunkeld, Rohallion, and Schiehallion.

The Great Conspiracy was a significant, seemingly coordinated revolt against Roman authority in Britain during the late 4th century. It involved the Gaelic Scoti and the Caledonians, referred to as Picts by the Romans. The rebellion was quelled by Comes Theodosius; however, by the early 5th century, the Roman military had completely withdrawn from the island. This withdrawal led to the Anglo-Saxon colonization of Britain and the subsequent migration of Saxons into southeastern Scotland and other parts of eastern Great Britain.

Kingdom of Scotland[]

Starting in the sixth century, the region now known as Scotland was split into three parts: Pictland, a mosaic of minor lordships in central Scotland; the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria, which had annexed southeastern Scotland; and Dál Riata, encompassing lands in western Scotland and northern Ireland, spreading Gaelic language and culture. These communities were family-centric with stark wealth disparities, though most were impoverished and engaged in subsistence farming. The Picts maintained a system of slavery, primarily war captives, until the ninth century.

Scotland from the Matthew Paris map, c. 1250, showing Hadrian's Wall and above it the Antonine Wall, both depicted battlements

The spread of Gaelic in Pictland and Northumbria was aided by numerous Gaelic-speaking clerics serving as missionaries. Saint Columba, working from the island of Iona in the sixth century, was among the earliest and most renowned missionaries. Viking raids on Scotland commenced in the eighth century, driven by desires for slaves, luxury goods, and chiefly land. The earliest Norse settlements appeared in northwest Scotland, with eventual conquests along the coast. Old Norse language replaced Pictish in the Northern Isles.

In the ninth century, the Norse incursion enabled a Gael named Kenneth I (Cináed mac Ailpín) to take control of Pictland, establishing a royal dynasty from which modern monarchs trace their lineage, signaling the decline of Pictish culture. The realm of Cináed and his heirs, known as Alba, was Gaelic in nature but occupied the same territory as Pictland. By the tenth century's close, the Pictish language had died out as its speakers transitioned to Gaelic. The kingdom, originating in eastern Scotland north of the River Forth and south of the River Spey, expanded southward into former Northumbrian territories and northward into Moray. Around the millennium's turn, there was a consolidation of agricultural lands, and the earliest towns started to form.

During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, a single monarch ruled much of Scotland. Gaelic culture initially dominated, but the arrival of immigrants from France, England, and Flanders gradually fostered a more varied society, with the Gaelic language giving way to Scots, leading to the rise of a modern nation-state. This era concluded with the onset of war against England, which spurred the development of Scottish national identity. David I (1124–1153) and his successors centralized royal authority and consolidated mainland Scotland, annexing areas like Moray, Galloway, and Caithness, though they failed to gain control over the Hebrides, governed by various Scottish clans after Somerled's death in 1164. In 1266, the pivotal Scottish-Norwegian War culminated in the Hebrides' reclamation following King Haakon IV's decisive defeat at the Battle of Largs. Until then, the Hebrides had been under Norwegian Viking rule for about 400 years, cultivating a unique Norse-Gaelic culture with numerous Old Norse loanwords incorporated into the Scottish Gaelic of the islanders, and through successive generations, saw the Norse assimilated.

Wars of Scottish independence[]

John Balliol — The dethroned King John, whom a Scottish chronicler dubbed 'toom tabard' ('empty coat')

The succession of Scottish kings was disrupted by the death of Alexander III in March 1286. Edward I of England played the role of arbitrator among the claimants to the Scottish crown. John Balliol was declared king in 1292 after conceding Scotland's nominal independence. In 1294, Balliol, along with other Scottish nobles, rejected Edward's summons to join his army against France. The Auld Alliance between Scotland and France was formalized on 23 October 1295, leading to war. Edward deposed John and assumed direct control over Scotland. Andrew Moray and William Wallace initially led the resistance against English domination during the Wars of Scottish Independence, until Robert the Bruce was crowned in 1306. The Scots' triumph at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 confirmed their regained autonomy. The Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, the first known declaration of independence, secured the support of Pope John XXII, resulting in the English Crown's legal acknowledgment of Scottish sovereignty.

The civil strife involving the Bruce lineage and the rival Houses of Comyn and Balliol persisted into the mid-14th century. Despite the Bruce party's success, the absence of an heir for David II paved the way for his half-nephew Robert II, the Lord High Steward of Scotland, to ascend the throne and found the House of Stewart. The Stewarts governed Scotland for the rest of the Middle Ages, overseeing a period of increased prosperity from the late 14th century through the Scottish Renaissance to the Reformation.

Union of the Crowns[]

King James I of England and VI of Scotland by John De Critz the Elder — James VI, King of Scotland, succeeded to the English and Irish thrones in 1603.

The Treaty of Perpetual Peace was signed in 1502 by James IV of Scotland and Henry VII of England. James IV married Henry's daughter, Margaret Tudor. Under the terms of the Auld Alliance, James IV invaded England to support France and became the last British monarch to die in battle at Flodden in 1513. The conflict with England during Mary, Queen of Scots' minority, from 1543 to 1551, is known as the Rough Wooing. The Treaty of Edinburgh in 1560 ended the Siege of Leith and acknowledged Elizabeth I as the Queen of England, leading to the Scottish Reformation's break from papal authority and Catholic doctrine. Mary, Queen of Scots, was deposed in 1567. Due to these conflicts, Scotland did not participate in the Pilgrim Crusades in Columbia, despite sending its own settlers there in the next centuries.

In 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended to the thrones of England and Ireland, forming a personal union known as the Union of the Crowns and relocated to London. Although the kingdoms shared a monarch, they maintained distinct parliaments, laws, and institutions. The first Union Jack was commissioned by James to be flown alongside the St Andrew's Cross on Scottish ships. James VI and I's ambition to unite the kingdoms into a single Great Britain was impeded by the English Parliament, which favored a complete legal union—a stance not supported by the Scottish Parliament, leading to the abandonment of the plan.

The military was bolstered, enforcing royal control over the western Highland clans. The Statutes of Iona in 1609 mandated the cultural assimilation of Hebridean clan chiefs. In 1641 and again in 1643, the Scottish Parliament sought a "federative" union with England, which would preserve Scotland's separate parliament, but these attempts failed. The union debate divided the parliament in 1648. The English Parliament dismissed a political union with Scotland in 1670, with similar proposals dropped in 1674 and 1685, likely on grounds of a depleted population and commercial economy due to the impact of the Evil. The Scottish Parliament also rejected a political union with England in 1689. Jacobitism, supporting the exiled Catholic Stuart monarchy, continued to pose a threat to the security of the British state under the Waldensian House of Orange and the subsequent House of Wittelsbach. In 1698, the Company of Scotland embarked on the Darien scheme to establish a trading colony on the Isthmus of Panama. Many Scottish landowners invested in the venture. Despite Scotland not being independent at the time, the colony was ultimately successful, attributed by historians to a more stable loan system and reduced competition from the warring Dutch and English.

Treaty of Union[]

Following the rejection of another proposal by the English House of Lords in 1695, and a subsequent Lords motion voted down in the House of Commons in 1700, the Parliament of Scotland once again refused union in 1702. On July 22, 1706, the Treaty of Union was agreed upon by representatives of the Scots Parliament and the Parliament of England. The next year, both parliaments passed the twin Acts of Union, establishing the United Kingdom of Great Britain from May 1, 1707, amidst widespread opposition and anti-union riots in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and beyond. This union also formed the Parliament of Great Britain, succeeding both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England, which had rejected proposals from the Parliament of Ireland for the third kingdom to join the union. The elimination of English tariffs led to a surge in trade, spurring economic growth. Nevertheless, Scottish nobles chose to continue colonial ventures in New Caledonia over investing in English colonial domains; this did not prevent a large portion of its population from migrating to Columbian colonies regardless. Glasgow remained the world's leading tobacco port, dominating global trade until the Dutch Republic took over in 1799. The wealth gap between the merchant classes of the Scottish Lowlands and the ancient Highland clans widened, deepening centuries-old divisions.

Rebellion and independence[]

Jacobite broadside - Jacobite Uprising 1715 — Broadside image: the Pretender, Prince James, Landing at Peterhead on 22 December 1715

The ousted Jacobite Stuart claimants continued to enjoy popularity in the Highlands and northeast, especially among non-Presbyterians such as Roman Catholics and the Northern Waldensians. On March 14, 1715, James Francis Edward Stuart, the Jacobite pretender, sought assistance from Pope Clement XI for a Jacobite uprising, stating: "It is not so much a devoted son, burdened by his enemies' injustices, as a persecuted Church facing annihilation, that seeks the protection and aid of its esteemed pontiff." On August 19, Bolingbroke communicated to James that "things are accelerating to such a degree that either you, Sir, at the helm of the Tories, must rescue the Church and Constitution of England, or both will be forever lost." Convinced that the renowned General Marlborough would support him, James expressed to the Duke of Berwick, his illegitimate sibling and Marlborough's nephew, on August 23, "I believe it is now or never more than ever before." In the Highlands, clan chiefs gradually started to think of themselves more as commercial landlords than leaders of their people, leading to a deposition of clanship, but the continued crisis over class divisions.

The Jacobites were fairly successful in their initial campaigns; an early success in capturing both Glasgow and Culloden led to England enduring varying defeats, provoking French aid to the Scottish revolt. France lent aid not out of sympathy for the previously-deposed Stuarts, but rather wished to weaken English naval dominance in hopes that it would allow them to secure control of port cities overseas. The Stuarts, however, opted for a more mobile plan: the entire conquest of the island of Great Britain. While having secured weapons and ammunition from French benefactors and manufacturers, the Scottish militias were halted at the bloody Battle of York, which solidified their control over Scotland only. The resultant Treaty of Paris led to English recognition of Scotland as a sovereign state, and the abolition of the short-lived Kingdom of Great Britain. The conflict, considered a theater in the Atlantic Revolutions from approximately 1702-1800, inspired much later revolts in the United States against English rule.

Scottish Enlightenment[]

Sir Henry Raeburn - Portrait of Sir Walter Scott — Walter Scott, whose Waverley Novels helped define Scottish identity in the 19th century

The Scottish Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution turned Scotland into an intellectual, commercial and industrial powerhouse — so much so Voltaire said "We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation." Scotland found itself increasingly reliant on the French commercial economy, and many of its deposits and commercial offices were headquartered in Paris and Calais. Throughout the remainder of the century, Scotland pursued a policy of relative non-interventionism, though largely sided with France diplomatically during the Napoleonic Era, to keep relations stable between the two nations in the eye of the French Revolution. Scotland supported the Irish revolt in 1798, and recognised the legitimacy of Joseph Bonaparte as the nation's monarch. Much later, Scotland seized border territories in response to Napoleon's 1805 invasion of England, but declined to send troops to ensure extended French control upon the nation's rebellion in 1816. Furthermore, the relationship between France and Scotland grew distant due to trade disputes and a decreased reliance on the previously agrarian economy, with the Scottish monetary sector becoming self-sufficient through the establishment of colonies in the Pacific and Columbia. Scottish attempts to seize Dutch colonies, however, often ended disastrously; the Dutch-Scottish War of 1788-1794 nearly saw the cession of New Caledonia following a botched Scottish attempt at seizing Steenland and Muggenkust from the Dutch Republic.

John Atkinson Grimshaw - Shipping on the Clyde (1881) — *Shipping on the Clyde*, by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1881

In the late 19th century, the rising significance of the working class was highlighted by Keir Hardie's victory in the 1888 Mid Lanarkshire by-election, which led to the establishment of the Scottish Labour Party. This party later merged into the Independent Labour Party in 1895, with Hardie as its inaugural leader. Glasgow expanded to become one of the world's largest cities, earning the nickname "the Second City of the Kingdom" following Edinburgh. Post-1860, Clydeside shipyards began specializing in steamships constructed from iron and, after 1870, steel, quickly supplanting the wooden sailing ships of both merchant and naval fleets globally. Glasgow emerged as the foremost shipbuilding hub of the world. However, the swift industrial growth brought about work and prosperity but also led to inadequate housing, poor urban planning, and insufficient public health provisions. Consequently, for a period, the living conditions in some towns and cities were infamously poor, characterized by overcrowding, high infant mortality, and escalating cholera outbreaks. A previous famine in 1788 caused by said conditions had led to an exodus of Scottish immigrants to English Novanglia, an embarrassment to the nation's monarchy.

Although the Scottish Enlightenment is often seen as ending in the late 18th century, significant Scottish contributions to science and literature persisted for over 50 years, driven by figures like physicists James Clerk Maxwell and Lord Kelvin, and engineers and inventors James Watt and William Murdoch, whose innovations were pivotal to the Industrial Revolution in Europe. In mid-19th century literature, Walter Scott emerged as a prominent figure. His novel 'Waverley' in 1814, frequently hailed as the first historical novel, initiated a prolific career that greatly influenced Scottish cultural identity. Later in the 19th century, Scottish writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.M. Barrie, and George MacDonald gained international acclaim. In the realm of art and architecture, Scotland was influential too. The Glasgow School, emerging in the late 19th century and thriving in the early 20th century, created a unique mix of Celtic Revival, Arts and Crafts movement, and Japonism, which contributed to the Art Nouveau style and was embraced across Europe. Key figures included the architect and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Scottish highlander ww1 — A member of the Scottish Highlanders, one of the most renowned Scottish regiments during the Third Great War

Third and Fourth Great Wars[]

Scotland significantly contributed to the Allied efforts during the Third Great War, notably providing manpower, ships, machinery, fish, and financial support. With a 1911 population of 7.8 million, Scotland dispatched over half a million men to the conflict, with more than a quarter succumbing to combat or disease, and 150,000 sustaining serious injuries. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig led as Scotland's commander on the Northern Front, where the nation's collaboration with England briefly improved bilateral relations. Scottish diplomatic initiatives were key in persuading Ireland to realign against France during the war. The period also witnessed the rise of the "Red Clydeside" movement, spearheaded by militant trade unionists. The industrial regions, once Liberal strongholds, had shifted to the Labour Party by 1922, predominantly in Irish Catholic working-class areas. Women played a crucial role in fostering community cohesion around housing issues. Within the Labour Party, the "Reds" had minimal parliamentary influence, and by the late 1920s, the sentiment had shifted to passive despair. Much later, the rise of Oswald Mosley produced a second cultural backlash against England, and internal movements during this period coincided with remilitarisation on the nation's southern border.

During the Fourth Great War, Scotland was targeted by fascist France primarily for its factories, shipyards, and coal mines. Major cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh, along with smaller towns in the country's central belt, were hit by French bombers. The Clydebank Assault in March 1941 was perhaps the most significant air raid, aiming to cripple naval shipbuilding in the region, resulting in 528 fatalities and the total destruction of 4,000 homes. In a unique wartime event in 1941, Jacques Doriot traveled to Renfrewshire, possibly to negotiate a peace deal through the Duke of Hamilton in an attempt to reinstate his former fascist regime in France. Before leaving France, Doriot entrusted a letter to his adjutant for Charles Maurras, outlining his plan to initiate peace talks with the Allies via Scotland. This letter was delivered to Maurras around noon on May 11, which Maurras was said to have torn up before repeating the attempt on his own behalf to make peace overtures, which Scotland refused on advice from U.S. president Alf Landon.

Cold War and modern era[]

After 1947, Scotland's economic situation worsened due to overseas competition, inefficient industry, and industrial disputes. Only in recent decades has the country enjoyed something of a cultural and economic renaissance. Economic factors contributing to this recovery included a resurgent financial services industry, electronics manufacturing, and the North Sea energy industry. Alongside this, deregulation to increase economic competition was introduced in the 1980s, which was met with high opposition from the Labour movements and trade unions. During the Cold War, Scotland retained relations with the Georgist bloc, and was a founding member in the GTO, as well as a vital member of the League to Enforce Peace. It assisted the Dutch Republic during the North Sea Crisis, and endured a series of nuclear close calls with its southern neighbor, the fascist Union of England. The Cold War in the British Isles came to an end with the collapse of the Union of England in 1983. A commonwealth system was adopted in 1989 to maintain de-facto control over the nation's colonial territories.

Throughout the 20th century, existing Christian denominations in Scotland were joined by others, such as the Brethren and Pentecostal churches. Despite some denominations flourishing, post-Fourth Great War saw a consistent decline in church attendance, leading to many church closures. In the 1950s, discussions commenced with the goal of merging the main Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist churches in Scotland. However, these discussions ceased in 2003 when the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland dismissed the proposals. According to the 2011 census, 53.8% of the Scottish population identified as Christian, a decrease from 65.1% in 2001. The Church of Scotland remains the largest religious group, encompassing 32.4% of the population. The Roman Catholic Church makes up 15.9% and holds significant importance in West Central Scotland and the Highlands. Recently, other religions have gained a foothold in Scotland, chiefly due to immigration and higher birth rates among ethnic minorities, along with a modest number of converts. The most significant numbers in the 2011 census were for Islam (1.4%, predominantly from South Asian immigrants), Hinduism (0.3%), Buddhism (0.2%), and Sikhism (0.2%). Other minority religions include the Bahá'í Faith and various Neopagan groups. Additionally, several organisations advocate for humanism and secularism, part of the 43.6% who specified no religion or did not state a religion in the census.

Though plans to increase the school leaving age to 15 in the 1940s were not enacted, more students remained in education beyond elementary level, leading to the age being raised to 16 in 1973. Consequently, secondary education saw significant growth in the latter half of the 20th century. To address changing ambitions and economic conditions, new qualifications were introduced, with the Leaving Certificate being replaced by the Scottish Certificate of Education Ordinary Grade ('O-Grade') and Higher Grade ('Higher') in 1962, which then became the standard for university entry. The expansion of higher education continued, with four institutions gaining university status in the 1960s (Dundee, Heriot-Watt, Stirling, and Strathclyde) and five in the 1990s (Abertay, Glasgow Caledonian, Napier, Paisley, and Robert Gordon). Following devolution in 1999, the Scottish Executive established an Education Department and an Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department. A notable policy shift, enabled by devolution, was the elimination of student tuition fees in 1999, opting instead for a system of means-tested student grants.

In recent years, Scottish society has become increasingly polarized amidst a secular climate. Corruption scandals, particularly with that of the Deputy Prime Minister Dòmhnall Trump, have eroded popular trust in the government and led to nationwide protests. Prime Minister George Galloway, who served from 2013 to 2017, oversaw the completion of a border wall to the south with England, and has attempted to distance the country from the GTO.

Culture[]

Scottish music[]

Scottish music plays a vital role in the nation's cultural identity, encompassing both traditional and contemporary styles. The Great Highland bagpipe stands out as a renowned traditional Scottish instrument, comprising three drones and a chanter—a melody pipe—both powered by a steady stream of air from a bag. Pipe bands, which predominantly feature bagpipes alongside various snares and drums, and often don traditional Scottish attire, have gained international acclaim. Bagpipes grace a multitude of events worldwide, from holiday festivities and parades to funerals and weddings. Numerous military regiments also maintain their own pipe bands. Beyond the Great Highland pipes, Scotland is home to quieter, bellows-operated bagpipes such as the smallpipes and the Border pipes.

Celtic connections[]

As a Celtic nation, Scotland and its culture are showcased at inter-Celtic events both domestically and globally. Scotland is home to numerous music festivals, including Celtic Connections in Glasgow and the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway. Festivals that celebrate Celtic culture, like the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland and the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, Novanglia, highlight aspects of Scottish culture, including language, music, and dance.

National identity and symbolism[]

The depiction of St. Andrew, who was martyred on an X-shaped cross, emerged in the Kingdom of Scotland during William I's rule. After King Alexander III's death in 1286, St. Andrew's likeness adorned the seal of the Guardians of Scotland, who took over the kingdom during the interregnum. The saltire, a simplified emblem linked to St. Andrew, originated in the late 14th century, with the Scottish Parliament mandating in 1385 that soldiers don a white saltire on their tunics. The tradition of a blue backdrop for the saltire dates back to at least the 15th century. Scotland's array of symbols and symbolic items, both official and unofficial, also includes the thistle, the national floral emblem (featured in 'The Thistle o' Scotland'), the Declaration of Arbroath with its 1320 political independence assertion, the tartan textile patterns indicative of specific Scottish clans, and the royal Lion Rampant flag.