Earl of Montrose escapes from the Highlands

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.3: Scottish Writing and Culture, 400-present.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Gina Lyle (University of Glasgow), J. Derrick McClure (University of Aberdeen), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Domains

Politics

Dates

Date of occurrence 1647-08-13

Places

Scotland (Location)

Resources

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The Earl of Montrose had been King Charles I's key military commander in Scotland during the First Civil War. He had originally joined the Covenanters in the Bishops' Wars, since he resented the political power granted to the bishops by Charles's plans for the Scottish Church. However, he was by no means a Puritan, and when the Covenanters signed the Solemn League and Covenant in 1643, to ally with the English Parliamentarians, Montrose transferred his allegiance to the King. He won a series of spectacular victories in Scotland, and became master of Scotland at just the point at which Charles's own armies were facing definitive defeat with the loss of the Battle of Naseby. He was pushed back into the Highlands, but in September 1646 he escaped to the continent. As an exile, he found…

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