Kingdom of England

The Kingdom of England was a powerful and often adversarial neighbour.

During the medieval period, the relationship was marked by centuries of territorial disputes, military conflicts, and political maneuvering. Scottish monarchs, nobles, and warriors engaged in a constant struggle to defend Scotland's sovereignty against English ambitions and encroachments. Notable events such as the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, with figures like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, exemplified Scotland's determination to resist English domination. Scotland regarded England with a mixture of wariness and defiance, and the two kingdoms maintained a complex and often contentious relationship.

Economic pressures, political maneuvering, and the desire for greater stability led to the union of the parliaments in 1707, forming the Kingdom of Great Britain. This union was met with mixed feelings in Scotland, seen by some as a means of economic opportunity and security, while others viewed it with skepticism and as a loss of national identity.