The Raid of Ruthven was a political conspiracy where several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, abducted the young King James VI of Scotland. They wanted to reform the government of Scotland and limit the influence of French and pro-catholic policy, and to prevent or at least manage the return of […]
The Rough Wooing was a very tumultuous time in Dundee’s history, during which almost the entire town was destroyed. In 1543 England was feeling trapped and surrounded by Catholic powers. Scotland was still part of the ‘auld alliance’ with France and Catholicism still reigned here, so the English worried about the potential for invasion from […]
When the Scottish Reform Act was finally passed into law in 1832, none were more jubilant than the folk of Dundee. Known as a ‘radical toon’, Dundee is said to have been of significant help to the cause of Reform. Once the news had hit the town, it quickly spread to the Radicals, who prepared […]
London was the worst affected by the Blitz, and ports in places such as Glasgow came under heavy bombing. But Dundee was not to be spared, and on 5th November 1940, 8 bombs were dropped in Dundee.
Local historians agree that there is evidence of Vikings in the area, and DNA analysis suggests 8% of us have Viking ancestry in our genes. But did they battle the locals at Barry?
Long before the city of Dundee arose, the land around the Tay estuary was the site of many a battle and skirmish. There is evidence showing the Law being used as a fort back to the Iron Age, and remains from Roman times can also be found…but evidence of any long-ago fought battles is lost […]
Dundee was certainly a pivotal city in the life of William Wallace, he was certainly educated here and did reclaim the city from the English during the wars of independence. But did he in fact, strike his first blow in the war that was to shape his life, here in Dundee? The story starts in […]
In 16th century Scotland, a series of riots began to unfold along the East coast of Scotland. Believed to have started in Fife, the riots quickly escalated and involved hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of angry protestors.
On the 1st of September 1651, General George Monck, Commander-in-chief to Oliver Cromwell, captured the town of Dundee. A bloody battle ensued, provoked by Cromwell’s outrage at the Royalist stance of it’s people.