Choose your side in the Scottish Civil Wars (1637-1651)

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The Civil Wars (1637-51) were an intensely turbulent period in Scotland's History. Beginning with a revolt against Charles I, these years spawned the National Covenant (1638) and the Solemn League and Covenant (1643), under whose banner the Scots engineered a sweeping revolution, intervened in simultaneous conflicts in Ireland and England, experienced multiple spasms of civil unrest, and ultimately suffered defeat and conquest at the hands of Oliver Cromwell. The trauma of these events would shape Scottish History for decades to come

But where would you have stood on these momentous issues? Would you have been a hard-line Covenanter, burning to usher in the reign of King Jesus? Would you have been a staunch Royalist, driven primarily by your loyalty to the king? Or perhaps you would have fallen somewhere in-between. Take out quiz to help decide where your sympathies would have lain during Scotland's Civil Wars.

Created by: Dr Allan Kennedy of Centre for Scottish Culture, Dundee
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What are your feelings about the Prayer Book riots (1637), through which a large section of Scottish society rejected the new Prayer Book imposed by Charles I?
- Treachery - the king's will must be obeyed
- Ridiculous - there is nothing wrong Charles's Church
- They had to happen, since the Prayer Book is unacceptable
- An honourable and Godly response to a devilish innovation
- I don't really care, so long the violence doesn't spread to my areas
Were you satisfied with the National Covenant's (1638) commitment to resist royal authority in order to protect the true Church?
- I wish it had been more explicit in naming Presbyterianism
- Yes, I think we got the message about right
- No, we should have found a less confrontational way to set our grievances before the king
- No, because resistance to the king is never legitimate
- That depends on the level of disruption it caused on the ground
- No, I want to maintain the Episcopalian Church
Was it right to invade and occupy parts of England during the Second Bishops' War (1640)?
- Absolutely not - it was a terrible insult to the king
- Well, at least it ensured that the disruption of war would be felt elsewhere
- Yes, it was a strategic necessity for securing our revolution
- Not sure - it risked escalating the conflict
- Emphatically yes - the cause of the Covenant demands to be boldly advanced
Are you happy with the constitutional settlement of 1641, which entrenched Presbyterianism and empowered Parliament at the expense of the king?
- The abolition of Episcopacy was a disaster
- It's great - we have secured our revolution forever!
- It's an abomination; a kingdom should be ruled by its king
- I'm not happy about how intrusive central government is becoming
Was it right to agree the Solemn League and Covenant (1643) with the English Parliament, as a result of which Scotland entered the English Civil War on Parliament's side?
- Reluctantly yes, because we need to protect our revolution
- Yes, it will allow us to spread Presbyterianism far and wide!
- No, the English war is nothing to do with us
- No, we should be fighting WITH the king!
- Not sure, but at least it gives me an excuse to beat up my Covenanting neighbours
How do you feel about the Royalist uprising of 1644-5 led by Alasdair MacColla and the Marquis of Montrose?
- It was a heroic show of loyalty to the rightful king
- It would have been worthwhile if it had forced a moderate settlement
- I'm not happy at the damage it did to my lands
- It was a Godless attempt to undermine the Covenants
- It caused regrettable weakening of the regime and the army
After Charles I surrendered to the Scottish army (1646), what would your preferred course of action have been?
- Transfer the army's loyalty to him straight away
- Hold on to him until we can get good terms from the English Parliament to disengage from the war
- Hand him over to the English Parliament and go home - the harvest won't collect itself
- Use him as leverage to secure the terms of the Solemn League and Covenant
How do you feel about the Engagement (1647), by which Scotland was committed to re-entering the English Civil Wars in support of Charles I?
- Excellent - we can finally reconcile the Covenanting movement with the king
- An utter betrayal of the Covenants
- So long as I don't have to fight, I'm fine
- Very dangerous - we cannot trust that man
- We should really just submit to Charles's authority
Following the execution of Charles I (1649), should Charles II be permitted to come to Scotland?
- Of course - he's now the king, and that's the end of it
- Yes, and it might give me chance to get the better of some of my enemies
- Yes, but we've got to be wary of him
- Only if he takes and supports the Covenants
- I hope he doesn't try to extract victuals from my land
In the face of imminent English invasion, how important is the Act of Classes (1649), aiming to purge public life, including the army, of Royalists, anti-Covenanters and other 'ungodly' elements?
- Crucial - only a Godly nation can hope to prevail
- The principle is okay, but I'm not sure about the timing
- Madness. Our movement must be broad-based if it's to succeed
- Strategic insanity
- Does that mean I can be left in peace to tend my estates?
Was it right for the government to repeal the Act of Classes in 1650, following a series of military defeats?
- No - it was a dangerous capitulation to ungodly elements
- Yes, It was a necessary wartime measure
- Yes, we need to throw off the yoke of the fanatics
- Only if it clears the way for the king to come into his own
- I'll support anything that keeps the English invaders away from my lands

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