Introduction

This book aims to cover two main gaps in the research on Scotland in the 1790s: While much work has been done on radicalism, comparatively less work has been carried out on loyalism, and no work has been published focusing specifically on the government’s supporters in Scotland – the loyalists. This book does that. Second, while considerable work has been carried out on individual issues such as popular disturbances, military recruitment or the prosecution of radicals before the law courts, a publication taking a more comprehensive approach has so far been missing. Again, this book aims to address the question of Scotland’s role in the 1790s in a broader sense, looking at, precisely, political trials, military recruitment, financial contributions, and loyalism.