The Revolution in the Localities

This chapter reconstructs the events of the revolution in Scotland, from the collapse of James VII’s authority in December 1688 to the meeting of the convention of estates in March 1689. Focusing particularly on Scottish localities, it argues that the revolution consisted of a patchwork of local crises and contests for office, but lacked strong and coherent national leadership. Nevertheless, four types of revolutionary activity can be distinguished: violent crowd demonstrations; local elections in reaction to James’s interventions in the royal burghs; the reading of Prince William of Orange’s Scottish Declaration of Reasons for his invasion and addressing the prince; participation in elections to the convention of estates.