In this episode we discuss chapter three of A People’s History of Scotland, “Reformation and the War of the Three Kingdoms.”
Charting developments in the 16th and 17th centuries, Sara and Chris are joined by Conter editor, David Jamieson, to guide you through three tumultuous moments in Scottish history: first, they analyze the Union of the Crowns, and the chain of events sparked by it. They explore the English revolution and Scotland’s role in it, asking why radical democratic movements like the Levellers emerged in England but no parallel appeared north of the border. Finally, they investigate how all of these stories are intertwined with the power of religion. As Scotland was transformed by the reformation, Sara, David and Chris discuss the Covenanters, the dual role of the church as an institution of social control and a site of democracy, and the imprints this era has left on modern Scotland