This weekly Scottish history newsletter provides summaries of important events that occurred each day being highlighted. Some of the events summarized are the death of King David II in 1371, the Scottish army defeating England at the Battle of Roslin in 1303, the first journey of the 'Flying Scotsman' train in 1923, and St Andrews University being established in 1412. It also profiles Elsie Inglis, a Scottish woman who worked as a war doctor and political campaigner in the early 1900s. Additionally, it summarizes the Declaration of Arbroath, an important document from 1320 that helped Scotland gain independence from England.

1. Quick
Scottish
History
Issue 1 22 February – 28 February
This week in Scottish history…
22 February 1371 – Death of King David II (son of Robert the Bruce)
23 February 1303 – Scottish army defeats England at the Battle of Roslin
24 February 1923 – The first journey of the ‘Flying Scotsman’ train
25 February 1412 – St Andrews University was established
26 February 1931 – Birth of former Scotland manager Ally MacLeod
27 February 1545 – Scottish army wins the Battle of Ancrum Moor
28 February 1638 – National Covenant of Scotland signed
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Weekly quiz
What is Scotland’s official animal?
There’s no prize, but come back next week to find out the
highly unusual answer.
The life of …
Elsie Inglis
Elsie Inglis had a varied and exciting life,
spending time as a war doctor, political
campaigner and teacher.
She had Scottish parents and was born
in India in 1864. Inglis was educated in
Edinburgh and later opened a hospital
for poor women in the city. She also
worked as a medical lecturer at the
Medical College for Women.
During the campaign for women to be
given the vote, Inglis was an important
Suffragist, taking part in various peaceful
campaigns to win this right.
During the First World War, Inglis helped
set up the Scottish Women’s Hospital for
Foreign Service. She worked for the
French government with a field hospital
set up in Serbia.
Inglis became ill during the war and was
eventually diagnosed with bowel cancer.
She returned to the UK and died in 1917
in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The Declaration of Arbroath
Arguably the most famous document in Scotland’s history, this
was part of the 1286-1328 Scottish Wars of Independence.
Scotland was without a king and under English rule following
the death of Alexander III (in 1286) and the removal of John
Balliol (in 1296). Robert the Bruce led a rebellion, most
famously wining the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn.
However Bruce still needed to win Scotland’s full
independence, including getting support from Pope John XXIII
for his position as king and his country’s independence.
To achieve this, in 1320 three letters were sent to the Pope.
These were from Robert the Bruce, Scotland’s nobles and also
the bishops of Scotland. The letters are believed to have been
written in Arbroath Abbey, giving them the Arbroath name.
In 1324, the Pope eventually gave his backing to Bruce being
the king and in 1328 the wars finally ended with Scotland
winning its independence.
Nowadays only one copy of the letters survives. This is kept in
Edinburgh,at the National Museum of Scotland.
To suggest topics for the newsletter, get in touch via Twitter: @mrmarrhistory