Scotland's Last Parliament: The Union of 1707

In 1707, the Scottish Parliament voted itself out of existence, ending over 300 years of legislative independence. This episode explores the backroom deals, bribery, and fierce debates that led to the Act of Union between Scotland and England. We focus on the final months of the Scottish Parliament—the fiery speeches of Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, the calculated maneuvering of the Duke of Queensberry, and the role of English gold in securing a majority. Learn how the Union was sold as an economic necessity after the disastrous Darien Scheme, and how the promise of free trade and compensation for shareholders swayed votes. We also examine the immediate aftermath: the last sitting in March 1707, the transfer of the Honours of Scotland, and the simmering resentment that would fuel the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745. This is the story of how Scotland traded its crown for a union, and the fight for identity that continues to this day. #ActOfUnion1707 #ScottishParliament #TreatyOfUnion #DukeOfQueensberry #AndrewFletcher #DarienScheme #Jacobites #KingdomOfScotland #KingdomOfGreatBritain #Edinburgh #StAndrews #1707 #UnionOfTheCrowns #ScottishHistory #BritishHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo