Events in Scottish History
February
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	1		February		1709		Alexander Selkirk, from Lower Largo in Fife, and the inspiration of "Robinson Crusoe", rescued from Isla Más a Tierra (today known as Robinson Crusoe Island), in the Juan Fernández Islands, over 400 miles off the West Coast of Chile.
	2		February		1645		Battle of Inverlochy.  The Marquis of Montrose defeated the Covenanters.
	3		February		1828		Admiral Sir Richard Strachan RN, KB (Bart.) died.
	3		February		1903		Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, born.  He served in the Royal Air Force and was Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire 1930-1940.
	4		February		1716		James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender, left Montrose, at the end of  the '15 Jacobite Rising.
	4		February		1818		The Honours of Scotland, laid up in Edinburgh  on order in 1707 on the Union of Parliaments, were rediscovered by Walter Scott.  They went on display in the Castle in 1819. They were joined by the Stone of Destiny, which spent 700 years in Westminster Abbey, in 1996.
	5		February		1649		Charles II proclaimed King in Edinburgh following the execution of his father, Charles I.
	5		February		1941		The "S S POLITICIAN", with a cargo of whisky, ran aground of the North Shore of the Island of Eriskay.  The event and subsequent developments is remembered in the film "Whisky Galore". See also: Whisky Galore and the SS Politican
	6		February		1665		The future Queen Anne born.
	6		February		1685		Charles II died.
	6		February		1807		General John Reid, soldier and composer, founder of the Chair of Music at  The University of Edinburgh, died in London.
	6		February		1952		George VI died at Sandringham, aged 56. Queen Elizabeth accedes to the Throne. 2012 marks the Diamond Jubilee of her Reign. Churchill's tribute to George VI.
	7		February		1592		James Stewart, the Bonny Earl of Moray murdered at Donibristle. 386. Bonny Earl of Murray. Anonymous. The Oxford Book of English Verse
	7		February		1837		James Murray, first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, born in Denholm Scotland.
	8		February		1587		Mary Queen of Scots executed by beheading at Fotheringay Castle at the age of 44.
	8		February		1599		Robert Rollock, Principal of The University of Edinburgh, died. He was born in 1555.
	8		February		1928		John Logie Baird demonstrated television transmitting from London to New York.
	9		February		1666		George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney (Third Creation) , soldier,  baptised. He served in the 1st Regiment of Foot (The Royal Scots).
	9		February		1773		Dr. John Gregory, author of "A Father's Legacy to his Daughters", died in Edinburgh.
	10		February		1306		Robert the Bruce murdered John "The Red" Comyn in Greyfriars Kirk, Dumfries. Jamd - Killing Comyn Scran - Murder of John Comyn
	10		February		1567		Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, died. A massive explosion destroyed Kirk o' Fields house, where he was staying, but his body and that of his valet were found in an orchard nearby, strangled.
	11		February		1649		William Carstares. Minister, born at Cathcart.
	11		February		1895		Lowest temperature first ever recorded in Scotland -27.2 degrees Centigrade at Braemar .
	11		February		1940		John Buchan, novelist and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, died.
	12		February		1424		James I married Lady Joan Beaufort.
	12		February		1624		George Heriot, Goldsmith, founder of George Heriot's School,  died in London.
	13		February		862		Kenneth MacAlpin who united the Picts and Scots in one kingdom, died at Forteviot.  His reign is given in the Pictish Chronicle as twenty eight year.
	13		February		1692		The Massacre of Glencoe. Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon and a Government force massacred  38 MacDonalds on direct orders from Dalrymple of Stair, orders, counter-signed twice by King William. In terms of the Highland Culture of the times, the real offence was that the Government force had accepted their hospitality (for some 12 days) before turning on them.
	13		February		1721		General John Reid, soldier and composer, founder of the Chair of Music at  The University of Edinburgh, born.
	14		February		1799		Captain James Cook, son of a Scottish Labourer, killed in Hawaii.
	14		February		1876		Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone, patent no. 174461.
	14		February		1864		William Dyce, painter, born in Aberdeen in 1806, died in Streatham.
	15		February		1540		James V granted a letter under the Privy Seal to  Johnny Faa confirming his authority over the Egyptians, or "Gypsies" in Scotland calling on all sheriffs in the country to "...assist him in executione of justice upoun his company and folkis.".
	15		February		1848		The Caledonian Railway opened its line from Beattock to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
	16		February		1746		The Rout of Moy.  The Jacobites overcame a Government Force who were attempting to capture Charles Edward Stuart at Moy Hall. The only death in the Rout of Moy was that of Donald Ban MacCrimmon, Hereditary Piper to the MacLeods of Dunvegan.
	16		February		1872		Pipe Major George Findlater VC, of The Gordon Highlanders born at Mill of Turriff, Aberdeenshire. He won the Victoria Cross at the Heights of Dargai, during the Tirah Campaign, NW India, on 20th October 1897, playing the successful attack forward after being shot through both legs.
	17		February		1688		Rev. James Renwick, Covenanter, executed at the Grassmarket, Edinburgh.
	17		February		1796		James Macpherson, author of Ossian and Fingal, died.
	18		February		1797		Sir Ralph Abercromby, 2nd Baron Dunfermline, takes possession of Trinidad.
	18		February		1882		The Scotland v. Ireland Rugby Match resulted in a 0-0 draw at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow.
	19		February		1594		Henry Frederick Stuart, first child of James VI  and Anne of Denmark, was born at Stirling Castle in Scotland.
	20		February		1463		James I murdered at Greyfriars, Perth by the Earl of Atholl. (Some sources say 21st February.)
	20		February		1472		The Scottish Parliament annexed the earldom of Orkney and the lordship of Shetland to the Crown  "Alsua the samyn day our souverain lorde, withe deliverance of his thre estatis, annext and uniit the erledome of Orknay and the lordschip of Scheteland to the croune, nocht to be gevin away in tyme to cum to na persoune nor persounis except anerly til ane the kingis sonnis† of lauchefull bed." This followed Christian I's failure to pay the pledges for his daughter, Margaret's dowry.  In 1468 Christian I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden had contracted to marry his daughter, Margaret Oldenburg, Princess of Denmark, to James III with a dowry of 60,000 florins, 10,000 florins to be paid before her departure with Orkney pledged for 50,000 florins.  By 1469 he had raised only 2,000 florins and pledged Shetland for 8,000 florins.  In 1470 The earldom of Orkney had been purchased by the Crown from the Sinclairs (Earl William) with the ruined castle of Ravenscraig in Fife in some compensation and a pension of 40 merks. Christian I's pledges were never redeemed leading to the annexation of the Islands.   In 1540 the Scottish Parliament annexed the lorships, lands and castle of Orkney and Shetland, in 1612  again the lands of Orkney and in 1669  established the status of Orkney and Shetland as Crown Dependencies. The sovereignty of the Islands continues to be disputed. (Note: Some sources give the date as 20th February 1471) References: The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland, 20th February 1472 Scotland: the later Middle Ages, Ranald Nicholson p. 417 James III: a political study, Norman Macdougal, p.91 Orkney Tourist Group - Fascinating facts Shetland - Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia Further  references here  and  here
	21		February		1842		Glasgow Queen Street Station opened initially as Dundas Street.
	21		February		1945		Eric Liddell, athlete and missionary, featured in "Chariots of Fire", died in an internment camp at Weihsien, China.
	22		February		1371		David II died, and the crown passed to his nephew, Robert the Steward.
	22		February		1371		Robert II, became the first Stewart monarch
	22		February		1875		Sir Charles Lyell, eminent Scots Geologist, died.
	23		February		1820		William Davidson captured in the Cato Street Conspiracy.
	23		February		1836		The first day of the Siege of the Alamo,1836, There were four Scots born,  Richard W Ballentine, John McGregor (piper), Isaac Robinson and David L. Wilson and many of Scots ancestry among the defenders.
	24		February		1303		The Battle of Roslin. The action at Roslin was typical of combat in this period; a clash between relatively small groups of men-at-arms (armoured cavalry), not, as popularly written, a battle of manoeuvre involving many thousands.
	24		February		1923		The Flying Scotsman left the works at Doncaster.
	25		February		1871		The England v. Scotland representative Football Match resulted in a 1-1 draw. Ref: The Scotsman Newspaper Monday 27 February 1871 page 7
	25		February		1888		A conference in Edinburgh discussed the issue of leaving certificates for Scottish schools.
	26		February		1802		Alexander Geddes, theologian, died.
	26		February		1852		The sinking of the Troopship "BIRKENHEAD" off Danger Point, South Africa. The Ship's Company, the Officers, Non Commissioned Officers and Men, of several units  including three Scottish Regiments stood fast with no hope of rescue as the ship sank beneath them, while every woman and child on board was saved in the few serviceable lifeboats. HMS Birkenhead
	27		February		1545		The Battle of Ancrum Moor. The Scots, led by the Earl of Angus defeated a much larger English force.
	27		February		1560		The Treaty of Berwick, a first step towards the expulsion of the French Troops  from Scotland, was signed in Berwick between the Duke of Norfolk, for England and Scottish Nobles opposed to the French occupation.
	28		February		1642		The National Covenant was signed at Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh.
	29		February		1528		Patrick Hamilton burned at the stake as a heretic in St Andrews.
	29		February		1904		The Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, opened.