Scottish National Covenant

The Scottish National Covenant was a 1638 agreement signed by thousands of Scots protesting King Charles I's attempts to impose Anglican-style religious practices on Scotland. It was a collective declaration affirming Scotland’s desire to maintain its Presbyterian church structure and religious freedoms, rejecting the king’s authority to alter church doctrines and practices. This covenant played a crucial role in uniting Scots against perceived religious threats, leading to the First Bishops’ War and contributing to the broader conflicts of the Covenanter movement, ultimately shaping Scotland's religious and political landscape in the 17th century.