Union, war, conquest, revolution, attempted invasions, and armed rebellions: this was an eventful time even by the standards of Scotland’s turbulent history. At the same time, traditional notions of kinship and community came under strain as profound economic changes reshaped social relations and created new opportunities.

Laura A. M. Stewart and Janay Nugent explore the creative volatility of the Anglo-Scottish relationship within a European and transatlantic context. Scotland’s integration into the burgeoning British imperial state proved easier for some than others; it also drew Scots into the global slave trade. This is a stimulating account of a contentious period, knowledge of which is crucial for an understanding of British history and the politics of today.

This edition in the New History of Scotland series radically updates Rosalind Mitchison’s Lordship to Patronage (1983), covering Scotland’s history, 1625-1745.