“The First Marquis of Montrose, one of the greatest soldiers Scotland has produced, was a dashingly handsome man, a poet, and the leader of a doomed uprising.” - Stuart Reid

During the Great Civil War, Scotland was a country divided, the Royalists commanded by the Marquis of Montrose and the Covenanters under the Duke of Argyll. Montrose raised the Royalist Standard at Blair Atholl Castle in August 1644 having previously fought for the King in England in 1642/43. Montrose has attracted many admirers, the dashing cavalier, the warrior poet, the King’s Champion who was to be betrayed by a Stuart Monarch, a great leader of men who gave his life for his cause. Despite this Montrose has never quite achieved a place in the National psyche reserved for such as Robert the Bruce or Bonnie Prince Charlie. Perhaps this is due to the fact that these were indeed Civil Wars that split the nation making it difficult to decide who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. A role so often conveniently filled by the Auld Enemy regardless of historical fact!