The Franco-Scottish Wars: 1689–1697 And 1702–1713

Ever since the publication of James Grant's invaluable Old Scots Navy in 1914, scholars have largely followed both his narrative and conclusions in relation to events of the Franco-Scottish wars and Scotland's contribution to them. The Franco-Scottish wars, smaller conflicts within the wider Williamite Revolution(s) in Britain and Ireland, the Nine Years' War and the War of Spanish Succession, have been described as potentially the most threatening of wars to Scottish commerce due to France 'unleashing privateers on the unarmed Scottish merchant vessels'. In August 1691 several French 'men-of-war' appeared near Aberdeen causing the Privy Council to issue warnings to local merchants about the dangers of leaving port. The cleansing of the Jacobites from the Forth coincided with an upsurge in Williamite privateering activity in Leith.Keywords: Franco-Scottish wars; Jacobites; Leith; Scottish navy