The Scots-Dutch Brigade and the Highland War, 1689-1691

This thesis is a re-examination of the Highland War (1689-1691) from the Williamite side, analysing it through the participation of the Scots-Dutch Brigade, a unit of three Scottish regiments serving in the army of the Dutch Republic. These regiments returned to Britain as part of William of Orange's invasion force in 1688 before they were redeployed to Scotland in the following year. They had been issued with orders to secure the country for William and his supporters, representing a return home for many of them. This thesis illustrates that the Scots-Dutch Brigade's return saw them centrally involved in the efforts to secure the nascent Williamite regime in Scotland. For three years the officers of the Brigade acted as the nucleus of William's Scottish army. Re-examining the Highland War through this prism greatly extends our understanding of the impact of the revolution in Scotland. In seizing power from King James' supporters politically, the Williamites had gained power de jure but, as we shall see, a significant military endeavour was required to secure de facto control of Scotland. The Scots-Dutch regiments were more than just a contingent of veterans of continental service, the officer corps became the vanguard of William and Mary's cause in the country. These officers, due to their long-standing service to the Dutch Republic held a high degree of trust of the Prince of Orange. Their sojourn in Scotland saw William vest the highest degree of confidence in the Scots-Dutch officers who had remained loyal to him throughout the Revolution. The military aspect of the revolution in Scotland has been significantly undervalued within various historiographies. This work will demonstrate that William & Mary's reign over Scotland was only secured through coercive military means and the Brigade was at the forefront of this. The Scots-Dutch soldiers returned to their homeland only to be plunged into the heart of a civil war and their efforts were instrumental in bringing the Jacobites to the negotiating table and, thus, securing the stability of the new government.