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1297 - claims are William Wallace captured
Dunnottar during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The
story states he imprisoned English soldiers in
the church then burned them alive.
1336 - during the the Second War of Scottish
Independence, Edward III of England tried to
have Dunnottar Castle rebuilt, but Sir Andrew
Murray led a force that destroyed the defenses
again.
1382 - William Keith took control of
Dunnottar.
William Keith built the Tower House at
Dunnottar, then probably began building the
outer walls with stone, replacing the earlier
timber defenses.
1458 - Sir William Keith became the first
Earl Marischal. The Castle complex was extended
over the following centuries.
1504 - the impressive Castle at Dunnottar
led to a visit by King James IV.
1562 - Mary Queen of Scots visited Dunnottar
after the Battle of
Corrichie by Aberdeen. That Battle took
place after the Gordon's had refused to accept
Mary as their Queen.
1580 - James VI stayed for 10 days hunting
and looking into court duties in the area.
1581 - George Keith
became the 5th Earl Marischal. He carried out
extensive work transforming the rugged fortress
into a more modern Castle with a luxurious
Palace. Keith was also the founder of Marischal
College in Aberdeen.
1638 - King Charles I attempted to impose a
Book of Common Prayer on the Scots. This led to
uprisings by Scots known as Covenanters.
These uprisings led to more wars such as the
Bishops' Wars, Wars of the Three Kingdoms,
English Civil War, Scottish Civil War, and
Irish Confederate Wars.
1639 - William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal,
supported the Covenanters in their fight. He
joined the Marquess of Montrose to lead a
Covenanter army of over 9,000 men to attack
Royalists at Aberdeen. This action set of a
series of wars with Covenanters being hunted
down throughout Scotland.
1642 - the English Civil
War breaks out as the Parliament rebelled
against the unpopular Charles I.
1649 - Charles I was executed by beheading,
leading to Oliver Cromwell, leader of the
Parliament forces, taking control of all
Briton. Cromwell had the English Crown Jewels
destroyed at that time.
1650 June - Charles Stuart, son of Charles
I, returns from exile in Europe then visits
Dunnottar as he makes his case to become King
of Scotland. This sets off a war with the
Parliamentarians led by Cromwell.
1650 September - Cromwell leads a force into
Scotland where they defeated the Scots at
Dunbar.
1651 January - Charles II was crowned at
Scone Palace with the Honour's of
Scotland, crown, sword and scepter.
1651 June - the Honour's of Scotland were
taken to Dunnottar Castle for safety.
1651 October - Charles II flees to exile in
France.
1651 November - Cromwell's troops besieged
Dunnottar Castle.
1652 March - the Honour's of Scotland were
smuggled out of the Castle to be hidden in
Kinneff Church 6 miles south.
1652 May - artillery arrived at the Castle
leading to Dunnottar being surrendered to
Cromwell's men.
Much of the Castle's property and cannon
were removed at this time.
1660 - Charles II was restored to the throne
of all Briton, with the Honour's of Scotland
being returned to the King.
1685 - Charles II dies with his brother
becoming King James II, a Catholic with close
ties to France.
1685 - a rebellion led by the Earl of Argyll
against King James II ended with 167
Covenanters seized and held in a cellar at
Dunnottar. Some escaped, died trying to escape,
or were transported to America. Some were
released after swearing allegiance to the
King.
1689 - the Protestant Queen Mary and her
husband King William became co-rulers of
England, Scotland and Ireland after the
Glorious
Revolution that led to them overthrowing
Mary's father, James II. James
was the last Catholic monarch. The English
Parliament feared Catholic Monarchs as they
were too close to their main enemy, the French.
This would lead to conflicts such as the
Jacobite Risings, people supporting Catholics
with a claim to the throne.
1689 - Dunnottar was used to house troops of
Mary and William during the early Jacobite
Risings.
1715 - George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal,
fought with the Jacobite's at the Battle of
Sheriffmuir. After the failure of that
Rising, Lord Marischal fled to the Continent
where he became French ambassador for Frederick
the Great of Prussia.
1716 - the titles and estates of George
Keith were forfeited to the Crown.
1720 - the estates of George Keith were sold
to the York Buildings
Company. This English investment company
bought a number of Jacobite estates that had
been taken over by the Crown. They soon hit
financial problems, leading to them selling off
anything they could, including the lead from
Dunnottar Castles roof, leading to much of the
Castle falling into ruin.
1761 - George Keith returned to Scotland
then bought back Dunnottar. The wet Scottish
weather soon led to him returning to
Europe.
1766 - Dunnottar was sold to Alexander
Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer. The Castle
remained in this family for the following 107
years.
1873 - Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and
Raemoir bought Dunnottar for about £80,000.
1925 - the Castle was sold to Weetman
Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, with his wife
taking control of restorations.
The Castle was opened to the public around
this time, becoming one of the top attractions
in Scotland.
1970 - Dunnottar Castle and the headland was
designated as a scheduled monument.
1972 - a number of buildings in the Castle
were listed as being of national
importance.
1990 - the film Hamlet,
starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close had some
scenes shot at the Castle.
Today - the youngest son of the 3rd Viscount
Cowdray runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of
the 52,000-acre Dunecht Estates.
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