Scottish Blog

The Act of Security was an act passed by the Scottish parliament in an attempt to secure a Protestant successor to their crown.

The full title of the Act of Security is Act for the Security of the Kingdom. It was passed through the Scottish parliament in 1704. As the name might suggest, the Act of Security was devised so as to protect Scotland. In this case, the Act of Security was devised as protection, by making sure that the Scotland’s next monarch was a protestant of Scottish decent.

The origin of the Act of Security came from the death of the last heir of Queen Anne, in 1700. Leaving no viable successor to the throne, both the Scottish and English parliament was in need of security in a future protestant monarch. The English parliament chose Sophia of Hanover as their next monarch, although this decision was done with no consultation or consideration for the Scottish parliament. As an act of retaliation the Scottish parliament, the Act of Security was created which mandated that if Queen Anne were to die without providing another royal heir than the Scottish parliament would appoint a protestant with decent from previous Scotttish Kings as the ward for the three Scottish estates of the Parliament.

Until 1704 the Security Act was opposed by the Lord High Commissioner to the Scottish Parliament. This changed when the Scottish parliament refused several requests of the High Commissioner, including a raise in taxes and also threatened to withdraw some military forces from the War of Spanish succession.

Three years after the passing of the Act of Security the issue was made null by the newly formed and passed Act of Union between Scotland and England. Although in essence it was unnecessary, the newly created Parliament of Great Britain passed a further act which nullified the Act of Security.