National Covenant

The National Covenant (Scottish Gaelic: An Cùmhnant Nàiseanta)^[1][2] was an agreement signed by many people of Scotland during 1638, opposing the proposed reforms of the Church of Scotland (also known as the Kirk) by King Charles I. The king's efforts to impose changes on the church in the 1630s caused widespread protests across Scotland, leading to the organisation of committees to coordinate opposition to the king. Facing royal opposition, its leaders arranged the creation of the National Covenant to bolster the movement by tapping into patriotic fervour. It became widely adopted throughout most of Scotland with supporters henceforth known as Covenanters.

The Covenant opposed changes to the Church of Scotland, and committed its signatories to stand together in the defence of the nation's religion. Charles saw this as an act of rebellion against his rule, leading to the Bishops' Wars, the result of which required him to call an English Parliament. This parliament passed acts limiting the king's authority, and these disputes ultimately led to the First English Civil War.