Adoption of the National Covenant

Date: February 28, 1638 • Location: City of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The National Covenant was formally adopted in opposition to proposed reforms to the Church of Scotland by King Charles I.

The National Covenant was an agreement signed by many people of Scotland during 1638, opposing the proposed Laudian reforms of the Church of Scotland 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.