Highland Soldiers is a work of fiction; however, much of the background is rooted in history. Following are some of the customs and events I researched while writing this series:
The Stool of Repentance was a very real part of the 17th Century Scotland church. People were known to commit suicide rather than face the ordeal.
In 1670 King Charles II declared it illegal to worship in any church other than the Church of Scotland. Those caught doing so could be summarily executed on the spot. To enforce this decree, as many as 8,000 Highland soldiers were brought down to the lowlands. So began the period in Scottish history known as The Killing Times. For a moving account if these times, I recommend Scottish Covenanter Stories: Tales from the Killing Times, by Dane Love.
Scottish Covenanter
