Old Aberdeen - History

History

Old Aberdeen was an important political, ecclesiastical and cultural center since the Late Middle Ages. From the 13th century it was the location of the Doctors of Aberdeen, a powerful group of church bishops, who made many of the executive decisions pertaining to church and state relations. In the 1630s the Covenanters challenged the Doctors of Aberdeen by holding a meeting in Muchalls Castle and responding to certain letters issued by the doctors, thus setting the stage for later military engagements; namely, William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the Civil War in 1639 by marching over the Causey Mounth to attack forces at the Bridge of Dee, effectively gaining control of Old Aberdeen.