General Council of Scotland facts for kids

The General Council was a special kind of meeting in medieval Scotland. It was a bit like the Parliament, and it existed from the late 1300s to the early 1500s. Historians often study the General Council and the Parliament together because they were so similar.

What Made It Different?

The main difference between the General Council and the Parliament was how quickly it could be called. A Parliament usually needed 40 days' notice before it could meet. But a General Council could be called much faster!

Another key difference was that the General Council wasn't a court. This meant it couldn't make final decisions on very serious legal matters, like the Parliament could.

What Could the General Council Do?

Even though it had some differences, the General Council was very powerful. It could:

• Raise taxes (money for the government).
• Create new laws (rules for the country).

These laws and taxes were just as important as those made by the Parliament!

Why Was It Used?

The General Council was often used when the king was too young to rule, or when he was unable to. This happened during the reigns of:

• King Robert II
• King Robert III
• When King James I was held captive (from 1406 to 1424).
• During much of the time when King James II was a child (from 1437 to 1445).

During these times, the General Council was often preferred over the Parliament to help run the country.

When Did It End?

The General Council started to be used less during the reign of King James III. It seems to have almost disappeared, even when he was a child (from 1466 to 1470). This might be because its records were kept separately and later got lost.

The General Council stopped being held completely during the reign of King James IV. Soon after, a new type of meeting called the Convention of Estates began to take its place.

See also

• List of parliaments of Scotland (includes General Councils)