The traditional lineage of Scottish monarchs began in 843 AD when Kenneth MacAlpin (Kenneth I) united the Scots and the Picts to form the Kingdom of Alba (later Scotland). Kenneth MacAlpin's rule extended only to the south and west of the country; great swaths of territory were still in the hands of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. Not until 1460 did what is known today as Scotland exist territorially.
The last king of a separate Scotland was James VI, who died in 1625. By that time, he was also king of England and Scotland thanks to the Union of Crowns in 1603. From that point, England and Scotland shared a monarch but not a parliament; they were both independent countries until 1707. This timeline concludes in 1625 AD with the death of James VI, who famously united the crowns of Scotland and England in 1603.
The comprehensive list of the rulers of Scotland during this era, organized by their historical royal houses, is detailed below:
House of Alpin (843–1034)
- Kenneth I MacAlpin: 843–858
- Donald I: 858–862
- Constantine I: 862–877
- Aed (Aodh): 877–878
- Giric: 878–889 (ruled alongside or as guardian to Eochaid)
- Eochaid: 878–889 (disputed/joint rule)
- Donald II: 889–900
- Constantine II: 900–943
- Malcolm I: 943–954
- Indulf: 954–962
- Dub (Duff): 962–966
- Culen: 966–971
- Kenneth II: 971–995
- Constantine III: 995–997
- Kenneth III: 997–1005
- Malcolm II: 1005–1034
House of Dunkeld (1034–1286)
- Duncan I: 1034–1040 (The historical basis for Shakespeare's Macbeth)
- Macbeth: 1040–1057 (Seized the throne after killing Duncan I in battle)
- Lulach: 1057–1058
- Malcolm III Canmore: 1058–1093
- Donald III Bane (Donalbane): 1093–1094
- Duncan II: 1094
- Donald III Bane: 1094–1097 (Restored to the throne)
- Edgar: 1097–1107
- Alexander I: 1107–1124
- David I: 1124–1153
- Malcolm IV: 1153–1165
- William I (The Lion): 1165–1214
- Alexander II: 1214–1249
- Alexander III: 1249–1286
- Margaret (Maid of Norway): 1286–1290 (Died at age 7, triggering a succession crisis)
First Interregnum (1290–1292)
- Guardians of Scotland: Ruled during the vacancy of the throne.
House of Balliol (1292–1296)
John Balliol: 1292–1296 (Forced to abdicate by Edward I of England).
Second Interregnum (1296–1306)
- Guardians of Scotland: Period of the Wars of Scottish Independence (featuring William Wallace).
House of Bruce (1306–1371)
- Robert I (The Bruce): 1306–1329 (Restored Scottish independence)
- David II: 1329–1371
House of Stewart / Stuart (1371–1625)
- Robert II: 1371–1390
- Robert III: 1390–1406
- James I: 1406–1437
- James II: 1437–1460
- James III: 1460–88
- James IV: 1488–1513
- James V: 1513–1542
- Mary, Queen of Scots: 1542–1567
- James VI: 1567–1625 (Became King James I of England in 1603, uniting both realms under one ruler).
- Charles I: 1625–1649 (Beheaded)
Interregnum / Commonwealth (1649–1660)
- Republic (Cromwellian Protectorate)
House of Stewart / Stuart (1660–1688)
- Charles II: 1660–1685 — Stuart (Restoration)
- James II: 1685–1688
House of Orange‑Nassau / Stuart (1689-1694)
- William III and Mary II: 1689–1694 (joint)
House of Orange‑Nassau (1694-1702)
- William III (sole): 1694–1702 — Orange‑Nassau
House of Stuart (1702–1714 )
- Anne: 1702–1714 (Anne becomes the first monarch of Great Britain in 1707.)
House of Hanover (1714-1901)
- George I: 1714–1727
- George II: 1727–1760
- George III: 1760–1820
- George IV: 1820–1830
- William IV: 1830–1837
- Victoria: 1837–1901 (Married, 1840, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)
House of Saxe‑Coburg and Gotha (1901-1917)
- Edward VII: 1901–1910
House of Windsor (1917 - Present)
(Renamed from Saxe‑Coburg and Gotha in 1917)
- George V: 1910–1936 (Saxe‑Coburg and Gotha till 1910 - Windsor after 1917)
- Edward VIII: 1936
- George VI: 1936–1952
- Elizabeth II: 1952–2022
- Charles III: 2022–present