New Scotland (1457-67)
New Scotland (1457-67)
In April 1457 the Lamb of Leith, after two months at sea, finally sighted land. The crew rejoiced at the miracle, but Wallace Montgomerie gave the order to sail on. The coast was icy and barren, New Scotland could not be founded here. Her supplies dwindling, and her mast damaged, the Lamb of Leith finally put to shore in a secluded bay. Wallace Playfair, a conquistador hand-picked by James II to lead the exploration of the new world, headed inland with 1000 troops. They quickly discovered villages of strange natives, bewildering animals, and new trees and plants.
Montgomerie and Playfair planted a lion rampant beside the fir trees on the shore of what they now knew was Stadacona. After a week unloading troops and supplies, the Lamb of Leith set sail on the return journey to Scotland. But Wallace Montgomerie and his crew were never to see home again. The Lamb had suffered too much damage, and finally slipped beneath the waves off the coast of Greenland. Playfair and his men were now alone on the new continent, thousands of miles from home.
In time their exploits would become Scottish legend. During the following decade they explored, discovered new territories, and paved the way for scotlands first colonies in the new world.
More controversially, Playfair rejoiced in removing pagan threats to Scotlands' catholic rule, by 'pacifying' hundreds of native villages. By 1467, benefitting from Playfairs' ruthless methods, Scotland had established ten colonies along the eastern coast of the new continent.
During his ten years of exploration Wallace Playfair had helped Scotland establish diplomatic relations with three new nations, known as the Huron, Iroquois and Cherokee. They watched Scotland's growth with unease.
Scotland was not alone in the New World. Castille had also established two colonies of her own, and border tensions were on the rise.
With news from home sporadic (and no Scottish navy to bring it...) Playfair grew increasingly surprised that colonists from England had not arrived in neighbouring territories. Soon he was to learn, from a Castilian merchant, of the series of disasters that had befallen Scotlands' bitter rival....