Events from the year 1720 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

: The Duke of Roxburghe

Law officers

* Lord Advocate – Sir David Dalrymple, 1st Baronet, then Robert Dundas * Solicitor General for Scotland – Robert Dundas, then Walter Stewart

Judiciary

* Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord North Berwick * Lord Justice General – Lord Ilay * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Grange

Events

* A great storm cuts Rattray, Aberdeenshire, off from the open sea, creating the Loch of Strathbeg. * The '' Caledonian Mercury'' newspaper begins publication in Edinburgh. * Food riots in east coast towns from January to March.

Births

* 31 December –

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...

, Jacobite claimant to the British throne (born, and died

1788 Events January–March * January 1 – The first edition of ''The Times'', previously ''The Daily Universal Register'', is published in London. * January 2 – Georgia ratifies the United States Constitution, and becomes the fourth U.S ...

, in Rome)

Deaths

* 20 April – George Gordon, 1st Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (born

1637 Events January–March * January 5 – Pierre Corneille's tragicomedy ''Le Cid'' is first performed, in Paris, France. * January 16 – The siege of Nagpur ends in what is now the Maharashtra state of India, as Kok Shah, the ...

) * David Gregory, physician and inventor (born

1625 Events January–March * January 17 – Led by the Duke of Soubise, the Huguenots launch a second rebellion against King Louis XIII, with a surprise naval assault on a French fleet being prepared in Blavet. * February 3 – ...

)

The arts

References

Years of the 18th century in Scotland Scotland 1720s in Scotland {{Scotland-hist-stub