Cities of Scotland

The annals of Ulster cite Forteviot as the residence of Pictish kings Causantín mac Fergusa and Kenneth MacAlpin and that upon the destruction of Forteviot by the Danes, the Picts took residence across the river Tay, establishing Scone as a more defensible royal city.

[1] Causantín mac Áeda, King of Scots held the first recorded council at Scone in 906.

[2] Malcolm IV of Scotland in a charter to the monastery of Scone states it was founded "in principali sede regni nostri".

[2] Scone was described by John of Fordun on the crowning of as the "sedes superior", the principal seat of Scotland.

[7] In 1633 Charles I referred to Edinburgh in a charter as the "principal burgh of our kingdom of Scotland" and "the chief city".

[9][10] In 1476, Charter of James III of Scotland confirmed "the City and Barony in free regality".

[11] Edinburgh was recognised as a royal burgh from ~1124, introduced by David I of Scotland as part of his feudalisation after ascending to the throne in 1124.

[4] James VI's Golden Charter to Perth in 1600 referred to it as a "free city and regal and royal burgh".

[31] Dumfries, Dunfermline, Elgin, Greenock, Livingston, Oban, St Andrews and South Ayrshire submitted bids for city status in 2021.