Dr Graeme Millen
@weegiegraeme.bsky.social
2.7K followers 880 following 250 posts
Working class, Glaswegian 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, Historian of late 17th century specialising in Scotland, warfare, martial culture, identity and migration. Former HE lecturer. Publishing on Jacobites, the Highland War (1689-1691) & Scots-Dutch Brigade 🇳🇱 All views my own.
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weegiegraeme.bsky.social
A link to my first chapter on The Scots-Dutch Moment(?): The Scots-Dutch Brigade and the Highland War, 1689-1691. Might be of interest to some new followers, stay tuned there’s more coming which I’m currently toiling away on!
#earlymodern #17thc #c18
#Skystorians

brill.com/edcollchap/b...
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers Bryony, thank you for those kind words, I appreciate that.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers Lou, those are very kind words. Appreciate it!
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers pal, I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed our interactions and your content and likewise your expertise. I’ll try tae keep a hand in but I need tae get oan wae my life, pay the bills. I don’t think anything could stop me writing, I struggle with it bc of all this. But I’ll get back tae it.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers Linsey, appreciate that
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Thanks Lou, I kent ye’d be behind me. Really appreciate that mate, one day I’ll buy ye a pint.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Appreciate that Aaron, I feel for the newer tutors as well. I’ve at least had the benefit of the stability for 3 year.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Knowledge of your country’s history or history in general should not be gatekeepit behind a bloody paywall. University is still an expensive endeavour and its becoming moreso, walled off behind rising living costs and lack of funding.

History changed my life, it changed my perspectives!
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Finally, I really feel for my students. The OU courses at Dundee provided people with working commitments and disabilities an alternate pathway into Higher Education. I had a similar path into HE, starting at foundational courses after flunking my Highers. Those paths are increasingly disappearing.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Well, that’s that. After a mere three years in UK HE, I’ve finally lost my last job - a casual zero hours (and for the last year) contract-less job working at the University of Dundee providing OU online courses. I’d like to say I’m surprised but the writing has been on the wall for some time #17thc
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers man, aye it’s honestly so wasteful, like I kent how bad it wis but I always thought we could turn it around.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers Karen, appreciate that.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Cheers Lee, aye I used tae hink we could save it, now I jist don’t know.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Anyway, the only reason I’m so sore about this is, I enjoyed teaching and, if I can venture tae say, I was guid at it! I’ve enjoyed working with all my history colleagues at Dundee and none of the above is directed at them - they’ve been nothing but great. Logging off. #Scottishhistory #17thc
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Honestly, the UCU is one of the least disciplined unions I have ever seen in my puff. The leadership could do with reading some Jimmy Reid, learn what a union is actually for.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
And not just by Dundee (twice, as I taught in-person and then was not offered the chance to apply again) but by St Andrews. This sector has nae future if the majority of us cannae even earn a pittance in it. Largely permanent colleagues were sympathetic but I saw a lack of solidarity from others.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
The reality is, if you are a working class person without the financial means tae stick it in the sector you’ve a snowball’s chance in hell of lasting. I feel quite sore about the whole thing, feels like I was used up for my teaching skills until I was surplus tae requirements.

#Scottishhistory
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Well, that’s that. After a mere three years in UK HE, I’ve finally lost my last job - a casual zero hours (and for the last year) contract-less job working at the University of Dundee providing OU online courses. I’d like to say I’m surprised but the writing has been on the wall for some time #17thc
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jeff.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Also the fifth chapter of my thesis uncovers more about the fiscal-military state of the Scottish Williamites and the considerable investment and expansion of the re-established Scottish standing army from 1689-1691.

kar.kent.ac.uk/93139/
The Scots-Dutch Brigade and the Highland War, 1689-1691 - Kent Academic Repository
kar.kent.ac.uk
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
You can find out more in my chapter for Monarchy and the Court (Brill).

brill.com/edcollchap/b...
brill.com
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Also whilst there were English regiments at Killiecrankie, the majority of the Williamite forces in Scotland were Scottish regiments, paid for by the Scottish Parliament with some assistance from the Crown in London. There were also regiments in Dutch pay, the Scots-Dutch Brigade - they were crucial
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
Certainly ‘Glorious’ if you’re a Whig or Williamite but even then the Revolution of 1688 had far reaching and violent consequences beyond England. In Ireland and Scotland, it acted as the catalyst for bloody and costly civil wars as well as threatening the stability of the new regime in England.
weegiegraeme.bsky.social
The peerless Galt authored Ringan Gilhaize which features the lives of three Scottish Protestants from the Reformation to the Revolution. The concluding chapters take place during the Highland War (1689-1691) and features the Battle of Killiecrankie as its climax. A phenomenal historical novel!
asls.org.uk
A 🎂 🧵 for John Galt (1779–1839), born #OTD, 2 May. His novels & short stories are sharp political satires & fascinating chronicles of Scottish life.

Read our INTERNATIONAL COMPANION, ed Gerard Carruthers & Colin Kidd – in print or online via @projectmuse.bsky.social
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asls.org.uk/publications...
Book cover;

The International Companion to

JOHN GALT

Edited by Gerard Carruthers and Colin Kidd

Cover image: A portrait of the author John Galt, by Charles Grey (c. 1808–1892). Oil on canvas. Against a dark background, the face of a slightly curious, quizzical, clean-shaven man of middle age, wearing a high-necked white shirt. He has a black jacket over it which belnds into the background.
Reposted by Dr Graeme Millen
highlanderscon1725.bsky.social
It's now just one week until our Call for Papers closes - have you got your abstract in?

We welcome online and in-person papers relating to the Highlands - or Highlanders - and Britain since 1725. Please send your abstract (150-300 words) to [email protected] by 5th May!