Scapa Flow's isolation could be a military asset as well as a logistical liability. Montrose stood between two religious-political camps: he opposed royal interference with the Church of Scotland but also rejected the Covenanters' more extreme Protestant program. That moderate position helps explain why his campaign cannot be reduced to a simple partisan label. The anchorage gave him a secure point from which to gather forces and move in and out of the Highlands. Opponents without ships struggled to contest the islands directly. Montrose compensated for limited cavalry and artillery with mobility and the divided loyalties of Scottish clans, extracting military advantage from scarce resources.
Notable Point · 55:59-1:00:36
Montrose uses island sea access in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Marquess of Montrose could gather forces in Scapa Flow and move through the Highlands because opponents without ships struggled to reach the islands.