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Which King granted Dundee its royal charter?

William I the Lion. David, Earl of Huntingdon and brother of King William the Lion of Scotland, prayed to St Mary for mercy as a violent storm threatened to swamp his ship and change his return from the crusades to tragedy. Legend states that his prayers were answered and he was washed up on the shores of a humble fishing village called Dundee. On the Earl's recomendation the King made Dundee a royal burgh raising its status, and establishing Dundee as one of Scotland's foremost administrative and trading centres.

In which year did Dundee become a royal burgh?

1190. Most royal burghs were seaports, and each was either created by the crown, or upgraded from another status, such as burgh of barony.

Which event that took place in Dundee in the year 1291, turned William Wallace into an outlaw, and started his fight for a free Scotland?

He killed the English constable's son. Unlike in the movie "Braveheart", Wallace started his political life on the run in Dundee. Young Selby and his friends were insulting Wallace, his reaction was swift: he drew his blade and thrust it through Selby's heart.

In 1651 what fate befell Dundee on its refusal to surrender the provisional goverment left by Charles II to Cromwell's forces?

The garrison was slaughtered,and the troops were allowed 24 hours' plunder. Monck (Cromwell's comander in Scotland) besieged the city for two weeks and after finally taking the town, he slaughtered a fifth of the population.

What is or was 'Bonnie Dundee'?

A nickname for John Graham of Claverhouse. Claverhouse was hated for his relentless persecution of the Covenanters. Against the odds he rallied the Highland clans. Although dying at the battle of Killiecrankie he led his troops to victory. The Jacobites were doomed from then on, but Claverhouse became a Jacobite hero, going on to be known as "Bonnie Dundee".

Which character of horror fiction was thought of in Dundee?

Frankenstein. Mary Shelley said the germ of her idea for the classic "Frankenstein" came to her during her childhood while holidaying in Dundee.

What was William McGonagall's middle name?

Topaz. One of his better known poems 'The Tay Bridge Disaster', tells the story of the bridge collapsing during a gale on the evening of 28 December 1879 while a train was crossing.

Mary Slessor moved to Dundee at the age of 11. She became famous in one of these roles. Which?

A missionary in Nigeria. Mary shocked many missionaries by living with and as the locals, and became practised in the local customs and culture, thus assisting her missionary work and promotion of women's rights.

In 1837 James Chalmers pioneered what?

Adhesive postage stamp. Yet it was Englishman Rowland Hill, following the introduction of the Penny Black stamp in 1840, who was to receive recognition for being the first.

Dundee is known as the 'City of the 3 Js'. What are they?

Jute, jam and journalism. In the industrial revolution, the city's expansion was mainly due to the jute industry. Keiler's marmalade was first mass produced in Dundee and exported worldwide. D C Thomson & Co (founded in 1905) and publishes newspapers, comics and magazines and is particularly well known for "Beano" and "Dandy".