On the 4th February 1818 Sir Walter Scott supervised the rediscovery of the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish Crown Jewels, in Edinburgh Castle.

The jewels consist of a sword, crown and sceptre. The three items were first used together during the coronation of Mary, Queen of Scots and last used for the coronation of Charles II in 1651. During the Second World War, they were hidden in different parts of Edinburgh Castle in case of German invasion.

Today in 1685 King Charles II died and James VII was crowned. James's Catholicism created a revival of the religious conflicts that had plagued the previous century, and led to his being deposed in 1688. His sympathisers left in the country became known as Jacobites, after Jacobus, the Latin for James.

Today's recipe: a spicy method of serving up the king of crustaceans. Lobster curry.