Editing Edinburgh Castle (section)

=== Nova Scotia and Civil War ===
Much of the castle was subsequently rebuilt by Regent Morton, including the Spur, the new Half Moon Battery and the Portcullis Gate. Some of these works were supervised by [[William MacDowall]], the master of work who fifteen years earlier had repaired David's Tower.<ref>MacIvor (1993), p. 69.</ref> The Half Moon Battery, while impressive in size, is considered by historians to have been an ineffective and outdated artillery fortification.<ref>MacIvor (1981), p. 146.</ref> This may have been due to a shortage of resources, although the battery's position obscuring the ancient David's Tower and enhancing the prominence of the palace block, has been seen as a significant decision.<ref>Howard, p. 35.</ref>

The battered palace block remained unused, particularly after James VI departed to become King of England in 1603.<ref>Tabraham (2008), p. 55.</ref> James had repairs carried out in 1584, and in 1615–1616 more extensive repairs were carried out in preparation for his return visit to Scotland.<ref>Tabraham (2008), p. 52.</ref> The mason [[William Wallace (mason)|William Wallace]] and master of works [[James Murray (architect)|James Murray]] introduced an early Scottish example of the double-pile block.<ref>Howard, p. 81.</ref> The principal external features were the three, three-storey [[oriel window]]s on the east façade, facing the town and emphasising that this was a palace rather than just a place of defence.<ref>Howard, p. 38.</ref> During his visit in 1617, James held court in the refurbished palace block, but still preferred to sleep at Holyrood.<ref name=BoS85-86/>
[[File:Edinburgh Castle Nova Scotia.JPG|thumb|left|alt=Photo of a bronze plaque|Memorial plaque to Sir William Alexander, on the Castle Esplanade]]

In 1621, King James granted [[William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling|Sir William Alexander]] the land in North America between [[New England]] and [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], as ''[[Nova Scotia]]'' ("New Scotland"). To promote the settlement and [[plantation]] of the new territory, the [[Baronetage of Nova Scotia]] was created in 1624. Under [[Scots law]], [[baronet]]s had to "take [[sasine]]" by symbolically receiving the earth and stone of the land of which they were baronet. To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was so distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in the new province or alternatively "at the castle of Edinburgh as the most eminent and principal place of Scotland."<ref>McGrail, p. 91.</ref>

James' successor, [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]], visited Edinburgh Castle only once, hosting a feast in the Great Hall and staying the night before his Scottish coronation in 1633. This was the last occasion that a reigning monarch resided in the castle.<ref name=Salter47/> In 1639, in response to Charles' attempts to impose [[Episcopal polity|Episcopacy]] on the [[Church of Scotland|Scottish Church]], [[Bishops' Wars|civil war]] broke out between the King's forces and the Presbyterian [[Covenanter]]s. The Covenanters, led by [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Alexander Leslie]], captured Edinburgh Castle after a short siege, although it was restored to Charles after the [[Treaty of Berwick (1639)|Peace of Berwick]] in June the same year. The peace was short-lived, however, and the following year the Covenanters took the castle again, this time after a three-month siege, during which the garrison ran out of supplies. The Spur was badly damaged and was demolished in the 1640s.<ref name=BoS85-86/> The Royalist commander [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose|James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose]], was imprisoned here after his capture in 1650.<ref name=Salter48>Salter, p. 48.</ref>

In May 1650, the Covenanters signed the [[Treaty of Breda (1650)|Treaty of Breda]], allying themselves with the exiled [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] against the [[Roundhead|English Parliamentarians]], who had executed his father the previous year. In response to the Scots proclaiming Charles King, [[Oliver Cromwell]] launched an invasion of Scotland, defeating the Covenanter army at [[Battle of Dunbar (1650)|Dunbar]] in September. Edinburgh Castle was taken after a three-month siege, which caused further damage. The Governor of the Castle, Colonel Walter Dundas, surrendered to Cromwell despite having enough supplies to hold out, allegedly from a desire to change sides.<ref name=Salter48/>