[Cronos]

you are correct -- I highly simplified it with "by converting them to Protestantism" -- actually that's wrong, I would say more abetted it. But imagine if Scotland had not become Protestant? Politically it would then remain much more distinct from England -- like the Irish did

The fact that the Scots were fellow Protestants helped the island country not fear a land war

[Winniesboy]

I’m glad you made that amendment, but even ‘abetted’ is a bit strong. The Calvinism established in Scotland by John Knox c. 1560 was to all intents and purposes entirely independent of, and theologically quite distinct from the English Reformation happening at roughly the same time. There was never any serious attempt subsequently to merge the Church of Scotland (and its subsequent schismatic offshoots) with the Church of England, despite the Union of so many other aspects of the two nations. Anglicanism and Scottish Presbyterianism have always kept a distance from each other.

[the scotsman]

I don’t agree, Scotland from the 15th/early 16th C was moving more and more towards a Union with England.

https://patrioticunionist.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/the-scottish-roots-of-unionism/