Inverness is often called the capital of the Highlands. Inverness means the mouth of the River Ness. It is an ancient settlement. In the 6th century AD St Columba is supposed to have visited the Pictish king Brude at his fortress there. Centuries later, in 1040, Macbeth is supposed to have murdered King Duncan at his castle, which stood on the site of Auld Castlehill.

Early in the 12th century King David I (1124-1153) made Inverness a royal burgh. He also built a new castle. In the late 12th century King William the Lion gave Inverness 4 charters. (A charter was a document granting the townspeople certain rights). From 1180 a ditch and a wooden stockade surrounded Inverness.

Inverness flourished. Many fishermen operated from Inverness and from the 13th century there was a shipbuilding industry there. Inverness was also a busy little port in the Middle Ages. The main exports were wool, fur and hides. By the middle of the 13th century there was a bridge over the River Ness.

For centuries there was a wooden fort at Inverness but King David built a stone castle. This was largely destroyed by Robert the Bruce in the early 14th century but it was rebuilt early in the 15th century.

In 1233 a Dominican Friary was founded in Inverness. The friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach. Dominican monks were called black friars because of the colour of their costumes.

The Middle Ages were a troubled time for Scotland. It was a violent and lawless age. Inverness suffered several disasters. Disaster struck when the Abbot of Arbroath's men burned the friary and part of Inverness. (That was easily done since the buildings were of wood with thatched roofs. On the other hand if they burned they could be easily rebuilt.)

Then in 1411 when Donald, Lord of the Isles, burned part of the town. Inverness suffered another disaster in 1429. In 1428 the king arrested the Lord of the Isles, Alexander MacDonald, and some clan chieftains in Inverness. After his release the Lord attacked Inverness and partly destroyed it. However Inverness recovered and continued to prosper.

During these centuries Inverness was a busy port and market town. In 1591 it was granted a new charter called the Golden Charter.

In 1562 Queen Mary came to Inverness. She tried to enter the castle but the governor refused to admit her as his family had a disagreement with the Queen. She stayed somewhere else in the town but later the governor was hanged.

In 1644 the wooden bridge over the Ness collapsed. It was a replaced by a stone bridge which survived until the 19th century.

In 1652-1657, during the English occupation of Scotland, Cromwell's men built a citadel in Inverness but it was demolished in 1662. Today only the clocktower (Cromwell's Clocktower) remains.